daily 2 Blocks sewing made modern. 3 4 seWing gifT ideas ...

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Reversible gift Bags

Cathedral Window Blocks

Baby Wrap Jacket

Monogrammed fabric gift Tags

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sewing made modern.

sewing gifts for every season: 4 free seWing gifT ideas and pRoJeCTs

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sewing gifts for every season 4 FREE Sewing Gift Ideas and Projects

1 Reversible Gift Bags................................3

2 Cathedral Window Blocks....................5

3 Baby Wrap Jacket....................................84 Monogrammed Fabric Gift Tags.......10

Photo by Larry Stein

Editor Amber EdendEsignEr Jocelin Damien

illustration Ann Sabin SwansonPhotograPhy Joe Hancock and Larry Stein

ProjEct dEsignErs

Rosemarie DeBoer, Eunny Jung, Katie Himmelberg, Marlene Blessing

Projects and information are for inspiration and personal use only. Sew Daily and Stitch magazine are not responsible for any liability arising from errors, omissions, or mistakes contained in this eBook, and readers should proceed cau-tiously, especially with respect to technical information. Interweave grants per-mission to photocopy any patterns published in this issue for personal use only.

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Welcome to the Sew Daily eBook: Sewing Gifts for Every Season: 4 Free Sewing Gift Ideas and Projects.

Coming from a big family, I am always looking for great baby gifts and handmade gift wraps to make, especially during the holiday season, and these projects definitely fit the bill, offering some of both.

The Reversible Gifts Bags by Stitch Assistant Editor Rosemarie DeBoer will put your gifts in a gift! You can showcase two festive fabrics in this quick and easy project. Fully lined, these bags are as lovely on the outside as the inside. Pretty ribbon ties add the final holiday touch.

The Cathedral Window Blocks by Eunny Jang are soft baby blocks that explore traditional cathedral window handquilting in three dimen-sions. A great way to use up your favorite scraps and finished by hand, they’re a labor of love just right for a special baby.

The Baby Wrap Jacket by Katie Himmelberg is a fleece kimono-inspired jacket that will keep any baby warm and stylish this winter. Quick to sew, it has a simple contrast binding and a Velcro closure to make it easy to get on and off.

The Monogrammed Fabric Gift Tags will personalize a present with a handmade fabric gift tag customized with a monogrammed letter. Use decorative stitching, applique, ribbons, and more to embellish the tags for a custom look.

Each one of the projects will lend a handmade, loving touch to your giving. I hope you enjoy mak-ing these gift and gift wrap projects as much as I know the recipient will enjoy receiving them.

Happy stitching,

amber edenEditor, Stitch magazine and SewDaily

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sewing gifts for every season 4 FREE Sewing Gift Ideas and Projectssewdaily

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Reversible Gift BagsPut your gifts in a gift! Showcase two festive fabrics in this quick-and-easy project. Fully-lined, these bags are as lovely on the inside as the outside. Pretty ribbon ties add the final holiday touch.

by rosemarie deBoer

Photo by Larry Stein

FABRICFrom two coordinating fat quarters (each 18” x 22”), you can make:— one large — two medium — OR, six small gift bags.

OTHER SUPPLIES— 1/2 to 1 yd per bag of ribbon or small

cord for ties (shown: six strands of 3mm silk ribbon)

— Thread to match dominant color of fabric

— Chalk marker— Seam ripper— Chopstick or knitting needle (for

turning corners)— Bodkin or small safety pin

FINISHED SIZES— Small: 4” x 5”— Medium: 5” x 7”— Large: 7” x 10”

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NOTES— All seams ½” unless noted

otherwise.— Gift bags are completely reversible.— Construction methods are the same

for all size bags.— Have directional prints or stripes run

the length of the fabric.

CUT FABRIC1 From two coordinating fabrics, cut the following rectangles for each bag.— Small: 5” x 11” — Medium: 6” x 15” — Large: 8” x 21”

STITCH THE BAGS2 With wrong sides together, stitch the rectangles together at each of the short ends. You will have created a wide tube. Press seams open.

3 Match the seams to each other and pin. At this point one fabric print will be on your right and the other on the left.

4 Stitch one long side seam, then stitch the other side seam but leave a 3” turning gap in the fabric that you consider the lining.

5 Turn right side out through the gap. Use a chopstick to press out corners. As the corners will be trimmed when making the gusset, there is no need to get them perfectly square.

6 Handstitch the turning gap closed.

7 Push the lining into the outer bag. Again, use the chopstick to get the lining’s corners as aligned as possible with the outer bag corners.

8 Make gusset. (figure 1)

— for small bag, stitch ¾” from point— for medium bag, stitch 1” from point— for large bag, stitch 1 1/4” from pointTrim 1/8” from stitching line.

9 Turn the bag inside out. Finger press the gusset seam allowance flat. Then tuck in the gusset seam enclosing the raw edges of that gusset seam and stitch.

STITCH THE CASING0 For all sizes, measure and mark two lines around the bag at 1¼” and 1 3/4” from the top edge of the bag.

- Stitch completely around the bag on each of the marked lines.

= Use your seam ripper to open the seam between these two stitched lines on both sides of the bag.

INSERT THE RIBBONq Use the bodkin to feed the ribbon or cording through the casing. Ribbon should enter and exit from the same side.

SOURCESFABRIC Dear Stella, dearstelladesign.com

RosemaRie DeBoeR is the assistant editor of Stitch magazine. When not at her sewing machine, she enjoys touring the historic homes of former United States presidents.

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Cathedral Window Blocks



Photo by Joe hancock

These soft baby blocks explore traditional cathedral window handquilting in three dimen-sions. A great way to use up your favorite scraps and, fin-ished by hand, they’re a labor of love just right for a special baby.

by eunny Jang

FABRIC (FOR 1 BLOCk)— 1/2 yd of 45" wide unbleached cotton

muslin or any other quilting-weight cotton for base fabric

— Twelve 2½" squares of quilting cotton in coordinating colors (shown: 4 squares each of a solid and 2 coordinating prints)

OTHER SUPPLIES— 2" thick medium-density compressed

polyester chair pad (recommended: Nu-Foam)

— Matching all-purpose thread— Cotton handquilting thread to match base

fabric— Thimble— Point turner or tweezers— Short pins (1" [2.5 cm] or under)

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FINISHED SIZE— Each block is about 31/4" square.

NOTES— Seam allowances are 1/4" unless

otherwise indicated.— Using compressed polyester

rather than foam makes the blocks completely washable.

— Unless you have a hot-wire foam cutter, the neatest way to cut the chair pad is with a bread knife, in long strokes, or with an oscillating electric knife (like one used for carving a roast).

— It is very important that the base blocks be perfectly square and aligned with the fabric grain. Pull a thread across the fabric width to find the straight grain, then align the gap left by the pulled thread with the grid on an acrylic rotary cutting ruler to ensure cuts on the straight grain. Use a rotary cutter and gridded quilting ruler for the straightest edges.

— Chain piecing is most efficient for the initial sewing. This is an efficient, thread-saving process for stitching many seams when piecing a quilt. Place the first two patches right sides together, raw edges aligned, and sew together. When the needle reaches the end of the patch, align the next two patches and feed them under the presser-foot without raising the presser-foot or cutting the threads. Continue feeding pairs of patches under the presser-foot, one after another. Clip the threads between patches when stitching is complete.

— Secure all handsewing threads with three tiny stitches on the inside of the cube or under a colored panel.

— Pin down points you’re not working with to keep them out of the way.

CUT OUT FABRIC + FOAm1 Cut the base fabric into six 71/2" × 7½" squares.2 Cut the foam into two 31/8" × 31/8" × 2" blocks. Cut 3/4" off 1 square face of 1 block to make a block that is 31/8" × 31/8" × 11/4" .

mAkE BASE BLOCkS3 Fold one base square in half right sides together, matching the corners exactly. Seam the two short edges (figure 1). Clip the corners to reduce bulk and finger-press the seams open.4 Open the stitched square and bring the remaining raw edges together, matching the seams precisely at the center. Sew the open side of the pocket, leaving a 1" gap on one side of the center seam for turning (figure 2). Clip the corners and finger-press the seams open.5 Turn the block right side out through the gap, making sure to turn the corners completely with tweezers or another tool. You should have a neat square block. The opening for turning will be hidden in the finished block, so there is no need to sew it closed. Press the square thoroughly.6 With the seamed side of the square facing up, fold and press each corner of the square to the center, making sure the new corners formed by folding are sharp and square (figure 3). The side with the points is now the right side; the plain side becomes the wrong side.7 Repeat Steps 3–6 to assemble six base blocks.

figure 1

figure 2

figure 3

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figure 4

align blocks and sew along crease

ASSEmBLE CUBE8 Position two blocks with their wrong sides together. Unfold and match one point from each block. Handsew with a running stitch along the fold line (figure 4). Take one whipstitch at each corner to secure the edges. Repeat to sew all six blocks together into a cross configuration (figure 5; red lines indicate where blocks are joined). Fold the points back into place as you go.

FILL IN BLOCkS9 Press the edges of each 21/2" cotton square toward the wrong side by 3/8". Place a prepared 21/2" square on a diamond formed by two seamed and opened points, with the right sides up (figure 6). Fold the base fabric edges over the contrasting square, forming a curved frame that traps the cotton square and conceals its edges (figure 7). Pin each base fabric edge down. Handsew the frame to the cotton square with a slip-stitch, taking two whipstitches at each corner to hold adjacent sides of the frame together, forming an attractive point. Hide the beginning and ending of each thread under the contrast square or one of the base fabric folds.0 Repeat Step 9 to fill in the first five seamed diamonds (figure 8). Then join the edges indicated with arrows in figure 8 (with right sides together). The fabric will now form a cube with an open top flap. Turn the cube right side out and fill in the new diamonds created by the seaming, as in Step 9. - Insert both foam blocks, stacking them to form a cube shape.

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figure 5

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B

B

A

C

A

Cfigure 8

= Close the top flap of the cube by joining A to A, B to B, and C to C (figure 8), turning in the seam allowances and joining the edges with a slip-stitch. Fill in the new diamonds created, as in Step 9.

q On each face of the cube, handsew the four diamond points together, drawing the points tightly together at their very tips. eunny Jang plays occasional hooky from editing Interweave Knits with sewing projects.


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This fleece kimono-inspired jacket will keep any baby warm and stylish this winter. Quick to sew, it has a simple contrast binding and a Velcro closure to make it easy to get on and off your little one.

by katie himmelBerg

Baby Wrap Jacket


click here for our sewing Basics onlinePhoto by Joe hancock

FABRIC— ½ (¾, ¾) yd of 45" wide fleece in

main color (MC)— 1½" × 36" strip of fleece in contrast

color (CC) or print for bindingOTHER SUPPLIES

— Sewing thread in color to match MC fabric

— 6" of ½" wide Velcro— Fabric pen or tailor’s chalk— Acrylic ruler— French curve (optional)

FINISHED SIZE21 (23, 25)" chest to fit ages 3–6 (6–9, 9–12) months

NOTES— All seams are ½" unless otherwise

noted.— Be sure to mark all pattern pieces

right next to each other to ensure that you will not run out of fabric.

— For the smallest size, the sleeves should be marked on the fabric side by side; for the medium and largest sizes, the sleeves should be marked on the fabric with one directly above the other.

CUT OUT FABRIC 1 Back: From the MC fabric, cut a rectangle measuring 12¾ (13¼, 13 ½)" long × 11½ (12½, 13½)" wide.

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2 Sleeves: From the MC fabric, cut 2 rectangles measuring 10 (11, 12)" long × 7½ (8, 8½)" wide. 3 Fronts: Against one corner of the MC fabric, mark a rectangle 12¾ (13¼, 13 ½)" long × 9 (9½, 10)" wide. Make a mark on the top (short edge) of the rectangle, 3 (3 ¼, 3 ½)" in from the edge. Starting at the opposite corner from the first mark, make another mark on the side (long edge) of the rectangle 6 (6½, 7)" up from the bottom edge. Use your ruler to draw a diagonal line connecting the two marks (figure 1). Cut out along the lines, flip piece over, and use as a template to cut out a second, mirror-image piece.

ASSEmBLy4 Align one front piece with back piece, with right sides facing, at shoulder seams (figure 2) and pin; sew shoulder seams. Repeat entire step with remaining front piece. Press seam allowances open.5 Fold one of the sleeves in half widthwise and mark the center point on the edge (at the fold). Align the center mark on the sleeve with one shoulder seam, with right sides facing, and pin together; sew the sleeve to the body. With right sides still together, bring together the edges of the sleeve at the underarm and the side seams of the body. Pin together and sew from end of sleeve to hem of body, pivoting at underarm where the sleeve meets the body. Clip a triangle into the seam allowances at pivot points on underarms to allow the seams to lie flat, then press seam allowances open. Repeat entire step with the second sleeve on the other side of the jacket.

HEmS6 Sew a straight stitch at ¼" to form a turning guide around sleeve and body hems. Fold this ¼" under, along the stitch line, and then fold under an additional ¾". Sew hems at 5/8" from the edge.

NECk BINDING7 Using a ruler and fabric pen, mark ½" in from the top edge of the back neck, right next to each shoulder seam (these marks should fall right at the

shoulder seams) and slash fabric just to the marks so that the extra fabric will lie flat instead of rolling. Using a French curve (or other flat, rounded object) as a guide, draw a curved line, connecting the marks, so that the line creates a smooth and even transition from the shoulder seams and comes to the top edge of the fabric at the center of the back neckline (figure 2). Trim along the line and staystitch back neckline to stabilize. 8 On one end of the CC binding strip, fold 1¼" over to the wrong side. Lay the binding strip on the left front of the jacket, lining up the edges and with right sides together, so that the fold at the end of the strip lines up with the hem fold of the front. Begin sewing binding strip to jacket, ¼" in from edge. Sew around neck edge, slightly rounding the corner on each front and stopping about 2" from the bottom edge of the right front. 9 Trim the binding strip if necessary, leaving 3¼" of fabric from the end of the stitch line. Fold up the end 1¼" as before and line up with the hem fold of the right front. Pin in place and finish sewing binding. Trim binding seam allowance to 1/8". On unfinished edge of binding, sew a line of stitching ¼" to create a turning guide. Turn this ¼" under to the wrong side, then fold binding in half, over the edge of the jacket so that the edge is encased inside the binding. Line up the folded edge just slightly past the seam that secured the first side of the binding. Pin in place with the right side facing, making sure that it remains evenly placed just past the previous seam. Stitch in the ditch (stitch directly on top

of previously stitched line), with the right side facing, to secure binding.

CLOSURE0 Line up one side of the Velcro next to the binding, on the wrong side of right front flap of jacket, about 2" up from the bottom edge, and pin in place. Stitch evenly around all four edges, about 1/16 to 1/8" in from the edges of the Velcro. Lay the jacket flat, and mark placement of the second side of Velcro on the right side of the left front flap, about 2" up from the bottom edge and 1¾" over from the left side seam of the jacket. Make sure the two sides of the Velcro line up properly and adjust placement of the second side if necessary. Pin and stitch into place as before.

katie himmelBerg is style editor of Knitscene magazine and assistant editor of Interweave Knits. She lives in Loveland, Colorado, with her husband and son.

figure 2

shoulder seam

3(3¼,3½)"

sleeve

frontback

sewing diagram

figure 1

Front(cut 2)

6 (6½, 7)"

9 (9½,10)"

12¾ (13¼

,13½)"


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Monogrammed Fabric Gift TagsPersonalize a present with a handmade fabric gift tag customized with a monogram letter for the recipient. Use decorative stitching, appliqué, ribbons, and more to embellish the tags for a custom look.

by marlene Blessing

Photo by Joe hancock

FABRICDenim Confetti Tag:— One 3 1/2” × 5” piece of medium-

weight muslin for base— One 5” × 4 1/2” piece of medium-

weight denim for appliqué — One 1 3/8” diameter circle cut

freehand from a simple cotton print (use provided template to test size or cut if desired)

Plum Tart Tag:— One 5” × 4” piece of wool/rayon felt

for base (shown: plum)— One 4” × 3 1/2” piece of wool/rayon felt

for appliqué (shown: olive)

OTHER SUPPLIESDenim Confetti Tag:— One 2 1/2” × 4 1/2” piece of fusible cotton

interfacing— Cotton sewing thread— 15” length of narrow silk cord— Three or four 3” lengths of thin

ribbon of varying color and texture— 1 g of seed beads— Pinking shears— Handsewing needle— Tailor’s chalk pencil — Denim Confetti Tag templates



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plum tart appliqué

circle

plum tart tag base

denim confetti tag

gift tag templates

butt

onho

le

appliqué placemen

t

appl

iqué

pla

cem

ent

buttonhole

13/8"

Plum Tart Tag:— One 4” × 3 1/2” piece of fusible cotton

interfacing— 1 yd of 1” wide ribbon or woven trim— Cotton/polyester sewing thread in a

light color for monogram— Cotton/polyester sewing thread in a

neutral color for buttonhole slits— Cotton/polyester sewing thread in a

contrasting color for edging appliqué— Tailor’s chalk pencil— Utility/craft knife or razor blade and

self-healing mat — Plum Tart Appliqué template

FINISHED SIZE— Denim Confetti Tag: 2 3/4” × 4 3/4” — Plum Tart Tag: 3 1/2” × 4 1/2”

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NOTES— When edging with the satin stitch,

make sure the stitch is wide enough to add decoration and to overlap the outer edge of the appliqué.

Denim Confetti Tag:— Use only a few straight pins when

placing the denim on top of the muslin.

Plum Tart Tag:— When you satin-stitch felt fabric,

make it somewhat loose so it doesn’t perforate and tear the felt. It’s always good to test your satin stitching on some scraps of the felt first.

— The stitching on the initial shouldn’t be so perfect that it looks manufactured. Some slight irregularities will enliven the letter and make it feel more personal.

mAkE THE DENIm CONFETTI TAG1 Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of half of the denim.

2 Cut two denim pieces using the provided Denim Confetti Tag template.

3 Center the cotton print circle 1/4” from the top rounded edge of the interfaced denim tag. Topstitch the circle in place, stitching 1/4” inside the raw edge.

4 Using a chalk pencil, draw a large capital letter (perhaps the initial of the recipient), centered between the bottom edge of the circle and the straight bottom edge of the denim tag. Whipstitch the silk cord in place along the letter. Cut off the excess cord to use later as the tie. Embellish the letter by stitching seed beads to the cord, referring to the photo at far left.

5 Center the embellished denim tag on the muslin, right sides up, and pin all but the bottom edge. Insert about 1/2” of each of three assorted ribbons between the denim and the muslin at the lower edge, allowing the majority of the ribbon to extend below the tag, and pin in place. Position the second denim tag, right side up, on the wrong side of the muslin; align the edges of the denim pieces, using a light box or bright window if necessary. Pin the denim backing in place.

6 Set the machine for a satin zigzag stitch 4.0 mm wide and 0.2–0.4 mm long. Begin satin stitching with the outer swing of the stitch 1/4” above the straight bottom edge of the denim tag, securing the ribbons and catching the denim on the wrong side of the tag as well. Pivot at the corner of the denim tag and continue stitching around the remaining denim edges. The stitch should overcast the raw edges of both the top and the bottom denim tags.

7 Trim the muslin with pinking shears 1/4” outside the denim tag. Be careful not to cut the ribbons.

8 Tie a knot in the middle of the remaining silk cord and at each end of the cord. Whipstitch the knot at the center of the cord securely to the center of the denim backing, just below the satin stitches.

mAkE THE PLUm TART TAG9 Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the interfacing to the wrong side of the appliqué felt. If the right and wrong sides of the felt are not obvious, choose a side to be the wrong side.

0 Cut one Plum Tart Appliqué from the interfaced felt, using the provided Plum Tart Appliqué template. Transfer the buttonhole locations to the felt right side.

- Using a chalk pencil, draw a large capital letter (perhaps the initial of the recipient), centered between the buttonhole locations on the right side of the interfaced appliqué felt. Set the machine for a satin zigzag stitch 3.5 mm wide and 0.2–0.4 mm long and stitch with the mongram thread along the lines of the letter to create a monogram.

= Stitch buttonholes with the buttonhole thread at the marked locations. Carefully cut the buttonholes open with small sharp scissors, a utility/craft knife, or a razor blade; make sure you work over a self-healing mat to protect your work surface.

q Using the provided template, cut one Base from the base felt. Pin the prepared appliqué piece to the felt Base, following the photos and template for placement. Set the machine for a satin zigzag 4.0 mm wide and 0.2–0.4 mm long. Using the appliqué thread, stitch around the edges of the appliqué, overcasting the appliqué edges and attaching it to the Base.

w Thread the ribbon through the buttonholes in the appliqué. Cut the ribbon ends at an angle.

maRlene Blessing is the editorial director of books for Interweave. She has recently returned to her first love—sewing—and is starting to build her fabric stash once more.


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