The Daytime Stitchers met Monday at the Bob Hershfeld Memorial Library in Benton and had a tutorial treat. JoAnn taught us how to make Christmas ornaments. Would you like to make your own? Be warned, for each ornament you will need a little bit of extra patience, nimble fingers and:
one 3" styrofoam ball
about 300 1" flathead straight pins
fabric that has been cut into 2" squares. (It is best to choose 2 or 3 fabrics with good contrast. Select solid colors or very small prints.) The center star on each side of the ball requires four 2" squares for a total of eight 2" squares.
Each row after the center star requires eight 2" squares. You will make about four rows on each side of the ball. Each row should contrast with the row next to it. So if you are using two fabrics, this is how many squares you will need: Fabric 1--24 squares; fabric 2--32 squares. You might as well cut extras.
Begin with Fabric 1. Fold one 2" square in half and finger press. Fold it in half again and finger press and this will help you find the center of the square. Open the square and insert a pin through the center of the wrong side of the fabric. Fold the fabric in half again and push the pin into a starting point on the styrofoam ball. Then bring the folded part down the center to form a triangle. (Can you see the folds meeting in the center below?) Secure the two folded parts and the corners with pins along the bottom of the triangle. (You will use 5 pins per 2" square of fabric.)
Repeat this folding process with another square of fabric and pin it opposite the first folded square.
Fold two more squares of the same color and add to complete the center.
You may have to adjust your folds so that the styrofoam is covered in this area.
To start the second row, use fabric #2 and begin 3/8" down from the center of the star on any of the folds or center lines of the center star.
Continue in this manner to complete the second row.
You will see a star pattern emerge as you complete the row.
For row 3 you may repeat the first color or add a new color as shown below. By way of review, 4 squares were folded and pinned for the center. Eight squares were folded and pinned for the second row. Now eight more squares will be folded and pinned for the third row.
Fold and pin eight more squares for a fourth row.
Then repeat the whole process on the exact opposite side. At the end of the folding and pinning on both sides, there will be an open space around the middle of the ball as shown below.
Measure a length of ribbon and adhere it to the ball to cover this open space. Then glue another length of ribbon to use as a hanger. Now that you have the hang of it you can make a whole bunch of these ornaments!
Here are the beginnings of two more balls:
As is our usual custom when we quilters get together, we like to see what everyone is working on or finished. Sidney made a quillow (the quilt folds up and fits into the pillow)
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| the quilt |
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| the pillow |
Sweatshirt jacket by Sue:
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| Detail of back of jacket. |
Jean's progress on her table runner:
and Jean's sweatshirt jacket.
Nola decorated a blue jean shirt with pockets and tags removed from children's clothing:
Katherine brought some napkins for inspiration. You can use this idea to make Christmas napkins. For each napkin cut 2 circles of fabric that is contrasting or complimentary. Place them wrong sides together and serge the edges all the way around. Then fold in half. By making 2 more folds you will have a Christmas tree:
Gwen showed her swirly Christmas tree wall hanging. This was made using the pattern by Crystal Stanworth of Frivolous Necessity and is available
here if it is not in your lqs.
Marge made some lovely ornaments using yo yos and pearls and beads:
Until next time,
Gwen
