Pin and machine sew right up to the freezer paper, leaving a gap in order to turn inside out. Stuff with toy stuffing and sew up the gap.
17 For each star cut out a felt heart and sew to the middle of the star with the button. Secure the ribbons to the angel’s hand. Embroider the mouth with two strands of red embroidery thread and backstitch. Work the eyes in tiny satin stitches in blue in a circular shape, with a black French knot in the centre, or use little buttons for eyes.
Quilting and binding
18 Refer to Making a Quilt Sandwich and Quilting in the technique section. Quilt the panels, bodice, hat and wings. The top half of the wing shape is the wing behind, so quilt this part first. With a pencil draw a curved line where the bias strip is to be placed. When quilting the wings I quilted a row, stopped, pulled thread through to the front for sewing in later, and then moved the needle to start the next row. When the quilting is finished, sew on the arm.
19 Cut 1¼in (3.2cm) wide strips on the bias to a length of about 90in (230cm). Sew a bias strip the same colour as the binding where the two wings meet to give the impression of two wings. Line up the raw edges of the leg with the raw edges of the skirt so that the legs look upside down (see Fig 1). Pin the legs in place. When sewing on the binding sew in the legs at the same time. Sew all the way around to finish the doll.
Treats Box
YOU WILL NEED
(For one box)
• Fabric for background and ties 34in × 19½in (86.4cm × 49.5cm)
• Lining fabric 19½in × 19½in (49.5cm × 49.5cm)
• Fabric for stars, large circles and small circles 17in × 9¾in (43.2cm × 24.8cm)
• Scraps of fabrics for medium circles and small circles
• Grey board 2.5mm thickness 18in × 18in (45.7cm × 45.7cm)
• Sheet of thick paper
• Wadding (batting) 37in × 19½in (94cm × 49.5cm)
• Nineteen shirt buttons (for alternative box)
• Basic kit
Finished size: 10in × 10in (25.4cm × 25.4cm)
Techniques used: machine sewing, English paper piecing, appliqué using templates Instructions are for the appliquéd box. Use ¼in (6mm) seams throughout
Templates: Treats Box
Preparing the board and wadding
1 Using a craft knife cut the grey board into one 10in (25.4cm) square and four pieces 10in × 4in (25.4cm × 10.2cm). Cut the wadding (batting) into one piece 10in × 20in (25.4cm × 50.8cm) and four pieces 10in × 8in (25.4cm × 20.3cm). Take each piece of card and wrap the corresponding piece of wadding around it tightly. Over sew the wadding round all the board pieces.
Preparing star and circle appliqués
2 Make six diamond templates for the large star and twelve diamond templates for the small stars using thick paper. English paper piece one large star and two small stars following the instructions in English Paper Piecing.
3 Make two large circles, two medium and nineteen small circles using washers and template plastic – see Appliqué Using Templates.
Preparing background and lining
4 Cut a 19½in (49.5cm) square of background fabric and the same from lining. For both fabric pieces, make a hem along one side by placing the pieces face down and lining up the edge of the ruler ¼in (6mm) in from one of the raw edges. Crease along the edge with a tool such as a hera. Fold the fabric over, press and tack (baste) down.
Appliquéing the stars and circles
5 The lining has an appliqué star in the middle and each side of the box has a star or a circle in the centre on the outside. In order to find these centres, fold the lining and the background pieces neatly in half and half again at right angles. Press to get the creases at a cross in the middle and crease lines right up to the raw edge.
6 For the lining, line up the centre of the star with the creased cross on the fabric. Pin and sew in place. Sew six small circles evenly around the star.
7 For the background, sew the two stars opposite each other, lining up the star points with the crease line ¾in (1.9cm) below the raw edge. Sew three small circles in place – one in a contrasting colour in the star centre and the other two, the same colour as the star, on either side.
8 Sew the large circles opposite each other on the other crease line 1¼in (3.2cm) in from the raw edge. Sew the medium circles on top of the large circles in a contrasting fabric, followed by the small circle. Sew a small circle on either side of the large circle. Press the background and lining fabric.
9 Cut four pieces of wadding (batting) each 4¾in (12.1cm) square. Line them up with the corners of the back of the lining fabric. Tack (baste) in place.
Making the ties
10 From the background fabric cut eight strips each 14in × 1½in (35.6cm × 3.8cm). Fold each piece in half right sides together lengthwise. Machine across one end and all the way down one side ⅛ in (3mm) from the edge. Turn inside out and press.
11 Each side has two ties that are sandwiched between the background and the lining. They are sewn in place (the raw edge end) when the background and the lining are sewn together into a ‘bag’. Lay the background face up. On three of the sides (not the side with the hem) place a tie 4¾in (12.1cm) in from the corner edge (see Fig 1). There are six ties in all. Pin and tack (baste).
