Vintage Sew Machine Quilt Tutorial

I finally got around to writing up my notes for this tutorial for my Vintage Sewing Machine Quilt for those of you that were interested in the pattern. It matches the table runner I did late last year.

Cynthia's Ark Vintage Sewing Machine Quilt

Materials                                                                   1 Thimble Pleasures Sewing Machine Panel                           15 cm Tape Measure fabric                                           15 cm scissors fabric                                            65 cm Thimble fabric                                        80 cm black fabric                                       50cm cream fabric    

Cutting                                                                   Cut your sewing machine panel into 2 equal strips.              Cut a 5 ½’ strip from each of the tape measure, scissor and thimble fabrics and cut 5 x 5 ½’ from each strip for a total of 15 squares.                                                                Cut 10 x 1 ½’ strips from the black fabric and cross cut 30 x 5 ½’ strips and 30 x 7 ½’ strips.                                            Cut 3 x 1 ¾’ strips from the cream and cross cut 12 x 7 ½’ strips for the blocks and cut another 8 x 1 ¾’ strips for sashing strips.   Cut 5 x 4’ strips from the thimble fabric.                                Cut 5 x 2 ½’ strips from the black fabric for your binding.

Piecing                                                                   To make the blocks sew a 5 ½’ black strip to both side of your 15 x 5 ½’ squares. Press seam to the square.

Sew a 7 ½’ black strip to the top and bottom of your block.  Press to the black strip this time.

 Make 15 blocks.

Arrange the blocks into 3 rows of 5. Refer to quilt picture if you want to the same arrangement as I did but you can arrange them how you like them. Sew a cream 7 1/2 ‘strip in between the blocks as per picture below. Repeat with your other 2 rows.

Measure your pieced strips and cut 6 x 1 ¾’ cream strips to that measurement and sew one to the top and one to the bottom of your row of blocks. Press to the cream strip.

Trim your 2 machine panel’s strip to the same measurement of your block rows.  Arrange your rows as per pictures and sew the 5 rows together. Press towards the sewing machine panel.

Sew your remaining 3 x 1 ¾’ cream strip together in to a long strip for your side borders. Press seams open.  Measure your quilt through the middle top to bottom and cut 2 cream strips to that length and sew them to the sides of your quilt.

Next is the border and sew 3 x 4’ border strips together lengthwise.  Press seams open.  Now cut 2 strips the same length as you cut for your cream side sashing strips.  Sew your border strips to the sides of your quilt.  Press to the border. Sew the remaining part strip to your last 2 border strips. Press seams open. Measure your quilt through the middle sideway this time and cut 2 strips to that measurement. Sew them to the top and bottom of the quilt. Press toward the border. This completes your top.

Quilting                                                                                              Layer your backing fabric out (wrong side up) then the batting goes on top followed by the quilt top (right side up). Make sure you smooth out any lumps and baste with safety pins or use your preferred method. Quilt as you wish. I just stitched in the ditch for this one.  There a lots of options for you.

Backing

For the backing I have used a piece of Thimble Pleasures Sewing Sayings 155cm cut it off centre so I have 2 pieces x 155 cm and cut 2 x 12’ strips of scissor fabric joined them lengthwise and sewing the 3 pieces together with the scissor material in the middle. (Not included in the materials list)

 Binding                                                                                                   To make the binding join the strips end to end with a 45 degree mitred seam, press the seams open. Press the binding strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides facing. Stitch the binding the front of the quilt, mitring the corners as you go and mitre the binding ends together to complete and sew in place. Trim the backing and batting to ½’ from your binding stitching line. Fold the binding over the edge to the back of the quilt and slip stitch it in place with a matching coloured thread. Don’t forget to finish your quilt with a label on the back.

Finished size: 49 1/2'  x 58’ (126 x 148 cm)

This quilt was designed by Cynthia Woodham for Cynthia’s Ark. This pattern is for personal use only, not to be copied in any form without the permission from the designer. Copyright © Cynthia’s Ark 2016

All the fabrics used in the pattern are available at www.cynthiasark.com.au and there is a kit available (Kit includes all the fabric for the quilt top and binding only) to purchase while stocks last. You will need to purchase backing fabrics separately.

Printer friendly version (PDF) 

Cynthia's Ark VSM quilt Pattern

Until Next Time 

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Under the Pressure Foot #19

It is time to sit in front of the sewing and doing some sewing. The machine had the walking foot on as I was joining some batting piece together to make pieces larger so I can use them up. So that made the decision for me on where I should start. I need to finish my Vintage Sewing Machine Quilt that matching the Table Runner I made late last year and did a tutorial on. I just wanted to do some stitch in the ditch work on it. Decision made off I went. It was pinned ready for quilting. 

With Quiltcam playing on the laptop and Ponchee my sewing offsider for company. I was set for a Friday night of sewing. I must play around with some more FMQ work but I didn't think this was the project for that. Sometime the simple stitch in the ditch is all you need. So basically I let the cream strips throughout the quilt govern where I stitched.

   

Once quilted I just had to do the binding as well. So close to finishing I couldn't help myself. On the table runner I used the tape measure fabric for the binding but the great effect of that binding was a lost against the busy thimble fabric, as you can see in this picture.

 So I used the black this time for the binding. I cut my strips, joined them together and pressed. There was one strip I joined the wrong way so the seam was on the outside of the binding. I unpicked it and fixed it and got stuck into sewing it on. Look what happen! I didn't quite make it. I didn't want to cut a full strip for a 4 inch piece of binding.  I have been trying to use some of my left overs up. There will be a post on that to come. I pulled the scrap bin out and had a look for a suitable piece to use.

 I found this piece. I think it is a pretty good match and from the picture below it looks almost the same. I can tell you the binding is a plain black and the other piece is actually a black blue batik fabric but it is so close I used.

There is a slightly difference but I think if you didn't know you won't notice it. It is only a small piece and I don't have a 38 inches binding strip left over. 

Now to just finish the hand stitching on the binding. I will shared the finally quilt when I finish it and do a free tutorial for anyone who would like to make this quilt next week. These fabrics are from the Thimble Pleasures range of fabrics and are available from me at Cynthia's Ark 

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia

Cynthia's Ark Vintage Sewing Machine Table Runner

Here is Cynthia's Ark Vintage Sewing Machine Table Runner tutorial as promise.

You can find the PDF version under the tutorial tab.

Materials

1 Thimble Pleasures Vintage Sewing Machine Panel                  20cm Shades Cream Fabric (1^st border)                         30cm Thimble Pleasures Thimble fabric (2^nd border)              20cm Thimble Pleasures Table Measure fabric (Binding)         120cm Thimble Pleasure Sewing Sayings Fabric (Backing Fabric)   60 x  130 cm Batting/ Wadding                                Sewing Machine and your sewing supplies

Cut your panel in half so you have a strip of 4 machines for your table runner and select which one you want to use, leaving the selvedges on for the moment. The other piece you could make a second table runner as a gift or they would make a lovely set of matching cushions.  (See Note at the bottom of this pattern before cutting your border strips.) Cut 3 x 1 ½’ strips from the cream fabric and sew a full strip to the top and bottom of your panel. Press to the panel. Trim off the selvedges now.  Cut 2 x 14’ strips from the last cream strip and sew them to the sides of your table runner. Press to the cream border.

Cut 3 x 3 ½’ from the thimble fabric and cut 2 x 14’ strips from one strip and sew on to the sides. Press outwards. Sew the rest of the first strip to the other strip lengthwise. I put the short piece in the middle of the 2 full strips and you should end up with a long 3 ½’ strip. Cut 2 x 49 ½’ and sew them to the top and bottom of your table runner. Press outwards.

Cut your backing fabric into half and sew the two pieces longwise. Press seam open. Lay your backing fabric out (wrong side up) then the batting goes on top followed by the quilt top (right side up). Make sure you smooth out any lumps and baste with safety pins or use your preferred method. Quilt your table runner as you like. I just stitched around each machine frame a couple times and in the ditch with Aurifil #2000 50wt.

To make the binding cut 3 x 2 ½’ strips from your binding fabric and join the strips end to end with a 45 degree mitred seam, press the seams open. Press the binding strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides facing. Stitch the binding the front of the quilt, mitring the corners as you go and mitre the binding ends together to complete and sew in place. Trim the backing and batting to ½’ from your binding stitching line. Fold the binding over the edge to the back of the quilt and slip stitch it in place with a matching coloured thread. Don’t forget to finish your quilt with a label on the back.

Finished size: 20’ x 49’ (51 x 124cm)

NOTE: Before cutting any of the border strips measure through the middle of your table runner in the direction of the border strips you need to cut, to double check your cutting length as we are all sew a little differently and cut to your measurement if they don’t match mine.

This pattern can be used with other panels with coordinating fabrics. This makes an excellent weekend project.

All Fabrics and Aurifil threads are available from Cynthia’s Ark www.cynthiasark.com.au

Care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this pattern. However the designer has no control over the choice of materials or procedures used, no responsibility will be taken or results guaranteed.

This quilt was designed by Cynthia Woodham for Cynthia’s Ark. This pattern is for personal use only, not to be copied in any form without the permission from the designer. Copyright © Cynthia’s Ark 2015

Under the Pressure Foot #16

I have been waiting for this range to arrive since I ordered it in June. It is Thimble Pleasures and features vintage sewing machines panel, scissors, tape measures, thimbles and sewing sayings. They are all now available at Cynthia's Ark.

I have two projects ideas for you for this range.  Today I will share the first idea and next week I will share the other idea once I do a little more sewing on the project. Firstly the panel can easily be cut into 2 strips of 4 sewing machines.

So the first idea is a table runner. So you could make 2 table runners from 1 panel or you could make 1 table runner and 4 matching cushions. For the table runner all you need is a cream inner border. I used Riley Blake Designs Shades Cream fabric for an inner border.

Then I used the Thimble fabric from Thimble Pleasures for the second border.

I will have to find some quilting time now to finish this table runner off but I do know I will be using the tape measure fabric for the binding.
When I finish this table runner I will write the pattern up and put it under the tutorial tab for anyone who would like to make one. These fabrics are available at Cynthia's Ark.

Until Next Time

Keep Stitching

Cynthia