All the Buttons Quilt Tutorial

It's been ages, friends, I know...

Back in the middle of June I shared on Instagram that I was taking a break from social media for the summer, and it has been the BEST THING EVER. Don't get me wrong -- I love chatting with so many lovely people on Instagram and getting to see all the beautiful projects they're working on. But I've been trying to focus my attention on what's right in front of me these days, the family and friends I love who need me the most right now. After running through my days at breakneck speed for so long, becoming numb to everything except the demands of my to-do list, I almost thought it wasn't possible to live life any other way.

I'm so happy to tell you that I was wrong about that. Life has become a hundred times simpler, slower, quieter, and more peaceful than it's been for years. Suddenly I have time again to read, to talk with my husband, to sew with my girls, to play, to think, to dream. It's been a balm to my soul and a treasure that I can't imagine giving up lightly. So for now, I'm continuing my break from social media, though I did want to drop by this space to say hello, catch up with a little news, and share a quilt tutorial that I promised myself I would give you before the summer was over.

Little Joe at 2 weeks

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll remember Little Joe, the tiny tabby kitten I found abandoned in the middle of the parking lot at my local Target. He was about two weeks old, lame in his back paw, and very near death when I rescued him that day and took him home.

Teeny tiny Joey

At the time, I had no clue how much care and commitment is involved with raising young orphaned kittens. It's truly like taking in a newborn baby. I spent weeks bottle feeding him through the days and nights, keeping him warm, massaging his back legs, relying heavily on videos by The Kitten Lady and on help from my vet to face each new challenge.

Joey at 3 months

I promised Joey's many fans that I would give an update on his progress during the summer so that you could see how much he's grown. He's now 3 months old, and not only are his legs perfectly healed, but thankfully we've also been able to set up a room for him inside our house despite my parents' and husband's cat allergies. A special air filter in the room and weekly baths have kept the dander at bay. My husband loves to have coffee with Joe every morning while he feeds him his breakfast, and Dad pops in to cuddle with Joey every afternoon. Watching my men together with this cat just melts my heart. I'll always be his mama, but I think he saves his loudest purrs for the guys.

Joey is still a rambunctious little goofball who loves to climb and play with his toys and my girls every day. But my favorite moments are when he climbs up into my lap and touches his wee nose to mine just to say "I love you." We are so incredibly grateful to have him in our family, and seeing him happy and playful in his special room just brings me all kinds of joy.

I also wanted to share with you these sewing kits I made for my girls, who all wanted to practice sewing hexagons this summer. I let them each choose their main fabric from my stash, and then I picked coordinating prints to go along with that.

The pattern is the Double-Zip Clutch from my first book Sew Organized for the Busy Girl which I shrank down to about half size. It makes an absolutely perfect travel sewing kit. I made one for myself years ago which I've taken on plane trips for easy-to-pack sewing on the go. I love that it has a spot for all the supplies and every tool I need to bring along. Right now the girls are sewing Laundromat Coin Pouches from my book Patchwork USA, and they're having so much fun.

And now on to the pattern! This quilt was originally going to be published in my abandoned Carnival of Patchwork book. I had dreamed for ages of making a quilt with a ton of little button blocks on it, and it was so much fun to see that dream become reality in this project. It took me three long months to sew this one together, but I'm absolutely crazy about it. My friend Jennifer at Farm Fresh Stitches did the gorgeous quilting in a classic baptist fans motif. This block would look darling on so many other projects too: a tote bag, a zipper pouch, a pillow. Even if you don't feel like making a whole quilt, try it out on something small and have fun with it!

All the Buttons Quilt Tutorial

Finished Size: 53’’ x 60’’

Finished Block Size: 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"

Materials

From 97 5’’ squares of various colored prints, cut from each:

- (2) rectangles, 1’’ x 2’’ for button blocks (A)

- (2) rectangles, 1 1/2’’ x 2’’ for button blocks (B)

- (2) rectangles, 4’’ x 1 1/2’’ for button blocks (C)

From 2 yards of white solid, cut:

- (2) rectangles, 1’’ x 2’’ for button blocks (D)

- (4) squares, 1 1/2’’ x 1 1/2’’ for button blocks (E)

- (98) squares, 4’’ x 4’’ for alternating squares (F)

- (4) rectangles, 4’’ x 53’’ for borders (G)

From 2 yards of wide batting, cut:

- (1) square, 70’’ x 70’’ for interfacing (H)

From 2 yards of 108’’ wideback fabric, cut:

- (1) square, 70’’ x 70’’ for quilt backing (I)

From 1/2 yard of pale blue floral fabric, cut:

- (6) rectangles, WOF x 2 1/2’’ for quilt binding (J)

Make the Blocks

1. Sort the pieces for each button block into 100 stacks. Each stack should include 2 A rectangles, 2 B rectangles, and 2 C rectangles from a single Colored Print. It should also include 2 D rectangles and 4 E squares from the White Solid

2. Sew a D rectangle to either long edge of an A rectangle. Cut the resulting piece in half through all 3 rectangles as shown in the illustration above.

3. Sew the pieces from step 2 to the upper and lower edges of the remaining A rectangle. Sew the B rectangles to the right and left edges of the block.

4. Sew the C rectangles to the upper and lower edges of the block. Use the E squares to snowball the 4 corners of the block, to yield a finished block as shown above.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 with the pieces for the remaining blocks, giving you a total of 97 blocks. 

Make the Quilt

1. Arrange the button blocks and F squares as shown above, organizing the colors in whatever order you like best. Sew the blocks and alternating squares together in rows. Then sew the rows together.

2. Sew a G rectangle to the right and left edges of the quilt top. Then sew a G rectangle to the upper and lower edges.

3. Quilt and bind as desired.

All warm and crinkly after coming out of the wash...

If you make anything with this tutorial, please share your photos! You can use the tags #fabricmutt and #allthebuttonsquilt. I'll be back on Instagram sometime in the fall to check in, so be sure to tag me @fabricmutt so I can see it then.

I hope you're all having a beautiful summer and doing the things you enjoy best. Most of all, I hope you're getting time with the people you love. Enjoy every minute of it!

Pinnie Pennant, Enamel Pin Edition

I picked up a few enamel pins at Quilt Market this fall and immediately had the start of a brand new addiction...er...collection. It took me a few months, but last week I finally made a larger version of my Pinnie Pennant tutorial so that I could display my new beauties, with plenty of room for more friends as they come along.

I tripled the size of the original pattern, leaving off the felt landing spot. The colored fabrics are all scraps of Liberty from my small stash, paired with some favorite black and white text prints. Since the larger version needs more stability, I swapped out the hanging string for a pair of twill tape loops and a thin wooden dowel. It's everything I wanted it to be and looks perfectly charming hanging over my cutting table.

I've decided that I might just need my own grown-up reward system involving a new enamel pin every time I accomplish something significant. Now I just have to haggle with my conscience over what constitutes significance. I'm guessing that one pin for each load of laundry folded might be pushing it a bit...

The Pixie Cup Tutorial

By popular request, I'm sharing the Pixie Cup Tutorial with you today! These are similar enough to my Pixie Basket tutorial that I thought they ought to share the name, but there are definitely differences.

Keep in mind that when you're working with curves, things are always a little trickier. Go slowly while you're sewing a side piece to a circle piece and don't let it worry you. Here's a great tutorial for this type of sewing, even with ideas for getting the math right if you want to make your circle larger. Honestly, I didn't really do anything fancy while sewing those curves on my cups -- no pins, no clipping, no trimming the seam -- and everyone lived happily ever after. But if you feel better taking these steps, then by all means, do it!

You'll notice from this picture inside the cup that everything doesn't lie perfectly flat. Wrinkles are normal, especially when you're using linen. The inside opening can either be sealed up by machine or hand stitching. I tried it both ways and found that, as usual, machine stitching is faster while hand stitching is neater. Go with what you prefer. Since you're going to fill this cup with something useful or pretty, odds are pretty good that no one's ever going to see that seam anyway.

I've included dimensions for both sizes of basket: short and tall. The patchwork can be whatever you want as long as it fits in the exterior panel rectangle. I give you one patchwork square size option for each version just to get you started. It's also perfectly fine to just use a single piece of fabric instead.

Please do share pictures of your finished cups on social media -- I always love to see your projects! You can tag these #pixiecup (remember -- different from the #pixiebasket!) and be sure to tag me @fabricmutt. Since I've been getting a lot of questions from people about using these projects for classes, retreats, and pop-up shops, I've also added a Frequently Asked Questions section to my tutorials page where you can find all the answers.

Okay, let's sew!

Materials & Cutting

Tall Version
1 rectangle 4 1/2 x 13" of fabric for exterior panel (patchwork option: 8 rectangles 2 1/2 x 3 1/2" each)
1 rectangle 4 1/2 x 13" of batting for exterior interfacing
1 rectangle 4 1/2 x 13" of linen for lining
1 rectangle 4 1/2 x 13" of fusible interfacing (I use Pellon Craft Fuse) for lining interfacing
2 circles 4" diameter of linen for exterior and lining base pieces
1 circle 4" diameter of batting for exterior base interfacing
1 circle 4" diameter of fusible interfacing (I use Pellon Craft Fuse) for lining base interfacing
2 strips 1/2 x 3" of leather for handles (other options: twill tape, double fold bias tape)

Short Version
1 rectangle 2 1/2 x 13" of fabric for exterior panel (patchwork option: 8 rectangles 2 x 2 1/2" each -- you'll sew the 2 1/2" sides together)
1 rectangle 2 1/2 x 13" of batting for exterior interfacing
1 rectangle 2 1/2 x 13" of linen for lining
1 rectangle 2 1/2 x 13" of fusible interfacing (I use Pellon Craft Fuse) for lining interfacing
2 circles 4" diameter of linen for exterior and lining base pieces
1 circle 4" diameter of batting for exterior base interfacing
1 circle 4" diameter of fusible interfacing (I use Pellon Craft Fuse) for lining base interfacing
2 strips 1/2 x 3" of leather for handles (other options: twill tape, double fold bias tape)

Other Supplies
Adhesive basting spray
Thread & needle (if hand sewing the opening closed)
Chopstick or knitting needle
Binding clips

Note: all seams are 1/4" unless otherwise stated.

Instructions

1. Sew together any patchwork pieces. Use adhesive basting spray to fuse the wrong side of your exterior panel piece to the batting rectangle and trim down to the size of the exterior panel (depending on which version you're making). Quilt as desired.

2. Fold the leather pieces in half, wrong sides together, and stitch 1/8" from the raw edges. Line up the raw edges on the top edge, about 3 1/2 inches from each side edge of the rectangle (see above).

Baste in place.

3. Use adhesive basting spray to fuse the wrong side (if there is one) of one linen circle to the batting circle -- or to a 4 1/2" square that you will later cut down into a circle. Quilt as desired.

4. Place the exterior rectangle on top of the exterior base, right sides together, lining up the bottom edge of the rectangle on the side of the circle. Starting 1-2" from the short end of the rectangle, carefully sew the lower edge of the rectangle to the outside edge of the base, stopping about 1-2" before the other short end of the rectangle.

5. Match up the two short ends of the rectangle, right sides together, and sew them together. Then carefully finish sewing the rectangle piece to the circular base. Turn the exterior piece right side out and set aside.

6. Follow the manufacturer's instructions to fuse the wrong sides of the lining rectangle and lining base to the coordinating interfacing pieces. Repeat what you did in steps 4 and 5, using the lining pieces, but this time, do not finish sewing the rectangle piece to the circular base. Leave a gap of 2-4" for turning and leave the piece inside out.

7. Place the exterior inside the lining, right sides together, and clip them together along the top.

Carefully sew all the way around the top opening.

8. Reach in through the hole in the lining and pull out the exterior of the cup, pressing carefully with your iron. Push out the all the edges of the exterior by gently poking a knitting needle or chopstick through the hole in the lining. Stitch the opening in the lining closed either by machine or by hand. This is probably the trickiest spot for sewing around curves, so here I did find it helpful to use binding clips to hold the edges together, removing them one by one as I stitched it up.

9. Push the lining down into the cup and topstitch all the way around the opening.

Fill with goodies and enjoy!

The Pixie Basket Tutorial

Say hello to your new favorite quick project! This cute basket is the perfect size for binding clips, mini charm packs, or any other small notions you want to collect in your sewing room. It also makes a darling little gift basket for tiny presents (hint: Easter is coming!). Beyond that, you can use this to hold jewelry, crayons, office supplies, party favors, candy, clothespins, makeup, recipe cards, small toys -- just about anything! Best of all, you can easily sew one of these -- even two if you're quick -- under an hour.

Finished Size: 2 x 3 x 4 1/2’’

Fabric:	For:	Cutting:
10'' square pink kitty print	Exterior basket accent	Cut 2 strips 1 1/4 x 8’’
10'' square green stars print	Exterior basket main	Cut 2 rectangles 3 1/4 x 8’’
10'' square pink scissors print	Basket lining	Cut 2 rectangles 4 x 8’’
10'' square batting	Exterior interfacing	Cut 2 rectangles 4 x 8’’
10'' square muslin	Lining interfacing	Cut 2 rectangles 4 x 8’’
5’’ twill tape, 5/8’’ wide	Basket handles	Cut 2 pieces 2 1/2’’ long
Other supplies: adhesive basting spray

1. Sew a 1 1/4 x 8’’ accent strip along the top 8’’ edge of a main exterior rectangle and press the seam open. Fuse the wrong side of this exterior panel to a 4 x 8’’ rectangle of batting and quilt as desired. (I simply topstitched a line 1/8'' above the seam on the accent strip.) Repeat with the pieces for the other exterior panel.

2. Clip or pin the two exterior panels together with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Make sure that the seams where the accent and main pieces meet match up on both sides. Sew all the way around three sides of the exterior panels, leaving the 8’’ sides of the accent piece open. Be sure to backstitch at the start and finish of your seam.

3. Box the lower corners. Push down on a side seam so that it lies directly on top of the seam on the lower edge of the main panel, creating a triangle of batting on that side. Use your ruler to measure off a 3’’ line down the side of that triangle facing the basket (the side seam should be resting at the 1 1/2'' line). Use a pencil or fabric marker to trace that 3’’ line and then use your ruler to measure and cut a 1/4’’ seam just beyond that. Check that your seams match up before stitching down that pencil line. 

Repeat on the other side of the basket.

4. Turn the exterior right side out and push out the corners of the basket. Fold a piece of twill tape in half so that the short ends meet. Baste the raw ends together to form a loop. Center the loop on a side seam of the basket so that the raw ends line up with the opening and baste it on place on the exterior of the basket. Repeat with the other piece of twill tape on the other side seam.

5. Fuse the wrong side of a lining piece to a 4 x 8’’ piece of muslin using the adhesive basting spray. Repeat with the other lining panel and muslin piece.

6. Clip or pin the two lining panels together with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Sew all the way around three sides of the exterior panels, leaving a 3’’ gap in the middle of the lower 8’’ edge and the other long side open. Be sure to backstitch at the start and finish of each seam.

7. Box the corners of the lining exactly as you did in step 3. Keep the lining turned inside out.

8. Slip the exterior inside the lining (right sides of the fabric touching) and clip or pin all the way around the top opening, being sure to match up the side seams. Sew all the way around the opening.

9. Pull the exterior of the basket out through the gap in the lining. Tuck the raw edges of the lining back into the gap and close it up by sewing 1/8’’ from the edge, backstitching at both ends. Push the lining down into the basket and press it carefully.

10. Topstitch 1/8’’ all the way around the opening. To give the basket a more boxy shape, press all the creases at the corners and edges.

That's it! If you make a Pixie Basket of your own, please be sure to share your pictures on Instagram and Pinterest. Tag it #pixiebasket and tag me @fabricmutt.

And for those of you who, like me, won't be able to make it to QuiltCon in Pasadena this weekend, my friend Julie of The Intrepid Thread is hosting a fun online event called QuiltNon. If you make one of these Pixie Baskets and post it on February 18-21, you'll be able to get in on the fun -- that means prizes, my friends! She'll be sharing all the details on her blog soon, so be sure to head over there to check it out. And if you want to pick up a few fabric goodies from her shop while you're there, well that's okay with me...

Happy sewing!

The Stationery Kit Tutorial

As promised, here's the free tutorial for the Stationery Kit I shared with you on Monday for the Paperie Blog Tour.

This little kit is perfect for holding stationery (of course!), to-do lists, recipe cards, EPP projects, embroidery projects, school flashcards, craft supplies, and whatever else you brilliant people come up with to tuck inside.

I think this would make a fabulous Valentine's Day gift. Just pop in a few goodies from the dollar section at Target (notepads, short pencils, page flags, maybe even a gift card), and you've got an adorably useful gift for your kid's teacher, your best friend, or just about anyone else in your life! If you make one of these and share it on Instagram, please be sure to tag it #stationerykit and tag me too @fabricmutt.

Okay, let's sew!

Cutting Instructions

Cut 6 low volume squares 2 x 2'' for cover patchwork.

Cut 6 saturated color squares 2 x 2'' for cover patchwork.

Cut 1 rectangle 6 x 6 1/2'' for back cover.

Cut 1 batting rectangle 7 x 11'' for cover interfacing.

Cut 1 rectangle 3 1/2 x 5'' for envelope pocket.

Cut 1 muslin rectangle 2 1/2 x 3 1/2'' for envelope pocket interfacing.

Cut 1 rectangle 3 1/2 x 4 1/2'' for envelope exterior.

Cut 1 muslin rectangle 3 1/2 x 4 1/2" for envelope exterior interfacing.

Cut 1 rectangle 3 1/2 x 4 1/2'' for envelope lining.

Cut 1 rectangle 6 1/2 x 10 1/2'' for kit lining.

Cut 1 muslin rectangle 6 1/2 x 10 1/2'' for kit lining interfacing.

Cut 1 rectangle 7 x 10 1/2'' for inside pocket.

Cut 1 muslin rectangle 3 1/2 x 10 1/2'' for inside pocket interfacing.

Other Materials

2'' long piece of twill tape

2 metal snaps (You can substitute other fasteners like Velcro or a hair elastic & button if needed!)

adhesive basting spray

chopstick or turning tool

spool or other object with a round edge
pencil

*Note: all seams 1/4'' unless otherwise noted

Make the Cover

1. Arrange the 2 x 2'' squares in a 3 x 4 grid as shown above, alternating low volume and saturated prints. Sew them together to form a 5 x 6 1/2'' cover.

2. Fold a 2'' long piece of twill tape in half, wrong sides together, so that the short ends meet. Baste the short ends together 1/8'' from the short end. Center those short ends on the left side of the bottom left hand square of the cover and baste in place.

3. Use the adhesive basting spray to fuse the wrong side of the patchwork cover to the 7 x 11'' piece of batting. Keep the cover toward the right 7'' side so that there will be room for the back cover as well. Quilt as desired.

4. Sew a 6 1/2'' side of the back cover piece to the left 6 1/2'' side of the front cover patchwork piece. Use adhesive basting spray to fuse the wrong side of the back cover to the left side of 7 x 11'' piece of batting and quilt as desired.

5. Trim the excess batting off the cover. Your final rectangle should be 6 1/2 x 10 1/2''. 

Make the Envelope

1. Fold the 3 1/2 x 5'' rectangle in half, wrong sides together, so that the short ends meet and slip the matching piece of muslin between the two halves of fabric. Top stitch 1/8'' from the fold. 

2. Following the manufacturers instructions, center the stud end of the snap about 3/4'' from the pocket fold and attach securely in place.

3. Stack the pocket on top of the lower short end of the envelope lining piece so that the edges match up and baste in place. Fuse the 3 1/2 x 5 1/2'' piece of muslin to the wrong side of the envelope exterior with adhesive basting spray.

4. Place the pocket lining and envelope exterior pieces right sides together with the top of the envelope (the flap that you'll be able to see) pointed away from the pocket. Use a spool to trace and trim rounded edges on the flap corners.

5. Stitch all the way around the outside of the rectangle, leaving a 2-3'' gap on one long side. Trim the seam allowance down to 1/8'' except for where the opening is.

6. Turn the envelope right side out through the gap, carefully pushing out the corners with a chopstick. Push the raw edges inside the gap, press, and stitch 1/8'' all the way around the envelope. 

7. Attach the socket end of the snap to the flap of the envelope, carefully matching it up so that it will work correctly with the other half of the snap.

Make the Lining

1. Fold the inner pocket rectangle in half lengthwise and press. Slip the 3 1/2 x 10 1/2'' piece of muslin inside, fusing it down with adhesive basting spray if desired, and top stitch 1/8'' from the fold.

2. Place the envelope on the left side of the inner pocket, about 1 1/4'' from the left edge and 3/8'' below the inner pocket fold. Make sure that the envelope flap is open. Spray a bit of adhesive basting spray on the main back of the envelope (not the flap) to hold it in place. 

3. Stitch the envelope down by sewing over the original 1/8'' top stitching on the pocket part of the envelope and then sewing across just underneath where the flap folds down.

4. Fuse the 6 1/2 x 10 1/2'' muslin to the wrong side of the kit lining piece. Baste the inner pocket in place along the lower edge of the lining. Use a pencil or hera marker to trace a line down the center of the lining and the inner pocket, and then stitch over it to divide the pocket and lining in half.

Finish the Kit

1. Place the kit cover and lining on top of each other, right sides together. Sew all the way around the outside of the rectangle, leaving a 3-4'' gap on the top long edge, preferably over what will be the back cover. Trim the corners.

2. Turn the kit right side out through the gap, gently pushing the corners out with a chopstick. Push the raw edges back inside the gap and press. Top stitch 1/8'' from the edge all the way around the cover.

3. Center the socket half of the other snap about 1/8'' from the right side of the cover and attach (both these snaps will go through the inner pocket as well). Attach the stud half of the snap to the opposite side of the kit lining, making sure that both halves match up correctly. Fill the kit with goodies and enjoy!