QAYG Stocking: A Tutorial

Now I need to start this post by saying that none of this QAYG Stocking business is my original idea. I first saw this over at Imagine Gnats and am even using her stocking template in this tutorial. So please do check her tutorial out. One thing I wanted to add to mine was a bit more detail about doing the stocking lining and all of that. It always confuses me. So I hope you will not be confused when we are done!

Also an apology in advance for the dark pictures. The season of the dark lord has arrived and sewing in daylight is very limited! 

So here is what you need:

• exterior fabrics: 1/2 yard plus 2 FQ (or scraps) - Cut one back panel, and save the rest to piece the front panel.
• lining fabric: 1/2 yard - cut two stocking panels (front and back)
• batting: one piece 15×20″ (two if you want to quilt that back panel)
• ribbon for hanging loop: one piece, 6″ long
• Go to Imagine Gnats for her free pattern printable PDF 

First let’s make the QAYG Panel for the front of the stocking (you could make one for the back too!). From your Fat Quarters cut strips of fabric in random widths – you can totally get creative here. I kept my strips between 1 ½ and 3 inches.  

At this point I like to lie out my strips on the batting to get a sense of the layout. 

Take your piece of batting and starting in the middle, quilt one fabric strip, right side up, to the piece of batting. No need to worry about having any backing on this panel (quilt sandwich) since the stocking will be lined in a later step.  

 
Once you have your first strip quilted down you can add your next strip. Align its edges with the first strip, right sides together. Make a quarter inch seam, and then flip the new piece over. 

No need to iron, just finger press down and quilt that strip. Continue adding strips to the piece of bathing. You will end up with a quilted panel like this

Using your stocking pattern cut out the panel and you now have the front of your stocking. Make two if you want quilting on front and back. 

At this point you also want to add your ribbon so that you can hang your stockings later. Sandwich your ribbon between the front and back before you sew them together.  

With right sides together sew the front and back stocking pieces together leaving the top edge open. Trim your seam making sure to clip into the seam allowance along the inside curves so it will lie well when turned. 

Turn right side out and press flat. 

With right sides together sew the 2 lining pieces together leaving the top edge open and a 3″ gap along the bottom straight edge. 

Slide the stocking lining over everything with right sides together and sew around the entire top edge.

Turn the stocking right side out through the gap you left in the lining and give the whole thing a press again.

Before you tuck the lining down into the sock, you need to close the gap in the bottom. Tuck the raw edges of the lining inside and sew the gap shut. I used my machine to top stitch it closed. 

Tuck the lining inside the stocking and press flat, then again top stitch all around the top. 

Et Voila! A QAYG Stocking! 

So while I was making this tutorial I was actually making four stockings at one time (custom order!) so I probably should not do that next time as backing fabrics etc changed in the pics - anyone else notice that ? :)

Anywho, they turned out quite nice and I hope you found this tutorial helpful. Any feedback? Please let me know, I love it!

Since this was a big finish for me I am linking up with TGIFF! at Quilt Matters, Finish it up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts and Whoomp! There it is @ A Quilted Passion!

See you soon
Adrienne  

WiP Wednesday: the one with curves

I haven't done a WiP Wednesday in a wile but based on this little tower, looks like I might just have a few projects on the go! Ha! (tower on left - WiPs, tower on right - stash all destined to be more WiPs)

So last Saturday my wicked good Guild, MMQG hosted one of our Skill builder workshops on sewing with curves. I have done a couple of curves before, but my friends it involved approximately 300 pins per block. An experience I was not ready to repeat! (I love you drunkards path, but not that much!)

In comes Heather, the MMQG PEI Lead, and her sharp Quick Curve Ruler skills!  Heather has had lots of experience using the Quick Curve Ruler. I must say I was pretty intimidated going in, but once she demystified it all for us, so easy! And the there are no pins to be seen! It's all about the gentle curve and slow stitching on the machine.

Here is my fabric pull for the class. We were all asked to bring our own Quick Curve Ruler pattern to work on. I went with Metro Twist and finally dove into my hoard of Jungle Ave by Sara Lawson and some Kona Watermelon. I LOVE this color.

It was so fun throughout the day to watch everyone's blocks go up on the design wall, so many pattern and fabric choices!

Now, once I got down to it (and actually read the pattern) I soon discovered that I have 160 curved pieces to make! 160 People! Needless to say, once I got the skill down, I spent the rest of the afternoon of the workshop getting all of the fabric cut for the rest of the quilt top, and then once I got home I set up the sewing machine again (at the kitchen table) and got to work.

Approximately four beers later, it was Saturday night folks, I had 80 pieced. Not a bad patch of work. Right now I am here...

Half of the pieced blocks done and pressed, they need squaring up and then repeat with the next 80.

Now, since the Christmas Season is upon us and I am, as always, last minute sewing, these curvy babies are going into the WiP tower, but I know I will be back to them as soon as I can. Cannot wait to see how it all comes together. And for sure I am thinking about my next curvy project.

I have to shout out to Heather for the excellent workshop, and thank you MMQG for the best ten bucks I ever spent on a Saturday! 

I am linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced, The Needle & Thread Network and with Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social! What are you working on this week?
Adrienne