Banner Tutorial and Three Fabric Giveaways

Monday April 18, 2011
Banner Tutorial

I've been asked a few times to blog a banner tutorial.
I've tried to make this thorough and simple but if you have a question leave a comment.

1. Gather a pile of music you like and get ready to rock some banners out! YEAH

2. What you need: template plastic (can be purchased at quilt or craft stores) fat quarter's of material (also available precut at quilt and fabric stores) a marker (i like Sharpies) fabric and paper scissors rotary cutter self healing mat long clear ruler pinking shears (if you don't have the last four and plan to sew quite a bit you should invest in them)


3. Make a template A 4 by 4.5 triangle is the perfect size to get the most triangles out of a fat quarter. To make them any size determine the width and length. Find and mark the center of the width. From the middle draw a line to the length size.

Connect the two lines and cut out the template with paper scissors.

4. Iron the fat quarter in half longest sides together. (a fat quarter measures 22 x 18 ") Iron fat quarters in half again.

5. Using your template as a guide draw a line at the top and bottom of the fabric.

6. Trace and flip and trace your template until you come to the end of the fabric. (later you will pink these lines off so don't worry about your marking lines.

7. Cut off the tops and bottoms of the fabric.

8. Cut out the triangles. A fat quarter of fabric yields 18 pairs of triangles so make a bunch of banners.

9. Stack the triangles staggered for easier pick up as you sew them together.

10. Using a 1/4 seam allowance (the width of your presser foot) sew down one side of the triangle, pivot at the bottom and sew up the other side. You do not need to back stitch at the beginning and end nor sew the top as they will be sewn between ribbon in a later step.

Your presser foot is 1/4".

11. Cut your threads. Messy threads mean an unfinished project.

12. Pink the edges. If you don't own a pair of pinking shears you should. I use mine all the time.

Have an inexpensive pair for paper and a nice pair for fabric.

Always marker your scissors 'fabric' or 'paper' and make sure your family knows the difference especially your husband!

13. Cut two lengths of ribbon to your desired length of banner plus 24" for tails.

14. Sew the ribbon tails together using a zigzag stitch then start sewing the triangles between the ribbon using a zigzag stitch.

Before coming to the end of a triangle place another triangle between the ribbon. Continue until all the triangles are sewn.

15. Sew a zigzag stitch along the other side.

A larger template.

Giveaway # 1

I didn't want to throw away the scraps from the large triangles I made because you can use a small template and make another banner.

Fabric scraps and small template Giveaway #1

Giveaway #2

42 10 x 10 squares from Moda's 3 Sisters spring line and big template.

Giveaway #3

12 fat quarter and small template.

Please leave a comment to enter and your giveaway preference.

Also if you link my tutorial on your blog let me know and you'll get double entered.

Thanks everyone.

Cheers to a new week!

Lot's Of Stuff And More

April 13, 2011 Wednesday Lot's Of Stuff And More I've been busy but I've been a lazy blogger. I'm going to try to catch up. Freya has desperately needed new cozy pants. The cozies she had were three inches too short. I've spent the last two days sewing her five new pair of cozy pants and she couldn't be more happy. Cozy pants are about the only thing Freya will wear that I make without me threatening her. That's not great since I bought three new dress patterns. Vintage, thrifted sheets. More vintage sheets because what's more cozy than worn linens? Aunt Gracie's Little Bo Peep fabric. Sweet fabric sent to me last week from my Wendy friend! Last Tuesday was Bring Your Parent To School Day. I was one of a handful of parents who went. Fortunately Oliver's OK with me being weird because I took my knitting with me.

Also last week Oliver and Freya treated us to a concert.

The set list for The Grasshoppers.

It's was an awesome show and well worth the five kisses for admission.

Also I spent all my April allowance within a week.

Next week is Spring Break and we have a fun mini holiday planned!

Any Spring Break plans?

Music Tuesday On Thursday

April 7, 2011 Thursday I spent all my April allowance on music today. From left to right, top to bottom, Radiohead: The King of Limbs Wanda Jackson: The Party Ain't Over (with Jack White) Sneaker Pimps: Becoming X PJ Harvey: Let England Shake Nick Cave And The Bad Seed: Murder Ballads Deer Hunter: Halcyon Digest PJ Harvey :Is This Desire The Strokes: Angles In rotation before I bought new music, Franz Ferdinand: You Could Have It So Much Better The Killers: Sam's Town Goldfrapp: Felt Mountain New Order: The Best Of Ella Fitzgerald: Jazz 'Round Midnight Again (Best of) Miles Davis: Porgy And Bess What have you been listening to this week?

Mail, Mail, Mail and Foreign Mail

April 7, 2011 Thursday Mail, Mail, Mail and Foreign Mail Nearly everyday this week I received a parcel in the mail. Friends surprised me with great things and I'm very grateful and happy. Also it was nice because Chris was really jealous. From Julie in Sweden via London, I'm obsessed with all things Royal Wedding and this was the best present ever. Both Chris and I are Anglophiles. I remember Princess Di's wedding and how magical it was. I was seven and princess are a big deal when you are seven. Freya and I have big plans for the 29th including dress-ups, tea, biscuits, handmade crowns, slippers, and cuddling all day. Painted Lima beans. I want to collect them all.

They are so shiny and I want to lick them.

Chris said I shouldn't put them in my mouth because it sets a bad example for Oliver and Freya.

Julie writes a lovely blog at http://myblogswedishouse.blogspot.com/

.................................................................................................

From Anne in Scotland, My friend Anne in Scotland remembered I had commented on a post about this awesome knit garland she made. She sent it along with a fun summer pattern for Freya and trivets (which I need to ask her if she made.) You should visit her blog at http://nanagogoblogs.blogspot.com/ After I read a few Iris Murdock novels I wanted to sell everything and move to Scotland. Chris said I would have to go alone, so I stayed. .............................................................................................. Wendy from Iowa Oh sweet Wendy is always generous and has great taste in everything. (She has an Olivia, I have an Oliver. Simpatico) I keep asking her to write a blog and she keeps not writing a blog.

I love stamps on parcels.

The postman hates seeing me with a pile of envelopes because I don't want them metered.

It's not as if he has to lick them all, they are self adhesive.

He does have to do a bit of math and the customers behind me grumble.

Stamps are so cool.

Thank You friends.

It would be my wish to meet you all in person one day.