https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/hand-quilted-lavender-sachets • Posted by Karen R.
If you are intimidated by hand quilting - try it out on something small first. The tops of these easy little pillow sachets are quick and fun to quilt. Use scraps of fabrics or a 5" x 5" fabric charm pack from your favorite fabric designer. A stack of 3 makes a cute gift for Mom or friends.
If you are intimidated by hand quilting - try it out on something small first. The tops of these easy little pillow sachets are quick and fun to quilt. Use scraps of fabrics or a 5" x 5" fabric charm pack from your favorite fabric designer. A stack of 3 makes a cute gift for Mom or friends.
Cut out a piece of batting 5" x 5". Before you start hand quilting, you'll want to align all four raw edges of the fabric and batting and then hand baste them together around the outside. Later you will be machine sewing the top to the bottom using a 1/2" seam, so try and keep your basting to within 1/4 - 3/8" from the edge.
To outline a design, use longer stitches on the top and shorter stitches on the back to get better detailing. Insert your needle straight down, then back up again through all layers and back down, moving your wrist and working the needle up and down. (This is called rocking the needle.) To mark the horizontal lines, use a wash-away fabric pen or marker. Mark lines across the top of the fabric 1/2" apart in the direction you want your stitching. For the horizontal lines, I tried to keep the stitches the same length on the top as on the bottom. Insert your needle straight down, then back up again through all layers and back down, moving your wrist and working the needle up and down.
With right sides together, align all the edges of the fabric outsides and pin together - leaving a 3" opening on one side to turn inside out. (To help remind me to stop sewing at this location, I mark where I want to stop sewing with two pins.)
Using a 1/2" seam, sew around all four edges slightly rounding the corners as you sew and leaving an opening on one side. Trim the corners diagonally. Trim off the batting to about 1/4" away from the seam. Turn the sachet right side out through the opening. Push out the corners with your finger or tool.
Stuff in a small handful of batting to help fill out the pillow and then pour in the lavender.
With a little practice, the ladder stitch works great to hide stitches when closing two seams together. Switch to a thread that blends with one of your fabrics and fold in both raw edges of the opening towards the inside of the sachet. To start the stitch, run your needle along the folded section of the seam and pull your thread up. Next, grab a little bit of the opposite side of the fabric (in the fold) straight across from where you just came out and pull your thread up.
Done!