DIY Piecework Coasters
I'm back again with my third project from the See Kate Sew Book. For my third project from the book, I thought I would still keep it simple. So as I was looking through the book, I stopped on the coaster project. We don't currently have a set of coasters and I liked that this one because its also serves as an introduction to piecework. (I'm sure that at some point I'll get into quilting and this seems like as a good place to start!)
The Project
Make A Set of Coasters
Instructions from See Kate Sew Book
Supplies Needed:
Basic Sewing Supplies (Sewing Machine, Thread, Scissors, and etc.)
Results
As excited as I was to start this project, all of my projects begin with the idea of how I want them to look. So it took me a little bit to actual start this project. And I might not have made it if Joann Fabrics didn't have a 75% off coupon for fat quarters. I picked up a couple of fat quarter bundles and then I started work with mixing and matching my fabrics.
I eventually settled on solid color stripes and some water colored fabric for the back. After that I cut out my selected fabrics according to the pattern pieces. I wish I had a picture of me sewing the stripes together because I think that is the hardest part of this project. But I suppose that's why I chose this project. So I could learn to keep me seams straight.. especially when I have the narrowest of margins to work with.
(I eventually bought a 1/4 inch piecing foot to help out. My seams definitely got better, but they're still not perfect yet. But practice makes perfect, right?
After I was happy that my seams were as good as they were going to get, I easily ironed the seams towards the inside stripe. And while I had the iron out, I ironed on the stabilizer as well.
I then sewed the batting to big square side and tried out a basting stitch. I'm not sure if I did it right, but it seemed like everything to look right. So I easily moved on and sewed my two squares together. At this point I think I should have removed the basting stitch, but instead I forgot all about it and simply clipped the corners and flipped it right side out.
And to get my corners pushed all the way out, I took a blunt pair of scissors and stuck it into the corners. I pushed and wiggled the scissors and eventually I was able to have some proper corners!
Once I had all the corners pushed out I sewed again around the outside edges. And I tried sewing along the stripes, but my stripes weren't exactly perfect. So when I tried it on one, it just didn't look right and I decided to scrap it.
And here is my complete set of all 5.
And if you want to see it in action, here it is underneath my hot chocolate!
