For the last couple of years I've been getting into Chraft (Christmas craft). I've been making stockings, advent calendars, miles and miles of bunting. Then I started making it for friends. Having got back into the workplace earlier this year, there's now naff-all time for my Chrafty ways. But woe is me with all the Christmas fabric scraps! So today, in a relatively short amount of time, I made Christmas coasters using a Split-9-patch.
This is my Christmas Chraft gift to you- a tutorial! It's quick and easy and makes a great gift. I'm sure many chrafters before me have blogged about this before, this is my take on it.
Step 1: Drive yourself half mad looking for that bag of Chrissy scraps that you know where you put, yet has been hidden by those cheeky elves. Once located select 9 scraps that you can cut into 3.5 inch squares. Give them an iron before you slice, it's easier!
Step 2: Arrange your squares- any that you don't want chopped in half go into the corners. The centre piece will end up being cut into quarters, so keep that in mind.
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| Chain piecing. Note laptop in background that has been pushed out of the way. Wish we had more space! |
Step 3: Sew together your rows. I am a slacker, and chain piece wherever possible. Press with an iron making sure that the edges point one way for the top and bottom rows, and the other way for the middle row. This will cause less lumpage in the next step.
Step 4: Sew together your rows, and press your seams open.
Step 5: Measure your block carefully, and cut it into quarters.
Step 6: cut some backing fabric. I do this quite sloppily, so the backing it a bit bigger than the block. Put your backing and blocks right sides together, 1/4 inch seams around 3 of the sides. I also like to do half an inch on the 4th (open) side at both edges- just so that when I turn it outside-in, the corners sit a bit nicer. Then cut your corners, being careful not to cut those stitches!
Step 7: Turn them out, I use a chopstick to poke out the corners nice and flat. Then get your trusty iron (sooo much ironing in chrafting) and give it a good press.
Step 7: 1/4 inch straight stitch (or zigzag- whatever tickles your fancy) around the edge.
Voilà! You are done, my friend. That's 4 coasters, all kinda matching, using up scrap.
I gave these to my pal. I make her a bit of chraft every year- so I'm glad my scraps are still stretching far enough to make such pressies with. These will look fab on the Christmas table, and can be thrown into the wash after!
Happy Chrafting y'all! x
