Making
Fabric Bowls - from Jackie Bacon©
Supplies:
2 12.5" squares fabric (preferably complementary but different)
2 12.5" squares Heat 'n' Bond Lite
2 5" squares fabric (the same as or complementary to the 12/5" squares)
2 5" squares Heat n Bond Lite
1 12.5" square Timtex

Timtex is a stiff interfacing originally developed for the brims of
baseball caps, or for Irish dance costumes (depending on who you
believe!) It is now widely available at most quilting
stores. You can actually use any size square you
want, but 12.5 is handy because 12.5" square rotary
cutter rulers are widely available.
Fuse Heat n Bond to each of the 12.5" squares, then
one to either side of the timtex.
Fuse Heat n Bond to each of the 5" squares. Square the
timtex sandwich to 12" Mark halfway points on each
side (at 6" on all 4 sides) Draw a line straight
across, dividing the square into four sections. Fuse
one of the 5" squares to the center of the timtex sandwich, aligning
the corners of the square with the lines you drew across the sandwich.
Stitch around the smaller square. Flip the sandwich over and fuse the
second smaller square to the back of the sandwich, lining it up with the
stitch line you just created. Satin stitch around this square. You can
create all kinds of interesting effects playing with different colors in
top and bobbin, different stitches, etc.
Now it gets tricky without a drawing. Go back to the side that your lines
are drawn on. Measure 1/2" from each side of the line, then draw lines
from those points to about 1/8" from the edge of the small square. You
have now drawn a triangle, or wedge. Cut the wedge out. Carefully place
the sandwich under your pressure foot at the edge of small square, with
the cut out triangle facing you. Take a few satin stitches with the
sandwich flat, then SLOWLY guide the edges of the wedge together as you
stitch the side of the bowl together.
Repeat from "Now it gets tricky" on the other three sides. Satin stitch
around the outside edge.
You have a fabric bowl! Of course, the possibilities are endless, this is
just the absolute simplest form. You can cut off the corners and have an
8 sided bowl. You can make the wedge different sizes and totally change
the character of the bowl. You can make round bowls, square bowls,
boxes. You can add machine embroidery, hand
embroidery, rubber stamping, paint, glitter, whatever!.
A different type of bowl can be made from canvas
instead of timtex .
My most popular bowl to date is an octagonal bowl with purple hat fabric
on the outside, one of the hats from the fabric appliqued on the inside
on pale pink fabric, and rubber stamped ladies in hats
around the four sides. The rubber stamped hats are
colored in with sparkly gel pens. Then the brim is
finished with fancy red beaded fringe.
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