Skill Level: Easy
Makes: Set of 3 Bowl Fillers
Time: 1 Afternoon
PART 1 – Cutting
Use your rotary cutter, cutting mat and quilt ruler.
From Denim Jeans, cut 6 fabric squares measuring 6” x 6”
From Adhesive Stabilizer, cut 3 squares measuring 6” x 6”. Remove the protective paper and stick to the backside of 3 of the 6 denim fabric squares.
PART 2 – Sewing Machine Set Up
Thread the sewing machine with a 12 weight light colored top thread and use a
80 weight light colored coordinating thread in the bobbin.
nstall a fresh new needle. Janome Purple Tip Needle or Topstitch Size 90/14
Attach your sewing machine's satin stitch foot. Depending on your preference, use either an open or closed satin stitch foot.
Based on your preference, use either your open or closed style satin stitch foot. The Janome Open Toe Satin Stitch Foot "F2" provides an open view of your work while sewing and there’s a groove on the on the underside to allow dense decorative stitches to pass underneath without building up and jamming.
Your letters will require time to form the best-looking stitches, so set your sewing speed to Slow to Medium.
Set the needle in the needle down in fabric position. (If your machine has this function).
You’re working with thin layer of fabric and stabilizer, you may need to adjust your foot height lower to prevent skipped stitches.
Use your sewing machine's monogram letters to make a word search. If your sewing machine offers a 9mm, block letters choose these options.
Part 3 – Stitching
A 12-weight thread is the thickest thread that can safely fit through the eye of a sewing machine needle, and wow, you can use this bold and beautiful thread to bring some life to your sewing projects. You can decide between matte cotton or glossy rayon threads based on what look you want to achieve. To prevent the thread from shredding, you'll need a needle size with a larger eye to accommodate the thicker thread; Janome's purple tip needles or a topstitch needle size 90/14 are good options. Most sewing machines are factory-set to sew with conventional 40 or 50 weight threads, therefore you’ll have to adjust the tension. Most of the time, using a lower or looser top tension work fine, although some sewing machines may require you to increase the tension. Practice sewing on some similar denim fabric squares before you start the project. And for smoother tension and less thread breakage, you should also use a finer weight thread for the bobbin, this will keep the quality of your stitches looking good.
Many of Janome’s sewing machines offer programming a stitch pattern combination, if your sewing machine has this feature you’ll want to use it. Many of the built-in stitches, in the decorative stitch category and monograms can be programmed to make a stitch pattern combination.
To make the stitch pattern combination for this project, we will be using monograms and spaces only. Programming a row of letters with two 9mm spaces set between each letter, will give you the appearance of a printed word search. Start by programming the 1st row of your word search pattern. Once you’ve finished stitching the 1st row, you’re ready to move onto the 2nd row. To replace letters, use the arrow keys to highlight a letter, press the trash can to delete the old letter, then insert a new letter. Repeat for each letter found in the 2nd row of your word search pattern
You may use either the front or backside of your denim squares to create contrast in your project; the mix of light and dark denim will provide interest to your bowl fillers. It's also nice to utilize denim fabric with a jean's side seam on the backside of your bowl fillers.
On whichever side of the denim you choose to stitch the letters on, you’ll want use a removable fabric marking pen or chalk pencil to mark a 4" by 4" square, 1" in from all four edges of the fabric square. Next, following your word search pattern, beginning with the top row.
To sew the first row, align the right edge of your satin stitch foot with your marked, right and top lines, stitch the first row of letters. Janome machines will do a lock stitch at the beginning and end of monograms. Continue stitching the remaining rows, aligning the edge of your satin stitch foot about 1/8” away from the previous row of stitched letters. Repeat process until you fill your 4” block with every letter from your word search pattern.
Extra Tip: Keep your printed word search close by your sewing machine to reference as you prepare to program the stitch combination pattern for each row.
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Using a seam ripper and some fine tip sharp snips, remove the jump stitches between letters.
To remove the jump stitches cleanly. First, insert the seam ripper right next to a letter, cut the thread close to that letter.
Next, unpick the 2 or 3 jump stitches between the letters, loosening the stitches but not cutting the thread, until you come to the next letter, put taunt on the thread tail and snip the thread close to the letter. Repeat for all jump stitches.
Part 5 – Finishing the Project
Take one of your monogrammed squares and one of your plain denim squares, put right sides together, pin or use clips around all four sides leaving about a 3 ½” opening. Switch out your sewing machine foot to a general straight stitch foot and using some all-purpose, darker colored thread, decrease your stitch length to 1.8, then stitch either a ½” or 5/8” in from edge, around all 4 sides backstitching at the beginning and end of opening.
After stitching, clip the corners and trim edges. Be careful not to clip or trim into your stitches.
At the opening, turn your project right sides out. Use a fabric turning tool to help poke out the corners.
Fill with fiber fill stuffing, then using a denim colored thread, hand stitch the opening closed.
Happy Winter Sewing!
Heidi
