FREE Last Minute Christmas Gift Project

Last Minute Christmas Gift Hanging Dish Towels

Copyright 2008 Sewing Expressions LLC. This project may be freely shared, but may not be sold or used for profit. The instructions included herein, may not be copied in any part, either printed or digital, for profit. If used in a classroom setting, the instructions must be distributed to each student in its' entirety and unedited from its' original format/layout.

Need a quick last minute holiday hostess gift? These are so quick, you'll want to stitch up bunches for yourself & friends! You can never have enough towels handy in the kitchen or bath. A quick, easy project just perfect for gift-giving, bazaars and craft fairs.

Supplies

• Fabric scraps large enough to cut 2 pattern pieces
• Sewing Thread
• Pattern
• Light to medium-weight fusible interfacing large enough to cut 2 pattern pieces
• Standard Dish Towel
• 1/2" - 3/4" button (1 for each towel you will construct)

Directions

1. Cut towel in half across the narrow width, leaving both ends uncut. The uncut ends become the finished bottom ends of your towels.

2. Serge or zigzag the raw edge of the towel.

3. Fuse interfacing to the back of your fabric scraps.

4. Using the pattern, cut 2 (1 front, 1 back) from the fused fabric/interfacing pieces.

5. With right sides facing, using a ½" seam allowance, stitch around the curved edges of the pattern, leaving the bottom open. Trim and notch seam where necessary.

6. Fold up 1/2" along open edge and press.

7. Turn tab right side out and press.

8. Gather or pleat raw edge of towel to fit the open area at the bottom of the pattern.

9. Pull up gathers to fit opening on bottom of tab.

10. Tuck gathered edge of towel into opening of fabric tab. Sew 2
    rows of topstitching, through all layers, close to folded bottom edge of tab.

11. Wrap end of fabric tab around your door handle. Using marks on pattern as guides, mark exact position for button and buttonhole.

12. Stitch button to mark. Sew a buttonhole, sized to your button.

-OR-

13. If your cabinets have knobs that make it difficult to wrap the tab end around, sew a buttonhole long enough to go over the cabinet knob and do not attach a button.

14. OPTIONAL: Add lace or other trim to the end of your towel.

Click image below to open the full-size pattern in a new window:

FREE Table Runner project from Sewing Expressions

Our Table Runner is posted courtesy of LikeSew - a creative, fun quilt program perfect for everyone!

Sewing Expressions for more information...

Finished Size: Approximately 62" x 26"

Fabric Requirements

Fabric A (dark print) - 1 yard

Fabric B (medium print) - 1/4 yard

Fabric C (light print) - 1 yard

Backing - 1 1/2 yards

Binding - 1/2 yard

Like Sew

www.LikeSew.com

Copyright 2007

Cutting Directions

1. Fabric A: Cut 4 strips 3 1/2" x width of the fabric. Cut the strips into 40 squares measuring 3 1/2" x 3 1/2". Cut 4 strips 3 7/8" x width of the fabric. Cut the strips into 40 squares measuring 3 7/8" x 3 7/8".

2. Fabric B: Cut 2 strips 3 7/8" x width of the fabric. Cut the strips into 20 squares measuring 3 7/8" x 3 7/8".

3. Fabric C: Cut 6 strips 3 7/8" x width of the fabric. Cut the strips into 60 squares measuring 3 7/8" x 3 7/8". Cut 5 strips 1 1/2" x width of the fabric. Set these strips aside for the border.

4. Binding: Cut 5 strips 2 1/2" x width of the binding fabric. Set these strips aside for the binding.

Half-square Triangle Instructions

1. Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the lighter colored fabric.

2. Place this square, right sides together, with the other square to be sewn.

3. Sew a seam exactly 1/4" on BOTH sides of the drawn line as shown:

1. Cut directly on the drawn line.

2. Press the seams open.

3. Clip the "dog ears" to make a perfect square:

Piecing Directions

1. Draw a diagonal line on the back of each Fabric A square measuring 3 7/8" x 3 7/8". Match 40 of the squares together with 40 squares of the same size cut from fabric C. Draw a diagonal line on the back of each Fabric B square measuring 3 7/8" x 3 7/8". Match 20 of the squares together with 20 squares of the same size cut from fabric C.

2. Follow the directions for making half-square triangles on the previous page. You will have 120 half-square triangles when this step is completed. 80 will be with fabrics A and C, 40 will be with fabrics B and C.

3. Following the diagram, sew four squares together to form a block. All of the blocks in this quilt are made exactly this same way. Continue with the remaining squares until you have 40 completed blocks.

4. Following the diagram below, take four of the completed blocks in step 3 and sew them together in the exact order shown. This will make a larger block. There will be 10 of these larger blocks in the quilt. Continue with the remaining smaller blocks until you have 10 completed larger blocks.

Quilt Assembly

1. Sew 5 completed larger blocks together in a row. Repeat until you have 2 rows. Nowjoin the 2 completed rows together, one on top of another.

2. Sew border strips onto both sides of the quilt. Press. Now sew the remaining border strips onto both the top and the bottom of the quilt.

3. Layer the quilt back, the batting, and the quilt top together, in that order.

4. Machine or hand quilt as desired.

5. Use the 2 1/2" strips of binding fabric cut earlier to bind the quilt using your favorite method.

Roll-em Up Take-em Along Tool Tote

This project is from Down & Dirty, Quick & Easy, I Need A Last Minute Gift Project Book, available from Sewing Expressions.

2005-2008 copyright Sewing Expressions LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher.

We have made every effort to ensure accuracy and completeness in these instructions. We cannot, however, be responsible for human error or variations in individual work.

Supplies You’ll Need:

• 1 ea - 19” x 19” square cotton print and felt
• 1 pkg (minimum 2 yds) extra-wide double-fold bias binding
• Matching sewing thread for the needle and bobbin
• Water-soluble fabric marker

Let’s Get Started:

1. Lay the print square face down on your cutting mat.
   
2. Place the felt square on the print square.
3. Cut the bottom edge on an angle 2” shorter on the right side. Round the 2 top corners.
4. Bind angled bottom edge.
5. Fold up the bottom edge 6” on the left side (right side will be only 4”).
6. Using the marker, draw lines 3” & 2” apart as indicated on diagram.
7. Stitch along marked lines, through all layers, from top to bottom of pockets. Double-stitch for extra strength.
   

8. 

   Cut a piece of binding 20” long.
9. Topstitch the long open edge to secure layers together and create a tie for the roll-up.
10. Fold bias tie in half and secure at top edge of 6” pocket.
11. Apply bias around entire outer edge (see our Footnote on page 6).
12. To use, tuck tools in pockets, fold top fabric over tools, roll up and tie.

Another Free Project From Sewing Expressions

I Don’t Know Front From Back
Reversible Polar Fleece Blankie

This project is from our Down & Dirty, Quick & Easy, I Need A Last Minute Gift Project Book, and can be purchased at www.sewingexpressions.com.

2005-2008 copyright Sewing Expressions LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher.

We have made every effort to ensure accuracy and completeness in these instructions. We cannot, however, be responsible for human error or variations in individual work.

Supplies You’ll Need:

• 1 - 36" square ea of orange and yellow PolarFleece®

• 4 - 35" x 4" strips gold PolarFleece

• 3 - 6" squares gold PolarFleece

• 1 - 6" square yellow PolarFleece

• 2 - 6" squares orange PolarFleece

• Matching sewing thread

• Sulky 12-wt. Cotton thread

• Size 90 or 100 Topstitch needle

• Temporary spray adhesive

Let’s Get Started

1. Click on the pattern below to open the full-size pattern in a new window. Print pattern at 100%.

2. From the gold squares, trace and cut out heart and 2 star appliqués.

3. From the yellow square, trace and cut out star appliqué.

4. From the orange squares, trace and cut out 2 heart appliqués.

5. Lightly spray the backs of the appliqué pieces with temporary adhesive.

6. Position the gold and orange hearts on one corner of the yellow fleece square. Position the gold and yellow stars on one corner of the orange fleece square.

7. Insert topstitch needle and thread machine with 12-wt. thread in the needle and standard sewing thread in the bobbin.

8. Setup machine for a 6mm wide blanket stitch (substitute a zigzag stitch or other decorative stitch if desired). Test your stitching on scraps of your project fabric.

9. Sew your selected stitch around the edges of the hearts and stars appliques, pivoting often to ensure smooth edges.

10. With long raw edges even and right sides together, center a 4" strip of fleece along 1edge of the orange square (the fringe strips are 1" shorter than the sides to allow for a 1/2" seam allowance - DO NOT stretch the strips to fit). Use a 5/8" seam allowance to baste in place. Repeat with 3 more strips to add to the other edges of the square.

11. With right sides of orange and yellow squares together and grain going in the same direction, use a 5/8" seam allowance to stitch around all 4 edges of the blanket. Leave an opening for turning on one edge. Clip corners, but DO NOT trim seam allowance. Because of the stretch of the fleece, the blanket will distort if the 2 layers are not going in the same direction.

12. Turn right side out and slipstitch opening closed.

13. Topstitch 1" from edge of blanket. This will form a "faux" piping effect without the need for piping cord.

14. Using a sharp pair of shears, cut gold fleece into fringe (approximately wide strips).

Sewing Expressions LLC . 1497 Main St, Suite 315 . Dunedin, FL 34698
Phone/Fax 727-734-1123 . www.sewingexpressions.com . info@sewingexpressions.com

Comfort Wrap

Comfort Wrap
©Copyright 2006 Sewing Expressions LLC. This project may be freely shared, but may not be sold or used for profit. The instructions included herein, may not be copied in any part, either printed or digital, for profit. If used in a classroom setting, the instruction must be distributed to each student in it’s’ entirety and unedited from its’ original format/layout.
A perfect project for your charitable group. Our wrap makes a wonderful gift for hospital patients or nursing home residents.   Adjust the length to accommodate height of the recipient (finished length approx 66”).   Ziggy & Patch are always willing to test our projects! Our boys just love curling up in their Comfort Wrap… Stitch up our quick Comfort Wrap for yourself and all your friends. Makes a perfect gift for a reader…room in the pockets for a book, glasses, tissue etc.
Supplies: 2 ½ yards fleece (depending on the width of your fleece, you should have enough to make 2 or 3 wraps) 1 yd ball-fringe trim (or trim of your choice) 1 yd wide rickrack (optional) Wave rotary cutter Ruler Pins
Let’s Get Started: 1. Cut a piece of fleece lengthwise on fabric to measure 24” x 90”.
2. With right sides together, fold up 2” along each short end to form a cuff.
3. Tuck ball trim under edge and stitch in place (or use any trim of your choice).
OPTIONAL: Sew rickrack along cuff 1/2” above the edge/ball trim.
4. On each narrow end, with wrong sides together, fold up 10” for pockets. Pin in place.
5. Measure 6” in from each edge and pin through both fabric layers along this line to create 3 pockets on each end of the wrap.
6. Stitch through both fabric layers to form pockets. Sew sides of pockets 1 ¼’ from edge to leave room for trimming in the final step.
7. Using a wave rotary cutter or pinking shears, trim long outside edges, cutting off one inch on each edge. Trim through both layers on pockets (3 layers on cuff).