There’s nothing like adding a little handmade goodness to your holiday table - besides the delicious dinner, of course! Placemats and tablecloths are simple projects that can make a big impact on your special guests.

I have always thought that the method used to piece quilt binding is so clever and attractive. I decided to put that cleverness to work for my table setting project, using pretty shades of orange combined with gingery neutrals for an autumn harvest feel. Here’s how to make your own:

First, I cut six 2.5 inch strips from selvedge to selvedge. Sew 2 strip sets with 3 fabrics each.

Next, I trimmed one end of each set. I placed the sets right sides together, with the top set perpendicular to the bottom. I drew a diagonal line across the square formed by the intersecting fabrics. Be sure to draw line from the upper left corner to the lower right. Stitch on the line.

Then, trim the excess triangle a 1/4″ from the seam.

After I opened my new strip and pressed the seam allowance to one side, I cut the strip to 18″. Using the bottom of the diagonal as my center, I measured 9″ from this point and cut on each end. Then I repeated these steps to make a second strip to become the bottom half of my placemat. Sew the strips together and you have a placemat top!

To finish up, cut a backing fabric to the size of the placemat top, about 12.5″ x 18″. Put the 2 panels face together. I added a lightweight batting to mine, which I cut to size and layered on top of the backing.

Stitch 1/4″ around the perimeter, leaving a small opening. Turn the placemat inside out, and
press. Then, stitch all the way around the edge again with 1/4″ seam allowance. Repeat this process for as many table settings as you need, and then set the table!

For the tablecloth, I used Michael Miller’s Organic Cotton Gingham. Since tables tend to be bigger than fabric widths, you can use these pretty strips of color at the seams. I calculated the length I needed, in this case 72″, and cut two 72 inch pieces from selvedge to selvedge. With leftover strips from my placemats, I used the exact same process featured above, except with individual strips, to make the colorful panel running down the seam. I sewed this strip to one long side of each panel, and then hemmed all the way around. Done and done!

Treat yourself to some craft time, and treat your guest to a gorgeous, one-of-kind holiday table! As always, we’d love to see photos of what you’ve made. Enjoy!

A cheerful tablerunner is a simple way to decorate your home and mark the change of the seasons. Have it be the centerpiece of your holiday meal, or liven up the table by the front door (you know the one where you toss your keys!). It feels good to see things you’ve made being used and enjoyed in your daily life. It’s even better when friends and family are truly impressed at your craftiness! I made this table runner using the (not so) tricky “Disappearing Nine Patch”. No, it’s not a mystery novel, it’s a quilt block! This technique is so simple and turns out looking so complex; everyone will think you are a quilting master! Here’s how you do it:

First, make a nine patch!
I love bright colors, so I used my favorite teals and tangerines from Michael Miller and Sandi Henderson. Using 1/2 yard of 3 fabrics, I had plenty to work with. Fat quarters would also work wonderfully for this project. My block size for each fabric was 4″. Using a 1/4″ seam allowance, the finished nine patch was 11″. I made 4 nine patches total.

Second, cut the nine patch into quarters. With your trusty rotary cutter and grid ruler this is easy enough, right?

Third, reorder the blocks into four patches. Play around and see what type of design you like best. I liked that my gingham squares met on the diagonal, breaking up the strong pattern a bit!

Then, sew your four patches together in one long row. I added a 2.5″ border (1/4 yd of fabric) all around, and cut backing (1/2 yard) and batting to fit the top. I stitched in the ditch with my machine, and then used my pretty teal gingham to bind the whole thing together. My finished measurement was 14″ x 44″. I had fun making this, and hope you do too!

One of the best things about Fall is wearing scarves! You can never have too many, because you just can’t know what your mood will be when you walk out the door. We got a recent shipment of Kaffe Fassett’s Shot Cotton, and the deep hues made me think autumn. Shot cotton is special because the warp and weft yarns are 2 different colors woven together to create a special depth, a “shot” of color. When the edge of this fabric ravels, you can see a bright contrast to the body of the fabric, like in the photos below. Normally you would just see a tiny bit of this in your seam allowance on the inside of your project, but I thought it would be fun to bring it out and play it up.

These scarves couldn’t be simpler to make! I took a yard of 2 fabrics and cut them in half lengthwise. I then sewed 2 short ends together ( there is no “right side” to this fabric) with a 3/4″ seam allowance and then sewed the seam allowances down flat. I threw them in the washer and dryer and after a light pressing - Voila! - a beautiful, totally reversible Fall scarf is born! You can coax the edges to fray more by pulling on the cross threads, or embellish with embroidery thread. The fabric is lightweight and gauzy, so it easily wraps around your neck, and can be comfortably worn indoors. There are so many possibilities to make this scarf your own! We took our favorite combinations and kitted them up. Each kit contains 2 “fat halves”, a 22″ x 36″ piece of fabric, of Shot Cotton. These amazing colors colors are perfect for adding a little autumn flair! See more photos here and have fun!

Denyse Schmidt’s collections always have a wonderful vintage feel. The prints are reminiscent of the 30’s and 40’s, but the colors are much more bright and modern. For her latest home dec line, Country Fair, she again draws inspiration from the 30’s, when “cheater cloth” was popular. Cheater cloth is fabric that has patchwork printed on it, ready for you to quilt. Patchwork Promenade is Denyse’s take on cheater cloth, where she takes prints from her quilting line, Katie Jump Rope, and assembles them into crazy log cabin blocks. So clever!

I took a yard and half (each repeat is one yard) for the front, pieced together the back from 3 yards of quilting weight cotton from Katie Jump Rope, and basted the layers together. I got out my trusty walking foot and machine quilted diagonal lines across my quilt. I thought about marking everything out ahead of time, but I decided to free hand instead. I think the off-kilter log cabin blocks are quite forgiving of my crazy quilting!

This whole process took a day’s worth of work, plus a few hours for hand sewing the bright red binding. I couldn’t be more pleased with this quilt! It was fun to see things come together so quickly, and now I can wrap up in a nice toasty blanket. I would like to do a hand quilted version of this as well, following the lines of all the blocks. I wonder how my family would feel about everyone getting a different version of this for the holidays? I know I would love making them!

Favorite Things Patterns is a new-to-us line that recently arrived here at the shop. Among them is the Prairie Girl Dress and Top. I had been looking for a pretty blouse pattern, and I definitely think this fits the bill. Tunics continue to be everywhere this season, and I think this gives a nice, shapely twist to the look. This piece slips easily over your head, forgoing the need for zippers or buttons, and ties at the back, giving a gentle waist definition. The gathers at the front accommodate the bust and accentuate the nice, flat skirt panel over the tummy. So flattering! It has two sleeve options as well: set-in like the ones in the photo or a ruffled cap sleeve. Either would fit easily under a cardigan, or over a long sleeve shirt when it gets a little chillier.

I chose Amy Butler’s Tree Peony fabric, for it’s sophisticated and feminine print. You can dress it up or down depending on your fabric choice. Make the dress version for work in a rich autumn tone, and make the top in a more whimsical print to pull a weekend outfit together. This was a fun sewing project, and it came together nicely in two afternoons. You should definitely give it a try!

Now that September is here and school has started, it’s time for the morning ritual of packing lunch! The little ones totally prefer homemade meals to school lunch, and the grown ups are trying to resist the temptation of fast food on the go. Eating from home is healthier and more economical. I know I always SAY I am going to pack lunch everyday, but it never quite happens. A girl needs a little incentive, don’t you think? We’ve got just the thing with the Apple-a-Day lunch bag. You can make these eco-friendly bags for the whole family with our Apple-a-Day kits. Each kit contains the pattern, apple fabric combination of your choice, interfacing and velcro to close it up. If you just want the pattern, you can download it here. If you’re in the Philly area, we are having a class to make the lunchbag this Saturday at 2:00. Please visit our class page for details.

Since I made one, I have been packing my lunch (almost!) everyday. Carrying it makes me smile and it feels good to have something pretty and fun to take out at lunchtime. I hope it does the same for you. Enjoy!

I was curious how Amy Butler’s Frenchy Bags made up, and the arrival of August Fields provided the perfect opportunity to find out! Michael made these up and did a lovely job. He arranged the pattern on the fabric beautifully- so professional! The elegant design of the fabric is a fitting complement to the vintage feel and pretty silhouette. Once these were cut out, they went together quickly and easily. One of the advantages to working with home dec weight fabric is that no interfacing is required, simplifying the sewing process quite a bit!

While I am the type to carry around enough stuff to warrant the gorgeous shoulder bag, I am totally in love with the cute little handbag. I like the idea of slipping my wallet and keys into this adorable purse and being ready to go. I’m not sure if I can pare it down enough, but carrying this sweet bag is certainly a good motivator!

This is our third ( but I’m sure not final!) project using Modern Flora fabrics. Michael was especially taken with this graphic blue fabric, so he made up an extra sturdy version of his Grocery Tote. He adapted this pattern from a vintage one, and it is has become one of our favorites. You only need 2 half-yard pieces of fabric; one for the outside and one for the inside. It’s a great size for fitting in all your snacks, and has a nice wide strap for a comfortable walk home. Perfect!

This is the same tote we make in our Learn to Sew Class. If you’ve been thinking of starting to sew, you can get a little inspiration from the fun fabric combinations our students have put together here. If you already sew, you can download the free pattern pdf from our left sidebar. Enjoy!

I made a new skirt! I knew I wanted to use the tiny leaf print for a skirt as soon as I saw it. I grabbed the Barcelona Skirt pattern and got to work on my second Modern Flora project. The simple A-line version of this skirt comes together so quickly; I was done in a flash. But it needed something a little extra - applique, of course! Using the leftover fabric from my tote bag, I cut out a nice big leafy green for embellishment! Michael is amazing at machine applique, and he patiently instructed me in this endeavor. It was a bit trickier than I thought, but I LOVE the end result. It gives the skirt something special, and I learned something new in the process.

Since I was so jazzed about machine applique, I thought it would be fun to have a class. Michael will be helping you make this cute drawstring bag, with the initial of your choice appliqued on the front. Class will be held Thursdays, August 21 & 28 from 6-8 PM, and the cost is $32 plus materials. This is an introductory class, but you should be familiar with sewing basics to participate. Please call the shop to reserve your space. I hope to see you there!

Our first step into the world of Home Decorator weight fabric arrived last week in the form of Modern Flora by Jessica Jones. This fabric is a 54″cotton canvas that is perfect for curtains, pillows, and tablecloths as well as bags and skirts. I love her modern, graphic take on nature; especially her tip of the hat to us crafters with the the little lines of stitching on the leaves! We got busy sewing up samples in this fun fabric, and I’ll be sharing them with you over the next few posts.

First up is the tote bag from the cover of the latest Sew Simple magazine. This issue is full of great ideas, but the cover project was made up in cotton canvas, so it was a no-brainer which one to choose! The instructions were clear, although I did leave out the zipper portion of the pattern. I used a half yard of Modern Flora fabric for the outside, and a half yard of Kona cotton for the inside. I made up my own simple handles by sewing a tube right sides together, turning it inside out, pressing, and folding it in half and stitching it down. Then, I followed the pattern for attaching the handles. This was a great, quick project to satisfy the need to make something with my pretty, new fabric RIGHT NOW!! I know you know that feeling!