I am currently stitching the Carolyn Pearce Strawberry Fayre heart etui as a stitchalong project. This week, I am covering how to assemble the heart shaped pockets on the inside panels of the etui. See the end of this post for all the information you’ll need to join in!
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Here are all the pockets and smalls pieces that I’ve embroidered so far, when they were cut out and ready to be assembled, with the muslin backing already trimmed back to the tacked line on all embroidered pieces:
And here’s an image of them with all their respective wadding a acetate lining pieces:
For making the pockets (both heart shaped and rectangular ones), they all need to have iron-on Vilene ironed to both the reverse of the embroidered pieces, and the lining pieces, to stiffen them slightly.
There are two heart shaped pockets – one for scissors, and one for a bodkin.
As these are both sharp tools, the tips of the pockets are lined with Ultrasuede, to protect the fabric a bit more, so they have triangles of Ultrasuede oversewn to the shorter lining pieces, to make them the same shape as the fronts, but made up of two fabrics. The inside of the pockets on the heart shaped panel itself will have another Ultrasuede piece sewn on later as a lining.
Reinforce the V at the top of each heart front and back as you did for the front and back main panels, with sewing thread. Then trim the seam allowance to 3/8 of an inch (not 1/4, as the instructions suggested, as that’s too difficult!), and turn to the back and tack in place. Clip the curves first, to make turning neater round the top edges. Mitre the tips with a couple of stitches to keep them sharp points.
Take one front and one lining heart shape, and over sew them together (wrong sides facing) using strong sewing cotton, in a shade that matches the fabric. Now remove all tacking stitches.
With Perle 8 green, work Knotted Pearl Stitch with the green hex beads in between for four centimetres out from each side of the V (mark with a pin first, and start at one side). The instructions said to ‘leave the thread hanging’ when you’ve completed the 8 centimetres, so that you’ve got some thread ready to attach the pocket later, without having to start a new length, but they don’t say how much to leave – I started the Knotted Pearl Stitch with beads with five feet of Perle 8, and it was enough to attach the pocket as well.
It’s coming on….I’m pleased with these. They look a lot neater now that they’ve had their tops beaded. Now to do the rectangular pockets!
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~~~INFORMATION~~~
The Strawberry Fayre design, plus the complete list of materials, appears in Inspirations magazine number 95. The publishers do sell a full materials pack (not including the mother of pearl ruler though!), but it’s rather expensive, so if you can use your stash, and just fill in with bits and pieces, then so much the better! The magazine is published in Australia – if you live in the UK, as I do, it is cheaper to buy a back copy from Manor House Magazines, and save a lot on the shipping.
EDIT: The materials pack from Inspirations, and the magazine from Manor House in the UK are not available any more as at March 2018 – I don’t know if any more stocks will be available now, unfortunately. The publishers may bring out a digital pattern pack later, which they sometimes do with popular projects from their magazines, but we’ll have to wait and see…..
To read about this project stitchalong from the beginning, start here. The post about which FABRIC to use is here. The post about the THREAD SUBSTITUTIONS that I made, plus WHERE TO BUY the threads and beads, etc., is here.
To look up all the posts in this series in the sidebar, see under the CATEGORIES list, under: Embroidery / Full size (others’ designs) / Strawberry Fayre heart etui, or use the SEARCH BOX at the top of the blog, and search for ‘Strawberry Fayre’ to get a list of all the posts (but it’s in reverse order, sorry!).
I’d be interested to see images of how your project is progressing – please email large, clear, well-focused images to mail@janetgranger.co.uk Please bear in mind that any images sent may be used in this blog and/or social media such as Facebook or Pinterest.
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Are you interested in doll’s houses and stitching? Then why not visit my website, where you can buy doll’s house needlepoint kits to make all kinds of soft furnishings for one-twelfth scale dollhouses. There are over 280 kits to choose from, plus chart packs, fabric project packs, tutorials, and lots of eye candy to inspire you! Kits are available on 18 and 22 count canvas, 28 and 32 count evenweave, and 32 and 40 count silk gauze, so there’s something for everyone – from beginners to experts.
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Janet Granger's Blog 
I’m waiting to see how you sew the pockets to the hearts. I never did get that stitch figured out and ended up using a chain stitch to attach the pockets.
Yes, I’m waiting to see how the instructions work out for the attaching of the pockets. Some parts of the instructions are more successful than others, with this project from Inspirations. I think I’ll be doing it the way they suggest, but I’ll have to see.
The beaded knotted stitch is pure genius, don’t you think? And it is something positive I am taking away from stitching this kit ;).
Yes, I love it. It’s one of Carolyn’s signature stitches – she uses it a lot in the construction of her ‘smalls’. It’s really versatile, but also very pretty.