Amy Butler's In Stitches: More Than 25 Simple and Stylish Sewing Projects (21 page)

*
See page 172
for an explanation of topstitching.

e.
Follow the instructions in steps 6a through 6d to hem and attach the trim to the other leg of the Lounge Pants.

FIGURE 6C

Step 7: Make and insert the drawstring.
*

a.
To make the drawstring, take the 1
¹
/
₂
″ × 60″ strip that you cut in step 3d and fold it in half lengthwise. Press a crease on the fold. Now, unfold the strip and fold both long raw edges in to meet the center crease and press. Fold in
¹
/
₄
″ at each short end and press. Then, fold the drawstring in half one more time at the center crease, enclosing the long raw edges, and press. Your drawstring will measure approximately
³
/
₈
″ wide and 59
¹
/
₂
″ long. Topstitch across one short end, down the long double-folded edge and across the other short end.
(
FIGURE 7A
)

b.
To finish the pants, insert the drawstring by attaching a safety pin to one end and threading it into one buttonhole, through the casing, and out the buttonhole on the other side. Remove the safety pin. Then, tie a knot at each end of the drawstring.

*
See page 170
for more details on how to make a drawstring.

FIGURE 6D

FIGURE 7A

SLEEPING MASK

FINISHED SIZE: 3
¹
/
₂
″ WIDE × 9 ″ LONG

Here is everything you need to get your beauty sleep—a chic quilted sleeping mask to shield you from those early-morning rays that come streaming in your window. Toss it in your flight bag next time you’re packing for a plane trip, and you’ll emerge at your destination rested and energized!

FABRICS

•
¹
/
₄
yard (36″-wide) soft cotton or washable satin or silk for the Sleeping Mask

•
¹
/
₃
yard lightweight polyester batting

•
¹
/
₄
yard (36″-wide) muslin for the backing

• 1 yard (
³
/
₄
″-wide) satin ribbon

OTHER SUPPLIES

• Coordinating thread

• Scissors

• Quilting ruler

• Chalk pencil or fabric marker

• Straight pins

• Turning tool (such as a closed pair of scissors)

NOTES

• All seams are
¹
/
₂
″ unless otherwise stated. (The
¹
/
₂
″ seam allowance is included in all cutting measurements and the pattern piece.)

• Preshrink your fabric by washing, drying, and pressing it before starting your project.

Step 1. Cut out all pieces from the fabric.

a.
First, cut out the Sleeping Mask pattern piece provided in the pocket at the front of this book.

b.
Simply measure and mark the dimensions below directly onto the
Wrong
side of the fabric, using a yardstick and a chalk pencil. Then, using your scissors, cut out each panel following the marked lines.

FROM THE FABRIC FOR THE SLEEPING MASK EXTERIOR

• Cut 1 front panel: 6″ wide × 12″ long

• Cut 1 Sleeping Mask back panel: Use the Sleeping Mask pattern piece in the pocket at the front of this book.

FROM THE LIGHTWEIGHT BATTING

• Cut 4 panels: 6″ wide × 12″ long

FROM THE MUSLIN

• Cut 1 panel: 6″ wide × 12″ long

FROM THE RIBBON

• Cut 2 lengths: 16″ long each

Step 2. Quilt the front panel for the Sleeping Mask.

a.
Place the muslin panel on a hard, flat surface. Using your ruler and chalk pencil, mark diagonal lines across the panel,
¹
/
₂
″ apart. Then, mark lines on the opposite diagonal
¹
/
₂
″ apart, making a diamond-shaped quilting pattern.

b.
Turn the front panel over so the
Wrong
side is facing up and stack all 4 panels of batting on the front panel, matching up the raw edges. Then, place the muslin panel with the marked quilting lines facing up, on top of the batting layers, and pin the panels in place.

c.
Starting with one of the center diagonal lines, machine stitch through all the layers, along the lines you marked in step 2a. Working from the center lines out to the side edges, stitch along all of the quilting lines on both diagonals.

Step 3. Make the Sleeping Mask.

a.
Pin the Sleeping Mask pattern piece to the quilted panel you made in step 2. Then, using your scissors, cut the fabric according to the outline on the pattern piece.

b.
With the pattern piece in place on the
Right
side of the quilted panel, using your chalk pencil, mark the placement lines for the ribbon on both the right and left sides according to the lines on the pattern piece, onto the
Right
side of the quilted panel. Remove the pattern piece from the quilted Sleeping Mask panel.

c.
Place the
Right
sides of the quilted Sleeping Mask panel and the ribbons together at the placement marks on the right and left side of the quilted panel, lining up the raw edges, and pin them in place. Then, machine baste
*
the ribbons in place by stitching a
¹
/
₄
″ seam across the ends of the ribbons.
(
FIGURE 3C
)

*
See page 171
for an explanation of machine basting.

d.
Fold up the ends of the ribbons and pin them to the
Right
side of the quilted Sleeping Mask to keep from catching the ribbon when stitching the front and back panels together. Then, place the
Right
sides of the quilted Sleeping Mask and the back Sleeping Mask panels together and pin them in place. Attach by stitching a
¹
/
₂
″ seam around the Sleeping Mask, leaving a 4″ opening centered at the top of the panels, backstitching at each end.

FIGURE 3C

e.
Using your scissors, trim the seam allowances
*
to
¹
/
₄
″ around the outside curves of the mask. Then, clip into the seam allowance
*
around the inside curve of the nose area, making sure not to clip your stitching. This will allow the mask to turn
Right
side out.
(
FIGURE 3E
)

*
See page 172
for an explanation of trimming and clipping the seam allowances.

f.
Turn the mask
Right
side out, using a turning tool
*
to push out the seams of the mask, and press it flat.

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

g.
To finish the Sleeping Mask, fold in the
¹
/
₂
″ seam allowances of the opening and pin the opening closed. Then topstitch
*
completely around the Sleeping Mask with a
¹
/
₈
″ seam to close the opening.

*
See page 172
for an explanation of topstitching.

FIGURE 3E

Whether your bathroom is a tiny water closet or a spacious day spa off of a master suite, the bath is your own private refuge from the bustle of the outside world. Dressing up your little sanctuary is gloriously self-indulgent, but a well-appointed bath also impresses visitors. So you win both ways! Here are some fun projects that’ll give your bathroom some extra appeal: a hanging toiletry basket, a really large laundry bag, and an elegant way to dress up plain-Jane towels. And you can even dress yourself up in your own kimono-style bathrobe. It’s very comfy and stylish.