Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects (16 page)

Step 5. Attach the rows of the patchwork pieces together.

Starting at the top of the foundation, place the first and second rows
Right
sides together. Attach by stitching a
¹
/
₄
″ seam across the matched raw edges, and press the seam allowances to one side. Repeat this step to attach all of the rows in the order in which you laid them out. Due to the size and weight of the foundation, it is easiest to stitch the top 5 rows together (rows 1 through 5), set them aside, and then stitch together the next 5 rows (or 6 rows, if making the full/queen or king size). Then stitch row 5 to row 6, completing the patchwork foundation.

Step 6. Finish the top raw edge of the foundation.

With the
Wrong
side of the patchwork foundation facing up, fold over 2″ of the top raw edge toward the
Wrong
side and press. Then, fold the top edge over again another 2″ and press. Topstitch
*
along the top folded edge with a
¹
/
₂
″ seam. This will create a flap at the top edge of the foundation. You will attach the buttons to this flap in step 15, which will allow you to close the top of the duvet cover.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of topstitching.

Set the foundation aside.

Step 7. Make the bobbles.

NOTE:
The seams used to stitch together the bobbles are
¹
/
₄
″. It is important to remember this to ensure the correct size bobble.

a.
Take the light and dark strips of fabric that you cut in step 2. Place the first 7″-wide light-colored strip
Right
sides together with the first 7″-wide dark colored strip. Attach by stitching a
¹
/
₄
″ seam down the length of the strips, backstitching at each end. Repeat this step to attach the remaining light and dark strips together.

NOTE:
The freezer-paper bobble pattern pieces can be pressed (wax side down) directly onto the fabric strips to make cutting the bobbles easier. You will need to cut several freezer-paper bobble pattern pieces for each size bobble to use this technique.

b.
Using the freezer-paper bobble pattern pieces, refer to the chart below to cut the correct quantities of bobbles from the strips you just made, centering the pattern piece on the seam line, not on the raw edge. The attached strips have not yet been opened up. You will cut through both layers of each strip to create one bobble.

c.
Then, open up each bobble and press the seam allowance to one side.

Step 8. Finish the bobbles’ raw edges.

a.
Take the bobble interfacing pieces and place them on the
Right
side of the bobbles you cut in step 7b.

b.
With a
¹
/
₄
″ seam, stitch completely around each bobble, attaching the interfacing to the bobble.

c.
Carefully make a 3″ cut into the center of the interfacing
only
. Then, pull the
Right
side of the bobble through the cut in the interfacing, using a turning tool
*
to push out the seams. Press each bobble flat.
(
FIGURE 8C
)

*
See page 172
for an explanation of a turning tool.

Step 9. Check the measurements of the foundation.

First, press the foundation flat, making certain to fold the flap down on the
Wrong
side of the foundation. Do not include the flap in your measurements. Then, measure across the foundation and down the length in many different places to double check your measurements. Your duvet cover should match your finished measurement for the size you are making plus 1″ in the width and
¹
/
₂
″ in the length. The top edge (or flap) of the foundation was finished in step 6.

NOTE:
Now is the time to make adjustments to your measurements, if necessary. On a patchwork panel you can always add more pieces to fill in any length or width you might need, or trim down the length and width to meet the measurements required.

Step 10. Mark the placement for the bobbles on the foundation.

a.
First, measure and mark the placement for the bobbles across the width of the foundation. Be careful at this point to fold the flap up away from the foundation to avoid catching it in the bobble placement. Mark the vertical lines for the bobble placement down the foundation’s length, equal distances apart:

4 vertical lines for the twin, at 13
¹
/
₂
″, 27″, 40
¹
/
₂
″, and 54″

6 vertical lines for the full/queen, at 12
¹
/
₂
″, 25″, 37
¹
/
₂
″, 50, 62
¹
/
₂
″, and 75″

7 vertical lines for the king, at 9
³
/
₄
″, 23
³
/
₄
″, 37
³
/
₄
″, 51
³
/
₄
″, 65
³
/
₄
″, 79
³
/
₄
″, and 93
³
/
₄
″

b.
Refer to
FIGURE 10B
for placing the bobbles down each vertical line. The bobble placement marks begin at the seam line already in place securing the flap. Alternate the light and dark sides, placing the bobbles end to end, and hand baste or pin
*
them in place. It is easiest to do this with the foundation lying flat on a hard surface such as a large table or on the floor. This process is time consuming but well worth the effort. First, thread your needle, doubling the thread back, matching up the cut ends of the thread, and making a knot at the matched ends of the thread. Stitch close to the edge of the bobble and push the needle through the bobble and the foundation, pulling all of the thread through the back of the foundation, and pushing the needle through the back and out the front of the bobble. Take large stitches with 3″ to 4″ between each stitch, stitching completely around each bobble. This will hold the bobbles in place while you machine stitch the bobbles to the foundation.
(
FIGURE 10B
)

*
To pin the bobbles in place, use large safety pins every 5” to 7”, pinning through the bobble and the foundation, keeping the pins about 1” away from the edge of the bobbles. This will allow you to stitch completely around the bobbles without having to stop to take the pins out.

Step 11. Attach the bobbles to the foundation.

a.
With the bobbles basted or pinned in place, and starting on the right edge of the foundation, stitch from the seam line at the top of the foundation to the bottom, in order to attach the bobbles by using a satin stitch or stitch with a
¹
/
₈
″ seam. Fold the flap up out of the way when stitching the bobbles to avoid catching it in the stitching. Stitch around the right-hand side of each bobble down the first vertical line in a scalloped pattern.

b.
Then, turn the foundation around so you will be stitching from the bottom of the foundation to the top. Stitch around the left sides of the bobbles, using the same stitch as on the other side and stitching in a scalloped pattern. Continue until all of the bobbles have been stitched in place down both sides of all the vertical lines.

NOTE:
To comfortably fit the foundation through the opening in your machine, fold or roll the raw edges in toward the vertical line of bobbles you will be stitching in place. As you turn the foundation to stitch from the bottom to the top, fold or roll in the other side raw edges. Adjust the rolled or folded edges for each line of bobbles to be sewn.

Step 12. Make the back.

a.
Lay the 3 strips of fabric lengths that you cut out in step 2 together, with the wider strip in the center.

b.
Then, place the first and second lengths with
Right
sides together. Attach by stitching a
¹
/
₄
″ seam down the matched raw edges and press the seam allowances to one side. Repeat this step to attach the third length in the order in which you laid them out.

c.
Then, repeat step 6 to finish the top raw edge of the back of the duvet cover to make the flap for placing the buttonholes.

d.
Place the back on a large flat surface and smooth it out. Then, place the foundation on top of the back, centering it on top to check the measurements and make sure the size is correct. Trim if necessary.

Step 13. Measure and mark for the opening at the top of the duvet cover.

On the
Right
side of the back of the duvet cover, measure 12
¹
/
₂
″ over from the raw edge on the left side across the top finished edge and make a mark. Repeat this step to mark the other end of the opening, measuring 12
¹
/
₂
″ in from the raw edge on the right side.

Step 14. Mark and make the buttonholes.

On the flap, at the top of the back of the duvet, measure and mark the placement for the buttonholes using the measurements below. Begin measuring from the 12
¹
/
₂
″ mark you made in step 13.

King: Mark 8 buttonholes, 9″ apart.

Full/queen: Mark 7 buttonholes, 9
¹
/
₄
″ apart.

Twin: Mark 5 buttonholes, 8″ apart.

Center a buttonhole for a
³
/
₄
″ button at each mark, vertically across the flap.

Step 15. Mark the placement of and attach the buttons to the flap at the top finished edge of the foundation.

Repeat step 14 to measure and mark the placement for the buttons on the inside flap of fabric on the foundation. Center a button over each of the marks and slip stitch
*
each button in place by hand.

*
See page 171
for an explanation of slip stitching.

Step 16. Attach the foundation and the back together.

a.
With the
Right
sides together, match up the top finished edges and the side and bottom raw edges of the foundation and the back and pin them in place. Stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam down one side, across the bottom, and up the other side of the duvet cover, backstitching at each end. Then, turn the duvet cover
Right
side out using a turning tool to push out the corners and press the seams flat.

b.
Now, pin the top of the duvet cover
Wrong
sides together, and stitch a
¹
/
₂
″ seam from the right edge over to the 12
¹
/
₂
″ mark, backstitching at each end. You will be stitching through both the foundation and the back, directly over the seam lines made in steps 5 and 11. If you wish, use a decorative stitch if your machine has one. Repeat this step to stitch from the left edge to the 12
¹
/
₂
″ mark. The center top of the duvet cover will be left open to allow you to insert your comforter.