Cut Out + Keep

Pockets Full Of Posies

Creative Makers: Simple Sewing with Lola Nova

https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/pockets-full-of-posies • Posted by Octopus Publishing

When I was young, my family and I lived along a winding river, our house tucked up on a hillside in the woods. I remember that all of my free time was spent wandering those woods. I knew every trail, every secret spot, and every place that the wild flowers grew. I would come home from my adventures with my arms full and decorate our house with flowers in every nook and cranny. I love these Pockets Full of Posies made from linen and bits of vintage finery – perfect for wild flowers. They also make wonderful storage for pens, pencils or paintbrushes in a workspace.

You will need

Project Budget
Cheap

Time

2 h 00

Difficulty

Nice & Simple
Medium 103266 2f2014 07 14 165344 posypockets 014 2 Medium 103266 2f2014 07 15 143649 sewingpot 020 2

Description

When I was young, my family and I lived along a winding river, our house tucked up on a hillside in the woods. I remember that all of my free time was spent wandering those woods. I knew every trail, every secret spot, and every place that the wild flowers grew. I would come home from my adventures with my arms full and decorate our house with flowers in every nook and cranny. I love these Pockets Full of Posies made from linen and bits of vintage finery – perfect for wild flowers. They also make wonderful storage for pens, pencils or paintbrushes in a workspace.

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pattern pieces Cut one 25 x 18cm (10 x 7in) rectangle each from the linen, cotton and interfacing. These will become the vase. Cut one 8 x 18cm (3 x 7in) rectangle each from the linen, cotton and interfacing. These will become the handle. In this example, I cut a corner triangle from a vintage linen napkin for embellishment. You could use a sweet vintage hankie, a bit of doily, embroidery, ribbon and buttons… anything that strikes your fancy, really. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the corresponding interfacing to the wrong side of each of your lining pieces, then set aside.

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    Embellish the piece Take your large linen rectangle and your embellishments; choose one long edge to be the top of your fabric vase and sew the embellishments to your linen piece. Set aside.

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    Sew the handle Place the smaller linen and lining pieces right sides together, matching raw edges. Pin in place. Stitch around three sides with a 1cm (3/8 in) seam allowance, leaving one narrow end of the rectangle open. Trim the seam allowance and clip the corners. Turn the handle right side out and press. Top-stitch 5mm (¼in) around the 3 sewn edges. Create a buttonhole centred on the sewn end of the handle, the appropriate size for your button.

  4. Sew the outer vase To create the vase, take your embellished linen rectangle and fold it in half, short sides matching and right sides together. Pin. Stitch along the raw edges taking a 1cm (3/8 in) seam allowance. Press the seam open and fold the vase in order to centre the seam. This seam will be the back of your vase.

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    Stitch along the bottom edge of your piece using a 1cm (3/8 in) seam allowance. Clip the corners and press the seam open.

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    This next stage is a little like origami and can seem a bit tricky if you have never done boxed corners before; just take a deep breath and let it come naturally. Working with the bottom seam of the vase, pinch/pull the corners into triangles, making sure they are even and centred, then press the triangles so they are nice and crisp. You want to fold the bottom of your vase into a kind of square, making sure everything is centred properly, as shown.

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    Using a pencil or fabric marker, make a mark 2.5cm (1in) in from the corners on the bottom seam on both ends. Using a straight edge or quilter’s ruler, draw a line through your markings.

  8. Secure your triangles with pins and stitch along the lines you have drawn. Trim off the excess of the triangle near the stitch line and press. TIP Use a rolled up hand towel inside tight spaces to help with pressing.

  9. Sew the lining Take your large interfaced lining rectangle and fold it in half, with short sides matching and right sides together. Pin. Stitch along the raw edges with a 1cm (3/8 in) seam allowance, making sure to leave a 5cm (2in) opening in the seam for turning. Continue sewing the lining piece, following step 4 instructions for the outer vase. Turn right side out.

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    Finish the vase With the outer vase the wrong side out, centre the handle inside on the back seam, matching the raw edges. Pin and tack in place.

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    Tuck the lining, with the right side out, into the outer vase, aligning the back seams and matching the raw edges. Pin the lining in place. Stitch 1cm (3/8 in) around the raw edges.

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    Turn the vase the right side out through the lining opening. Stitch the opening closed using your preferred method. Tuck the lining down into the outer vase and press it neatly.

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    Measure and mark approx. 9cm (3½in) down from the top of the vase on the back seam.

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    Stitch your button in place on the mark.

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    Place a jam jar, glass bottle, or other waterproof vessel inside the fabric shell and you have your finished fabric wall vase! Using a curtain or towel rod attached to the wall, hang your vase by the handle and button up. Use 2 or 3 in a row for a dramatic effect. All that is left to do is to fill your vase with some lovely flowers and enjoy!

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    Variation If you would like to make a posy vase to hang on a hook instead of a curtain rod, bypass making the handle and replace it with a length of ribbon folded into a loop. Attach it in the same way you would the handle (see step 6). (k) …and Ta Da