Tuesday Threads with Karen

Hello Ai fans, and welcome to a new mini feature here on the Ai blog!

Did you know that Art Impressions has a line of quilting fabrics?  They shipped out this November through Henry Glass & Co. to a quilting store near you!  The collection is called "Shop Hop" - all your favourite Girlfriends images combined with a sewing/quilting theme are featured in 18 wonderful 100% cotton fabrics. (To see the entire collection, click here!)

Once a month on my regular Tuesday post, I'm going to feature "a little something" to show off this fun collection.

Now, these aren't exactly holiday fabrics, but 'Tis the Season, so I'm kicking off the new feature with a little gift giving idea and a matching card:

If you like to give a jar of something homemade to friends and neighbours, how about sewing a little elf shoe to put it in?  This is one of the subtle patterns in the collection, and it worked perfectly in this bright green paired with a black lining and bright pink ribbon.  I made a matching card using Ai's Christmas Wreath Set (Sku #4791) to give along with it.

 I'll give you a few quick instructions on how I made my shoe, and if you scroll down to the end of the post, I've included a pdf file with the pattern if you'd like to make your own.

I cut out two of the elf shoes in the green fabric, and two of the lining pieces from some plain black fabric.

I sewed around the shoe using 1/4" seams, leaving the top open, and clipped the seam allowances around the curves.  I did the same with the lining, leaving about a two inch opening, as this is how I'll turn it inside out.

  The toe of the shoe was lightly stuffed with batting that I carefully poked right in to the curled point, up to where I've indicated with the stick.  With right sides together, I attached the lining to the shoe by sewing the top edge together, and then turned it inside out through the opening that I left in the lining.

After a little light pressing, I added the ribbon and buckle to the shoe with some glue dots, and tied on a little tag.  In went my jar of jam, and voila!  My gift is ready for giving.
Click here to print out the elf shoe pattern: elf shoe

I'll be back in January with another fun sewing project!