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for sewing room organization

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Organizing
1 + Storing Your
Fabric
At-Your-
2  ingertips
F
Pincushion
­­­­
Take-Along
3 Sewing Tote
In-Perfect-Order
4 Needle Book
Bulletin Board
5 Redux
Stitch-and-
6 Stash Labels
1

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SEWING SUPPLIES:
Online tips + 5 free patterns
for sewing room organization

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1 Chaos to Creative: Organizing
+ Storing Your Fabric by Elaine Lipson....... 3
2 At-Your-Fingertips Pincushion.................. 5
3 Take-Along Sewing Tote.............................. 6
4 In-Perfect-Order Needle Book.................. 8
5 Bulletin Board Redux.................................. 10
6 Stitch-and-Stash Labels.............................. 11

pockets you need to carry supplies, fabric, patterns, and

DO YOU EVER look at your sewing space and wonder how
you could possibly fit more fabric and notions in it? If you are
like me, you find a way to squeeze more in! So consequently,
I’m always trying to figure out a better way to organize my
sewing room and create space-saving tools. The better orga-
nized I am the more efficient I am while I’m sewing.
Here at Sew Daily, we love coming up with ideas for Contemporary
how to make your sewing experience more creative and
enjoyable. So we have put together some of our best tips
for creating order out of chaos with your fabric stash. Plus
notions.
In-Perfect-Order Needle Book: You’ll never go
searching again for your handsewing needles with this
handy felt and fabric needle book.
Bulletin Board Redux: Pin up your inspiration photos
and sewing ideas on these easy fabric-covered corkboards
that also decorate your sewing space.
Stitch-and-Stash Labels: Organize your notions and
tools into clear jars and make these embroidered fabric
sewing in the right place.
labels to keep everything
that
So celebrates thefabric and get started organizing
pull out some fun
handmade
and personalizing your sewing space today!

we have some great projects designed by Melinda Barta

that you can make for your sewing room to keep you lifestyle!tricia waddell Happy Sewing,

sewdaily
organized in style. Editor-in-chief, Stitch Magazine
At-Your-Fingertips Pincushion: This adorable wrist Find STITCH magazine, and
pincushion is quick to make and keeps your pins close at sewing epatterns and
hand. books in our online store

sewdaily
Take-Along Tote: Whether you are working in a small
www.interweavestore.com
space or need to be portable, this organizer tote has all the

EDITOR Tricia Waddell

ART DIRECTOR Pamela Norman
Contemporary sewing ILLUSTRATION Ann Sabin Swanson
that celebrates the PHOTOGRAPHY Joe Hancock

handmade (unless otherwise noted)

PROJECT DESIGNER Melinda Barta

lifestyle! Projects and information are for inspiration

Find STITCH magazine, and
sewing epatterns and
books in our online store
www.interweavestore.com
and personal use only. Sew Daily and Stitch
Magazine are not responsible for any liability
arising from errors, omissions, or mistakes
contained in this eBook, and readers should
proceed cautiously, especially with respect
to technical information. Interweave grants
permission to photocopy any patterns pub-
lished in this issue for personal use only.

© INTERWEAVE PRESS LLC Contemporary sewing

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Contemporary sewing
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that celebrates the
that celebrates the that celebrates the
sewdaily
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chaos to
creative
Show your fabric stash
who’s boss with some
inspired planning.
Text ELAINE LIPSON
IF YOU LOVE to sew and love fabric, you’ll
acquire a substantial fabric stash in no time
at all. You’ll run into a fabric store for a spool
of thread and find a couple of irresistible
cottons, or stop in a consignment store and
find a beautiful vintage skirt to take apart,
or discover something unique and tempting
online. And it won’t be just fabric—you’ll
find a jar of Bakelite buttons at a garage sale,
stock up on zippers at your local fabric store’s
holiday sale, and have too-good-to-throw-
away scraps from your last three projects.
Eventually, you’ll need a system to
organize it all so it’s neither hidden away and
forgotten nor taking over your living room.
Because no two sewing spaces are the same,
there’s no one-size-fits-all storage cabinet or
shelving to be found, but we’ve got some great
ideas to help you design your own best plan.
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SEWING SUPPLIES:
Online tips + 5 free patterns
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organizing + storing your fabric
You’ll need containers, so give some Beyond the basics, your stash will dictate the
thought to your decorating style before you categories you devise. For example, I have
commit. Do you thrill to the sight of clean vintage linens stored together and small pieces
metal shelving and neatly labeled clear plas- of vintage kimono and other specialty ethnic
tic bins? Are you more the Paris flea-market fabrics together. I’ve also collected fruit and
type, who loves to store things in vintage vegetable prints, floral prints, and ikats, and I
luggage, woven baskets, and old wooden keep each of these types together. You might
cabinets? Or do you like contemporary craft have a collection of children’s prints or plaids
style, with fabric tote boxes in bright colors that naturally make sense as a group.
that you’ve made yourself? Investigate
shelving options, from built-in wood or wire
shelves to stand-alone shelving. Or maybe
your sewing room has an extra closet—
remove the door and add shelves.
take it with you
CATEGORY, PLEASE! Once your fabric is neatly orga-
Once you’ve decided on your container and
nized, make a swatch journal as
shelving style, you’ll need to sort your fabric.
a portable record of your stash.
If all of your fabrics are similar in type—all
As you shop for, yes, more fabric,
cotton and linen, perhaps—you can sort by
you’ll be able to coordinate
color and/or by the size of the fabric piece,
colors, avoid duplication, and
with a place just for uncategorizable scraps. If
remember how much you have
you sew with a variety of fabric types, you’ll
JOE COCA
probably want to sort wools, silks, cottons, of a given fabric.
linens, rayons, fleece, synthetics, and sheers.
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SPECIAL CASES
Fabrics with nap, such as velvets, shouldn’t
be folded and stacked, as creases may become
permanent, or the fabric may wear or fade
along the fold line. Rolling these fabrics on
a tube is a good idea (use a layer of acid-free
tissue). Heavy beaded fabrics, on the other
hand, should be folded and stored flat, so the
weight of the fabric doesn’t distort the weave.
It’s worth investing in special conserva-
tion boxes for garments, textiles, and fabrics
that are precious to you and that you hope to
pass on to the next generation. Use archival
materials to keep these fine fabrics protected
from light, humidity, bugs, and acidic envi-
ronments, just as museums do. The Textile
Museum (textilemuseum.org) offers a down-
loadable brochure with guidelines for caring
for these treasures.
STYLISH DIY STORAGE
To make your own fabric-
covered storage baskets, try
this free online tutorial from
jcaroline creative. Choose
bright prints or solids for the
outside and lining of the box
and use webbing for sturdy
handles. Instructions are given
for two sizes, so you can make
a custom assortment.
jcarolinecreative.com
(click on How-tos, then
Storage Baskets)
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SEWING SUPPLIES:
Online tips + 5 free patterns
for sewing room organization
TIPS + TRICKS FROM A
PROFESSIONAL STASH ORGANIZER
LOIS L. HALLOCK, an active quilter, professional organizer, and engi-
neer, is the author of Creating Your Perfect Quilting Space and Creating
Your Perfect Quilting Space Studio Planner. Lois brings her sharp eye,
love of fabric, and brilliant engineering skills to the challenge of keep-
ing a stash organized, and she shares some of her best tips with us.
Stitch What's your favorite way to store fabric?
Lois I use an 8" x 24" (20.5 x 61 cm) ruler to wrap the fabric around, just
like a bolt. Then I slide it off halfway and fold. The folded edge becomes
a clean front edge when stacked on the shelf. Just as with library books
on a shelf, I line up all the front edges of the folded fabrics, leaving any
mismatches at the back.
S Do you like to organize by color, by size of fabric piece, or by type of fabric?
L I start with size. I fold larger pieces as mentioned above and cut pieces
smaller than 1⁄8 yard (11.5 cm) into scrap strips of varying widths and store
them in baskets by the width of the strip. It makes it easy to find a scrap of
a particular color, and it's not frayed or scrunched into a little ball! Semi-
solids are then divided by color. Next, I sort by type of fabric. My project
boxes are the one exception to these sorting criteria. Project boxes contain
the fabric I've chosen for a particular project, along with the pattern, thread,
notes, photographs for inspiration, and embellishments.
S Does storing fabric in plastic bins cause discoloration or other problems?
L Fabric is made from a living substance and will rot if not allowed to
breathe (ed. note: this refers to natural fibers such as cotton, linen, silk,
and wool). Plastic bins are fine for storing holiday decorations or toys,
but I don't recommend them for fabric. Always use acid-free tissue pa-
per to line project boxes, fat-quarter bins, and as shelf paper, to protect
fabric from the acids that will leach out over time.
S How does an investment in fabric storage and organization help you
to be a better sewer?
L When I enter a quilter's studio to start helping her organize, I first ask to
see her fabric. I'm often taken to multiple rooms, closets, storage spaces,
and even the garage. I find this disturbing—fabric needs to be visible and
stored where it will be used. That fabulous feeling we get when we enter
a fabric store comes from the fabric! That feeling should be a part of our
daily experience.
Visit Lois's website at clearviewdesigns.com.
Acid-free tissue paper can be found at joann.com.
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­At-Your-Fingertips
Pincushion
Ever start sewing away and
can’t find a place to put those
pesky pins because your pin-
cushion is nowhere in sight?
Keep those pins close at hand
by wearing your pincushion on
your wrist.
FABRIC (for 1 pincushion)
— 7" x 3½" (18 x 9 cm) piece of patterned cotton
fabric
— 10" x 1" (25.5 x 2.5 cm) piece of patterned
cotton fabric (matching or contrasting) for
ribbon backing
— 10" x 1" (25.5 x 2.5 cm) piece of medium-
weight fusible web
OTHER SUPPLIES
— Sewing thread in color to match fabric
— Strong cotton thread for basting
— Fiberfill (about a handful)
— Cotton embroidery thread in color to contrast
fabric
— 3 two-hole 10–16mm (3⁄8" – 5⁄8") buttons
— 10" (25.5 cm) of 5⁄8" (1.5 cm) wide synthetic
velvet ribbon
— Sewing thread in color to match ribbon
— 1 set of 12mm snaps
— Sizes 3 and 10 embroidery needles
— Terry-cloth towel
— Lighter
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FINISHED SIZE
2" (5 cm) wide x 1" (2.5 cm) tall
MAKE PINCUSHION
1Fold the 7" x 3½" (18 x 9 cm) piece of fabric
in half widthwise, right sides together, so the
short ends meet. Using the sewing thread that
matches the fabric, sew along the raw edges
opposite the fold using a ½" (1.3 cm) seam al-
lowance to form a tube.
2 Leaving a 5" (12.5 cm) tail, use the size 10
embroidery needle and 12" (30.5 cm) of strong
cotton sewing thread to baste (around the top of
the tube, 1" (2.5 cm) from the top edge. Remove
the needle, pull the ends of the thread to gather
the fabric, and tie several tight square knots
with the tail and working threads.
3 Turn the tube right side out and fill with
fiberfill. Repeat basting instructions as in Step 2,
but just before gathering the fabric and tying the
knots, use your forefinger to push the raw edge
down inside the tube.
4 Pass the size 3 embroidery needle and 24"
(61 cm) of embroidery thread up through one
hole of 1 button and down through the other
hole; tie the tail and working threads together.
Center the button over the gathered circle of
fabric on the bottom of the pincushion. Stitch
straight up through the pincushion, pass up
through one hole of the second button (centered
on top of the pincushion), down through the
other hole, and through the pincushion, exiting
through one hole of the first button. Continue
stitching the buttons together, passing through
the center of the pincushion and pulling tight to
cause the pincushion to pucker.
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EMBELLISH
5If desired, embellish the pincushion with
running or backstitches. Tie a knot on one end
of a 24" (61 cm) length of embroidery thread and
thread the size 10 needle on the other side. Pass
the needle through the bottom of the pincushion
so that the knot is hidden under the button.
Stitch as desired. The white/gray/red pincushion
was embellished with lines of running stitch; the
white/green/black pincushion was embellished
with loopy lines of backstitch. When tying off, be
sure to hide the knots under a button.
MAKE STRAP
6Use the iron to adhere the fusible web to the
center back of the 10" x 1" (25.5 x 2.5 cm) piece
of fabric, according to manufacturer’s directions.
Before removing the backing paper, cut the
fabric in half lengthwise so it measures 10" x ½"
(25.5 x 1.3 cm). Remove the web’s backing pa-
per. Lay the ribbon facedown on the terry-cloth
towel on the ironing board, then lay the fabric
down on top of the ribbon with the fusible web
sandwiched in between. Use the iron to fuse the
fabric to the back of the ribbon.
7Use the sewing thread that matches the rib-
bon and the size 10 needle to stitch the snaps to
the ends of the strap, placing them so that the
ribbon will fit snugly around your wrist (make
sure that one side of the snap is stitched to the
top side of the ribbon, and the other side of the
snap is stitched to the underside). Stitch the
remaining button to the top side of the ribbon,
concealing the stitches created when attaching
the snap (stitched to the underside). Trim the
ribbon ends at an angle and lightly melt with the
lighter to prevent fraying.
8 Center the strap over the button on the back
of the pincushion and slip-stitch it in place,
stitching lines across the ribbon on both sides of
the button. Make several passes to secure the
strap.
FOR EXPLANATIONS OF
TERMS + TECHNIQUES USED
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­Take-Along ­
Sewing Tote
Whether toting your sewing
supplies to class or craft night,
you’ll fit all of your necessities
in this stylish large-pocketed
sewing bag. Mix boldly pat-
terned fabrics together for an
inspired look.

FABRIC
—Two 18" (45.5 cm) long x 18" (45.5 cm) wide
pieces of patterned cotton fabric for body of
bag (Fabric A)
—Two 34" (86.5 cm) long x 3" (7.5 cm) wide
pieces of patterned cotton fabric for straps
(Fabric A)
—Two 18" x 18" (45.5 x 45.5 cm) pieces of
patterned cotton fabric for small pockets
(Fabric B)
—Two 23" (58.5 cm) long x 18" (45.5) wide pieces
of patterned cotton fabric for large pockets
(Fabric B)
—Two 14" (35.5 cm) long x 18" (45.5 cm) wide
pieces of contrasting cotton fabric for lining
—Two 34" (86.5 cm) long x 2½" (6.5 cm) wide
pieces of medium-weight fusible interfacing
for straps
OTHER SUPPLIES
—Contrasting sewing thread
—12" (30.5 cm) of embroidery thread, any color
—Size 3 embroidery needle
—Fabric pencil
—Long knitting needle, any size
—Rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat
—Acrylic ruler
FINISHED SIZE
Body of bag: 17" (43 cm) wide x 13" (33 cm) long;
Length with straps: 26¼" (66.5 cm)

FOR EXPLANATIONS OF
TERMS + TECHNIQUES USED
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SEWING BASICS ONLINE

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take along tote 2

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take along tote 1

MAKE POCKETS
1 Fold one 23" x 18" (45.5 x 58.5 cm) piece of
Fabric B in half widthwise with wrong sides
facing and press the fold. Sew ½" (1.3 cm)
from the end of the fold (this fold will be the
top edge of the pockets). Repeat entire step
three times using the remaining pieces of
Fabric B.

2Lay one 18" x 18" (45.5 x 45.5 cm) piece of

Fabric A right side up on your worktable. Lay
1 large piece of Fabric B, then 1 small piece
of Fabric B, on top of Fabric A. Align the
layers so that the 18" (45.5 cm) raw edges of
the folded fabrics align with the bottom edge
of Fabric A. Pin the layers. Mark vertical
lines using the marking pencil over all layers
at 2½", 6½", 11½", and 15½" (6.5, 16.5, 29,
and 39.5 cm) from the left edge. Sew through
all layers along the marked lines to create
pockets (figure 1). Repeat stitching so each figure 1 figure 2
line has two passes of stitching less than 1⁄8"
take along tote 3
(3 mm) apart. Remove pins. Repeat entire
step with the remaining pieces of fabric.
MAKE BODY OF BAG
3With right sides together and using a ½"
(1.3 cm) seam allowance, join the sides and
bottom edges of the 2 layered fabrics created
in Step 2. Cut one 2"x 2" (5 x 5 cm) square out
of the bottom left corner of the layers. Repeat
in the bottom right corner (figure 2). Open
the body of the bag and refold so that the
bottom seam is in line with one side seam at
the left corner (the raw edges created by the
square that was just removed will be aligned).
Sew along the raw edges using a ½" (1.3 cm)
seam allowance to form the bottom corner of
the bag (figure 3). Repeat at opposite corner. figure 3

4Turn the bag right side out. Fold the top

¾" (2 cm) of the bag toward the inside of the
body (wrong sides together), press, and sew
½" (1.3 cm) from the fold.
MAKE LINING
5 Repeat Step 3 using the 2 pieces of lining
fabric (instead of the fabrics layered in Step
2). Insert the lining into the body of the bag
so that wrong sides are together. Fold the top
3½" (9 cm) of the body toward the inside of
the bag, over the lining (the top edge of the
lining will be nestled in the fold). Pin the lin-
ing to the body in several places. Sew around
the top edge of the bag ½" (1.3 cm) from the
folded edge, then sew another line 2" (5 cm)
from the folded edge (1½" [4 cm] from the
first stitched line).
MAKE STRAPS
6Center 1 piece of interfacing, fusible side
down, on the back of 1 long strip of Fabric A
and fuse according to manufacturer’s direc-
tions. Fold the strip in half lengthwise with
right sides together. Sew, using a ½" (1.3 cm) 8Repeat Steps 6 and 7 for second strap.
seam allowance, to form a tube. Fold each end of one strap over, so both raw
edges are on the same side facing away from
7Use 16" (40.5 cm) of embroidery thread
the seam, and sew down ¼" (6 mm) from the
and the needle to take a few stitches near
fold. Fold and stitch the second strap in the
one corner of the tube; remove the needle
same manner. Pin the straps in place inside
and tie the working and tail threads around
the bag so that the raw edges of the folds
the base of the knitting needle. Pass the knit-
just stitched face the bag (the straps here
ting needle through the tube to turn it inside
were centered between the seam lines of the
out. Cut the embroidery thread and press
4" [10 cm] wide pockets located on either
the tube so the seam runs down the middle.
side of the center pockets). Sew in place in
Sew down the length of the tube, ¼" (6 mm)
a free-form manner using several passes of
from one folded edge. Repeat along the other
relatively straight lines.
folded edge. Repeat both stitched lines,
stitching less than 1⁄8" (3 mm) away, inside 9Sew around the bag ¼" (6 mm) from the
the previous lines. top edge.

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What is the difference between
a quilting, an embroidery, and
a tapestry needle? Can’t recall?
Don’t despair. This great needle
book has labeled pages to keep
you totally organized, and your
needles safely tucked away.
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In-Perfect-Order ­
Needle Book
FABRIC
—4 pieces of 4½" (11.5 cm) long x 1½"
(3.8 cm) wide light-colored cotton fabric
—10 pieces of 5" (12.5 cm) long x 4½"
(11.5 cm) wide patterned cotton fabric
—6 pieces of 4½" x 5" (11.5 x 12.5 cm) felt
—4 pieces of 4½" x 1½" (11.5 x 4 cm) fusible web
—8 pieces of 4½" x 5" (11.5 x 12.5 cm) fusible
web
OTHER SUPPLIES
—2–3 sets of clear alphabet stamps with
½" (1.3 cm) letters
—Clear stamping block (to use with clear letter
stamps)
—Dye-based ink pad in dark color
—Size 8 pearl cotton embroidery thread
—Rotary cutter and self-healing cutting mat
—Acrylic ruler
—Awl
—Size 26 chenille needle
FINISHED SIZE
3½" (9cm) wide x 4" (10cm) tall
NOTE
Look for wool felt that hasn’t been blended with
synthetic materials—the lanolin in pure wool
will prevent your needles from rusting.
MAKE LABELS
1 Use the letter stamps and stamping block
to spell the word needles. Stamp one piece of
the light-colored fabric to create a label. Note:
Make sure the letters are close enough so that
the words are no longer than 4" (10 cm). If you
do not have three full sets of letters and find
that you are a letter or two short when creating
the stamp, you’ll need to stamp the word in
FOR EXPLANATIONS OF
TERMS + TECHNIQUES USED
CLICK HERE FOR OUR
SEWING BASICS ONLINE
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sewdaily two steps: For example, I only had two sets

of stamps, but the word needles contains
three E’s. So I first stamped “needl_s” (leav-
ing space for the missing E), removed all the
letters but one E, and finally stamped the
missing E in place.

2Center one 4½" x 1½" (11.5 cm x 2.5 cm)

strip of fusible web on the back of the label
made in Step 1 and fuse according to manu-
facturer’s directions; do not remove the paper
backing. Trim to ¾" (2 cm) long x 4" (10 cm)
wide.

3Repeat Steps 1 and 2 three times for 3 more

labels using the words embroidery, tapestry,
and quilting. Set all labels aside.
MAKE BOOK
4Use one 5" x 4½" (12.5 x 11.5 cm) piece of
fusible web to fuse 2 pieces of patterned fabric
with wrong sides together. Trim to 3½" (9 cm)
long x 4" (10 cm) wide. Repeat entire step once
more (these will become the front and back
pages of the book).

5 With the rotary cutter and ruler, cut 1½"

x 1½" (3.8 x 3.8 cm) square holes out of the
center of the remaining pieces of fusible web
(not having fusible web in the center of the
pages prevents your needles from gumming
up). *Use 1 piece of fusible web to fuse 1 piece
of patterned fabric to 1 piece of felt with wrong
sides together. Trim to 3½" (9 cm) long x 4"
(10 cm) wide. Repeat from * five times for a
total of 6 pages.

6Fuse the “needles” label to the right edge of

one of the pages created in Step 2, aligning the
HOW TO BIND A BOOK 4" (10 cm) sides (this is the front of the book).
Use this simple bookbinding stitch to securely and professionally finish your needle Repeat entire step three times to fuse the 3
book. This stitch is basic to bookmakers and those who make journals. remaining labels to 3 of the pages created in
Step 3.
To begin, thread a size 20 tapestry needle with 6 to 8 strands of embroidery floss. Come
7Use the awl to make seven holes along the
up from the back at 1 and leave a 3-inch (7.6 cm) tail. Loop over the top of the book and left edge of each page; the holes will be evenly
come up at 2. Go around the spine and come up at 2 again. Insert the needle at 3, go spaced ½" (1.3 cm) apart and ½" (1.3 cm)
around the spine, and insert at 3 again. Come up at 4, go around the spine, and come up from each edge of the page. Stack the pages
at 4 again. Insert the needle at 5, go around the spine, and insert at 5 again. Come up at 6, with the cover on top and so that each labeled
page is followed by a page without a label. Fol-
go around the spine, and come up at 6 again. Insert the needle at 7, go around the spine,
lowing the sidebar at left, bind the edges of the
and insert at 7 again. Bring up around the end and insert at 7. Work back to the top with book with the embroidery thread and chenille
running stitches: Bring the needle up at 6, insert at 5, bring up at 4, insert at 3, bring up at needle, stitching through the holes created by
2, insert at 1, go around the spine and insert at 1 again. Knot the working thread with the the awl.
starting tail twice and hide the threads in the pages of the book.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

FOR EXPLANATIONS OF
TERMS + TECHNIQUES USED
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SEWING BASICS ONLINE

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Bulletin Board Redux
Looking for a unique alterna-
tive to your tired old corkboard?
These fabric-wrapped cork-
board squares are the freshest
place for posting fabric swatch-
es and inspirational photos.
FABRIC (for 4 covered corkboards)
—1 yd (91.5 cm) total of assorted cotton
patterned fabrics
OTHER SUPPLIES
—Sewing thread in color to match fabric
—Sewing thread in colors to contrast fabric
(optional)
—4 pieces of 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
white felt
© INTERWEAVE PRESS LLC
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SEWING SUPPLIES:
Online tips + 5 free patterns
for sewing room organization
—4 pieces of 12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
corkboard
—4 pieces of 11" x 11" (28 x 28 cm) mat board
—Acid-free double-sided ½" (1.3 cm) wide
craft tape
—Acid-free white craft glue
—Thick double-stick mounting tape
(for mounting boards on wall)
—Rotary cutter and self-healing mat
—Acrylic ruler
—Handsewing needle
FINISHED SIZE
12" x 12" (30.5 x 30.5 cm) each
MAKE BULLETIN BOARDS
1 Cut fabrics into squares and rectangles
that range from about 4½" x 6" (11.5 x
15 cm) to 11" x 16" (28 x 40.5 cm). Using
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figure 1
thread that matches the fabrics and a 3⁄8" (1
cm) seam allowance, piece the fabrics as
desired with right sides together until you
achieve a square that is at least 16" x 16"
(40.5 x 40.5 cm). Press all seams to one side
and, if desired, topstitch ¼" (6 mm) from the
seams in contrasting thread for a decora-
tive look. If needed, trim uneven sides so
the square is 16" x 16" (40.5 x 40.5 cm) and
press.
2Lay 1 pieced fabric square facedown on
work surface, center 1 piece of felt, then 1
corkboard on the back. Place 11" (28 cm)
strips of double-sided craft tape on all four
sides of the corkboard, positioning the strips
so they are ¼" (6 mm) from, and parallel to,
the sides, and centered side to side. Tightly
pull the sides of the fabric around all layers
to the back and press into the tape.
3To miter the corners, pinch the fabric where
two sides meet at one corner (you will be
holding a small triangle). Use 18" (45.5 cm) of
thread that matches the fabric and the sewing
needle to handstitch the sides together at the
base of the fold (figure 1). Repeat entire step
on the three remaining corners.
4Glue the mat board to the back of the
corkboard so it covers the raw edges, tuck-
ing in the tips of the mitered corners. Allow
to dry.
5Repeat Steps 1–4 three times for a total of
4 covered corkboards.
6Use the double-stick mounting tape (often
squares of tape come with the pack of cork-
boards) to mount the boards on the wall.
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TERMS + TECHNIQUES USED
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sewdaily
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Stitch-and-Stash Labels
Add a clean, organized touch
to your sewing supply jars with
a great set of embroidered la-
bels. What a clever way to use
up small scraps of fabric from
your stash!
FABRIC (for 4 labels)
—18" (45.5 cm) long x 44" (112 cm) wide
piece of patterned cotton fabric
—7" (18 cm) long x 22" (56 cm) wide piece of
medium-weight fusible interfacing
OTHER SUPPLIES
—Assorted glass jars
—Sewing thread in color to match fabric
—Cotton embroidery thread
—6" (15 cm) diameter embroidery hoop
—Sizes 3 and 8 embroidery needles
—Terrifically Tacky acid-free double-sided ½"
(1.3 cm) wide craft tape
—Rotary cutter and self-healing mat (Optional)
—Acrylic ruler
—Pressing cloth
© INTERWEAVE PRESS LLC
Not to be reprinted. All rights reserved.
SEWING SUPPLIES:
Online tips + 5 free patterns
for sewing room organization
MAKE LABELS
1Cut the interfacing lengthwise into 4 strips
that are as wide as you want the labels to be
(¾"–1¼" [2–4.5 cm] widths were used here).
Cut the fabric widthwise to get strips that are
18" (45.5 cm) long and six times the width of the
strips of interfacing.
2Place the piece of fabric facedown on the
ironing board. Center the matching piece of in-
terfacing, fusible side down, over the back of the
cloth so that the long sides are parallel. Fuse
the layers using a damp pressing cloth and iron,
according to manufacturer’s directions.
3Use a pencil to lightly write the word of your
choice in the center of the fabric (the bottom of
the letters should be parallel with the long sides
of the fabric).
4Mount the fabric face up in the embroidery
hoop. Separate the strands of a 24" (61 cm)
length of embroidery thread. You are now going
to embroider over the word drawn in Step 3 by
couching the embroidery thread in the follow-
ing manner: Using 4 strands of the embroidery
thread and the size 3 embroidery needle, begin
at the edge of the first letter drawn in Step 3.
Bring the needle through the fabric from the
back to the front to anchor the thread and then
remove the needle. Using the 2 remaining
strands of embroidery thread held together
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COUCHING
Working from right to left, use one
thread, known as the couching or
working thread, to tack down one
or more laid threads, known as the
couched threads. Bring the working
thread up at 1 and insert at 2, over
the laid threads to tack them down;
repeat by inserting the needle at 3.
This stitch may also be worked from
left to right, and the spacing between
the couching threads may vary for
couching
different design effects.
3 1
and the size 8 needle, couch the thread to the
surface along the line of the letter, curving
when necessary and securing the shape with
the placement of your couching stitches. When
you reach the end of a line, use the size 8
embroidery needle to bring the 4 strands of the
embroidery thread back through the fabric and
then up at the next anchoring edge or letter
(some letters such as a “P" will require the 4
strands being couched to be anchored through
the fabric at several points, while letters such
as an “S" will only require the strands to be
anchored at either edge of the letter).
5Remove the fabric from the embroidery hoop
and press. Trim the fabric lengthwise into a strip
that is three times the width of the interfacing
with the interfacing section centered on the
strip. Fold the fabric along the long edges of the
interfacing toward the center, with wrong sides
together, and press.
6Trim the strip so that it is 1½" (3.8 cm) longer
than the circumference of the jar you want
to cover. Use 2 strips of double-sided tape to
adhere the long sides of the fabric strip around
the jar (the two ends of the strip will overlap),
folding under the exposed edge of the strip to
hide the unfinished edge (use short strips of
tape to hold the end in place, if needed).
7Use the size 8 needle and sewing thread to
slip-stitch the folded edge to the body of the
fabric strip, hiding the thread knots in the fold as
best as possible.
8 Repeat Steps 2–7 for the desired number of
labels.
FOR EXPLANATIONS OF
TERMS + TECHNIQUES USED
CLICK HERE FOR OUR
SEWING BASICS ONLINE
PAGE 11 OF 11
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