Cathedral Windows - Tutorial

Today I thought I would do a demo on one of my favorite techniques - Cathedral Windows. This is a hand technique where you take a light fabric like muslin fold and stitch then add a piece of patterned fabric for the "window" part. It's generally done by hand and can be easily adapted to any size. Here's Google's image gallery when you search for Cathedral Windows Quilt - isn't this sew amazing, I love it so I thought I would share it with all of you.

This one here is approx 16"w x 16"h x 4" deep - this was one of the first projects I made using this technique, and I've received so many compliments on it:) People just want to stop me everywhere and figure out how it's made? Have you tried this before?

The photo above © Valerie - Pastimes Online

Here's another tote approx 8"w x 12"h x 4" deep with an adorable pocket and ruffle, perfect for taking your hand piecing and stitching projects with you:) OR pack a lunch in this...

 Here's one that Danielle made, it's the perfect hostess gift with a bottle of nice wine in it. Also, she did her's with all the same colours for the windows, using our Burgundy dupioni silk.

Here goes, ready to try something easy and fun? Don't be shy if your not a hand stitcher or piecer because this technique is super easy, just take your time.

2- 9" squares muslin, plain stitching needle, basic sewing thread to match your muslin.

Iron in 1/4" all the way around

Press all your corners in towards the center

Now with a small whip stitch, stitch the "X" closed you can do a slip stitch also so your stitches are completely hidden. You'll barely see your whip stitches if you choose to do it this way:)

Once you have both seams sewn shut, connect all 4 corners into the middle

Now repeat for your second square. The one thing with this technique is you need two squares to create one "window".

Now, connect your two squares together with a whip stitch (showing) or a slip stitch (invisible)

The best fabrics to use for the "window" parts are scraps, pick a theme, reds, blues, or pinks and browns, or just all scraps - is sew adorable too. Cut your squares 2.5". You can pin this center square in place if you like, I always found that the pin got in the way :)

Fold the center part of your background over your window fabric and begin stitch it down using a slip stitch or a blind hem stitch - you want this to be invisible.

When stitching, you want to make sure you only go through the folded background piece and your window area not into the background because you actually want to be able to put your fingers through the openings to give it the 3 dimensional effect.

Sew, what do you think? Is this something you'd like to try?

Thank you for following this tutorial, I love playing around over here and I hope I've inspired your viewers just a little. Until next time, stay happy and creative.

Patchwork Bird – Quilt Tutorial

The photo above © Teje Karjalainen

If you look carefully this block, you see that there are only squares and triangles. You can see this bird in many sites on the internet but I haven’t seen it with a wing. Here is the plan …

SIZE OF THE PIECES:

– whole squares are 2,5 ” x 2,5 “

– triangles are half squares from 3″ x 3″ squares

– beak (nose) is half square from 2,5″ x 2,5″ square and it’s on 2,5″ x 2,5″ square

– feet are 1″ x 2,5″ and the grass next to the foot is 2″ x 2,5″

!!! Take care how to cut your pieces if you use fabrics where the direction is important – for example my trees. You need two opposite triangles (otherwise the other piece is horizontal and the other vertical).

Sew first all the small parts. Sew the nose-triangle on the corner of one 2,5″ x 2,5″ square. Cutaway the remaining corner from the square which is under the nose triangle.

Press the seams open and trim the squares to 2,5″ x 2,5″.

Next sew the squares in rows …

Press the seams open.

Sew the rows together.

Trim your block and your bird is ready!

Finished block size is about 10″ (10,5″) depending on how exact your seam allowance is. I use about 1,4″ seam allowance.

I like to press seams open because then there are less seams in point – and I like symmetry.

If you like to ask something, please don’t hesitate. I’m happy if I can help!

Try different colours to see how big difference it makes …

Next time I shall show you what I made with my (till now) favourite bird.

If you know some other fun blocks with squares and triangles, please tell! I draw a cat to my notebook but didn’t sew it yet – so can’t be sure if it will look cat or something else. I hope to try it soon.

Thank you so much for your visit! Thank you also for your most lovely comments! I enjoy to read them and I do my best to answer! Next week there/here will be something very exciting – oh I start to be nervous!

Happy sewing!