How To Hand Sew a Rail Fence Block

I like handsewing. It's portable. It goes with me to softball games, orthodontist appointments, car rides. It calms me down. It helps me sit still and listen in meetings. It's social; I can do it while sitting with a group of people.

This is for dear Rosemary, who perseveres.

Rail Fence Block, 6" finished

Materials:

Strips of fabric, each 2.5" x 6.5"
A good needle. I love John James needles.
A few pins.
Cotton thread.

Mark a sewing line:

Draw a scant 1/4" seam allowance on one strip. Use a sharp pencil(mechanical is best)to draw a line that is almost but not quite 1/4" from the edge.

Tip: Make one block, measure it, make sure it is finishing at 6.5". If it does not measure 6.5", adjust your seam allowance to be smaller or larger, as needed, and then mark more pieces. Sometimes a very small adjustment in the seam allowance makes all the difference!

Sew a seam:

Next, pin two of these strips together, right sides together. You will only see the wrong side of the fabric.

Using no more than 18" of thread, thread your needle and make a knot in one end. It's best if you make the knot in the end that you just cut. The twist of the thread flows smoothly, and there are less snaggles that way.


Sew along the line, with a running stitch. Simply push the needle through the fabric, bend it or rock it slightly, and bring it back up to the top again. Try to stay on the line as much as possible. Make your stitches as small as you can. As you get comfortable with this stitch, put the needle through the fabric two or three times before pulling the thread through.


Tip: Be careful not to pull the thread so hard that the fabric gathers.

My grandmother's tip: Every few inches, make a small back stitch before sewing forward. This makes an incredible strong seam.

Make a knot at the very end of the seam. Take a very small stitch, bring the needle to the top, and pull the thread until there is a small loop left. Put the needle through the loop and pull tight. Repeat.

Next, add the third strip to this unit:

This is what the wrong side will look like:

From the top side of the block, press the seams to one side. This is what it looks like on the back:

Check Block Size!

Take the time to do this step. Measure the block from side to side, across the seams. It should be 6.5" wide. If it is not, adjust the seam allowance on your next block.

This block did not measure 6.5"! It's too small. My seam allowances were drawn at exactly 1/4", and they are too large. The next block needs to have scant 1/4" seam allowances.

Tip: You don't need to get too obssessive about this. 6 and 3/8" works just fine, but 6 1/4" makes for a very small seam allowance that is not very strong.

This all matters when you start to sew all of the blocks together.

Sew two blocks together:

Mark a scant 1/4" seam allowance on one edge of a block, as shown:

Pin two blocks together, right sides together, perpendicular to each other, as shown.

This is what the blocks will look like when they are pinned together and ready to sew:



Sew the seam. As you are sewing across a seam allowance, lift up the seam allowance, and sew only on the block. Take a small stitch before crossing the seam allowance, shown below in a blury photo:






When you get to the other side of the seam allowance, take a small backstitch, as shown below: Continue sewing. This process makes the seam strong.




Here are two blocks sewn together:




Continue sewing rail fence blocks until you have a lovely quilt! Each block will be 6" x 6" after all the seams are sewn.

How To Sew on Scout Patches

No more aching fingers! Here are my tips:

1. Use a sewing machine.
2. Put in a large needle, size 100, or a denim needle.
3. Fill the bobbin with thread that matches the color of the vest.
4. Get out different colors of top thread to match the borders of the patches.
5. Gather all the safety pins you own.
6. Arrange patches in their proper position or in a pleasing design.
7. Arrange on a hard surface that can be poked by safety pins.
8. Keep the vest or sash flat, with nothing under it.
9. Carefully pin each patch with two safety pins. Two will keep it level and in position. Really. Take the time to do this.
10. Sew! Stitch on the border of the patch. Overlap the beginning stitches for one inch to secure it. Hold the threads as you start sewing to prevent snafus on the back.

How to: Make a Wallet

My girlfriend wants a kayak. It was her birthday. We were leaving for the party in an hour. Eeeek! I made her a special wallet to stash her kayak fund. A dream fund. This would be a great graduation gift.

Do you have an hour? Gather your scraps!

1. Cut two rectangles of fabric, 9" x 4.5"

2. Cut one 'skinny strip', 9" x 3.5"

3. Cut trim, 1" x 9", or use bias tape.

4. Cut one scrap, 1.5" x 3", for tab, or use ribbon.

5. Gather assorted scraps and fusible web for decorating, and a snap or velcro for the closure.

(There is no photo here, but I am putting this up in the spirit of getting it done, but not perfect.)

1. Finishing the pocket edge: Sew the trim piece to the skinny strip, with a 1/4" seam, down the long edge. Press the trim up and away from the skinny strip. Press under 1/4" on the other long edge of the trim(like making bias tape). Next, fold the trim over the seam allowance, to finish it off. Stitch close to the edge. Tip: When you fold the trim over and press it, extend the edge a bit past the seam. Then you can stitch in the ditch, from the top, and catch the edge on the bottom.

2. Attaching the pocket: Place the pocket on the RIGHT side of one of the rectangles, matching raw edges. Baste to keep it all even and square.

3. Tab: Imagine you are making bias tape. Press tab in half, lengthwise. Next, press under one end 1/4" . Press each edge under 1/4". Stitch close the edges.

To attach the tab, place it on top of the pocket piece, on the left side of the wallet, aligning raw edges. Baste.



4. Sewing the wallet: Place the second rectangle on top of the pocket unit, right sides together. Stitch, with a 1/2" seam, leaving a 4" opening on the bottom. Backstitch over the tab and the pocket edges for strength. Trim the corner seam allowances.

Turn inside out, press. Stitch across the bottom, close to the edge.



5. Decorate! Now you can make this personal! Iron on fusible webbing to your scraps. Cut out into desired shapes, and iron onto the wallet.

6. Tab Closure: Sew a snap or velcro onto the tab and the wallet.



Done!

Spring Cleaning

It's time to give your sewing machine a spring cleaning. Follow these step by step photos and directions . Your machine will hum!

Joy

"One filled with joy preaches without preaching" ~ Mother Teresa