|
Minky Baby Block
When photos of Mary's soft
and oh-so-cute baby block were added to the Stitchers
Showcase, requests for a similar project came pouring
in. We were so inspired by Mary's work, we couldn't
resist showing how to make this sweet baby block! Our
version uses soft Minky fabric and ribbon tags to
provide babies with a sensory experience and hours of
fun -- use any fabric to fit your needs.
|
Project Needs & Notes:
-
Four 8" x 8" pieces of Minky fabric for sides
(this example uses two different colors)
- Two 8" x 8" pieces of print quilter's cotton
for top and bottom
- Medium-weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
- Lightweight water-soluble stabilizer for topping
- Temporary spray adhesive
- Air-erase pen for marking
- Fiberfill (such as Sily Soft by Poly-fil)
- Twelve 4 1/2" length of 1/2" wide ribbon
- Needle and thread for some hand sewing |
 |
|
This video
shares tips and tricks for
embroidering on Minky fabric. Steps for
making the baby block are below. |
 |
Begin by preparing the Minky
fabric for the sides.
Cut a piece of Minky fabric to
8" x 8".
Using an air-erase pen, draw a
5" x 5" square on the fabric.
Measure and mark the centers of each side.
Draw lines to connect the marks; where the
lines meet is the center of the square. |
|
 |
A template, or printout of a
design, is an excellent tool to help with
placement.
Print a template of the design from your
embroidery software.
If you do not have embroidery software,
Wilcom's TrueSizer is
a free program to use.
Place the template in the square so the
center of the template is lined up with the
center of the square. Check to ensure there
is at least 1/2" of space between the edges
of the design and the edges of the square. |
|
 |
|
Layer a piece of medium-weight (2.5 ounce)
cutaway stabilizer, Minky fabric, and
lightweight water-soluble stabilizer on top. |
|
 |
Hoop all three layers together.
Align the marks on the fabric with the marks
on the hoop.
Attach the hoop to the machine and load the
embroidery design. Move the hoop so the
needle is right over the center point, and
embroider the design.
A size 11 or 75/11 embroidery needle is an
excellent choice when embroidering on Minky
fabric. |
|
 |
After embroidering, tear the excess
water-soluble stabilizer away from the top.
Cut out the square. There is no need to cut
the stabilizer away from the back.
Repeat the above steps until you have a
total of four embroidered Minky squares. |
|
 |
Next, prepare the fabric for the
top and bottom pieces.
Spray two pieces of cutaway stabilizer with
temporary adhesive, then smooth the cotton
fabric on top.
Cut two 5" x 5" squares from the fabric and
stabilizer. |
|
 |
Cut
four pieces of 1/2" ribbon
to
4 1/4" long.
Create loops
by bringing the ends of the
ribbon pieces together.
Pin the loops in place in the
center of each side of one of
the cotton fabric pieces (this
will be the top piece).
The
raw ends should extend about 1/4" to the outside of the outer
edges of the fabric. |
|
 |
Cut 8 more pieces of ribbon
4 1/4" long.
Make and pin two loops to each of the
embroidered side pieces, at the
center of the bottom and right
edges only. |
|
 |
Tack
the loops to the fabric by
stitching a 1/8" seam at the
ends of each loop.
Arrange the
side pieces around the top piece
how you want them; position the
top edges of the side pieces
with the outer edges of the
top piece. |
|
 |
Align one of the side pieces
with the top piece, right sides
facing. Pin in place along
the outer edge.
Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge only.
Start and stop 1/4 inch from
each corner.
Double stitch
the seam by sewing along
the first seam. This strengthens
the seam and keeps the
stuffing securely inside the
block. |
|
 |
Align
the opposite side piece with the
top piece, right sides facing.
Pin in place along the outer
edge.
Double stitch along the
pinned edge only with a 1/4" seam, starting and stopping 1/4" from each corner. |
|
 |
Align one of the remaining two
side pieces with the top piece,
right sides facing.
Pin in
place.
Double stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge
starting and stopping 1/4" from each corner. |
|
 |
Align
the last side piece with the top
piece, right sides together.
Double stitch it in place just like the
other side pieces. |
|
 |
Align
the side edges of the side
pieces together with right sides
facing and pin in place.
Double
stitch a 1/4" seam along the
pinned edges only starting and
stopping 1/4" from each
corner. |
|
 |
To add the bottom piece, align
the remaining cotton fabric
piece with the bottom edges of
the side pieces, right sides
facing.
Pin in place. Sew a
1/4" seam along each edge,
leaving an opening between the
outer edge of one of the ribbons
and the nearest corner (sew over
the ribbon to hold it in place). |
|
 |
|
Turn the block right side out
and stuff it with the polyester
fiberfill until firm. |
|
 |
|
Turn the fabric of the opening
in 1/4" and hand sew the
opening closed with needle and
thread. Use a slip stitch, which
is also called a blind hem. This type of stitch hides along
the fold and tends to not
unravel through wear and
tear.
To do this, start the
thread in between one of the
folds at one end. Then, sew
through the top of the fold, making about a 1/8" stitch. |
|
 |
Just above the fold stitch, use
the needle to catch a couple of
threads of the fabric on the
opposite side.
Repeat this
process across the opening and
back again to reinforce the
seam. Tie off the thread. |
|
 |
|
The adorable baby blocks are a
fabulous gift for the little
loves in your life. Ribbons,
cuddly Minky fabric, and bright
embroidery provide hours of
entertainment! |
|
 |
Here's a look at the adorable
baby block that Mary created.
The embroidered
Plush Animal designs sweetly
embellishes the block, and ribbon
tags give little ones something
to hold onto.
Click here to view her
fantastic work in the Stitchers
Showcase |
|
 |
|
Dee whipped up these baseball
blocks for her grandson whose daddy is a
longtime Angels fan. She added a jingle bell
inside, and used the
Baseball and
Baseball Bear designs. |
|
 |
|
Jackie gave her baby blocks an
even cushier feel with sherpa fabric and
fuzzy fleece. You can find the designs she
used
here. |
|
 |
|
Gail fell in love with Mary's
baby block, and made version for her church
friends with their birth facts (date, time,
weight, and length) on either side. She used
the
Plush Animals and
Curlz Alphabet designs for her block. |
|
Minky Baby Block
When photos of Mary's soft
and oh-so-cute baby block were added to the Stitchers
Showcase, requests for a similar project came pouring
in. We were so inspired by Mary's work, we couldn't
resist showing how to make this sweet baby block! Our
version uses soft Minky fabric and ribbon tags to
provide babies with a sensory experience and hours of
fun -- use any fabric to fit your needs.
|
Project Needs & Notes:
-
Four 8" x 8" pieces of Minky fabric for sides
(this example uses two different colors)
- Two 8" x 8" pieces of print quilter's cotton
for top and bottom
- Medium-weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
- Lightweight water-soluble stabilizer for topping
- Temporary spray adhesive
- Air-erase pen for marking
- Fiberfill (such as Sily Soft by Poly-fil)
- Twelve 4 1/2" length of 1/2" wide ribbon
- Needle and thread for some hand sewing |
|
|
This video
shares tips and tricks for
embroidering on Minky fabric. Steps for
making the baby block are below. |
|
|
Begin by preparing the Minky
fabric for the sides.
Cut a piece of Minky fabric to
8" x 8".
Using an air-erase pen, draw a
5" x 5" square on the fabric.
Measure and mark the centers of each side.
Draw lines to connect the marks; where the
lines meet is the center of the square. |
|
|
|
A template, or printout of a
design, is an excellent tool to help with
placement.
Print a template of the design from your
embroidery software.
If you do not have embroidery software,
Wilcom's TrueSizer is
a free program to use.
Place the template in the square so the
center of the template is lined up with the
center of the square. Check to ensure there
is at least 1/2" of space between the edges
of the design and the edges of the square. |
|
|
|
|
Layer a piece of medium-weight (2.5 ounce)
cutaway stabilizer, Minky fabric, and
lightweight water-soluble stabilizer on top. |
|
|
|
Hoop all three layers together.
Align the marks on the fabric with the marks
on the hoop.
Attach the hoop to the machine and load the
embroidery design. Move the hoop so the
needle is right over the center point, and
embroider the design.
A size 11 or 75/11 embroidery needle is an
excellent choice when embroidering on Minky
fabric. |
|
|
|
After embroidering, tear the excess
water-soluble stabilizer away from the top.
Cut out the square. There is no need to cut
the stabilizer away from the back.
Repeat the above steps until you have a
total of four embroidered Minky squares. |
|
|
|
Next, prepare the fabric for the
top and bottom pieces.
Spray two pieces of cutaway stabilizer with
temporary adhesive, then smooth the cotton
fabric on top.
Cut two 5" x 5" squares from the fabric and
stabilizer. |
|
|
|
Cut
four pieces of 1/2" ribbon
to
4 1/4" long.
Create loops
by bringing the ends of the
ribbon pieces together.
Pin the loops in place in the
center of each side of one of
the cotton fabric pieces (this
will be the top piece).
The
raw ends should extend about 1/4" to the outside of the outer
edges of the fabric. |
|
|
|
Cut 8 more pieces of ribbon
4 1/4" long.
Make and pin two loops to each of the
embroidered side pieces, at the
center of the bottom and right
edges only. |
|
|
|
Tack
the loops to the fabric by
stitching a 1/8" seam at the
ends of each loop.
Arrange the
side pieces around the top piece
how you want them; position the
top edges of the side pieces
with the outer edges of the
top piece. |
|
|
|
Align one of the side pieces
with the top piece, right sides
facing. Pin in place along
the outer edge.
Sew a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge only.
Start and stop 1/4 inch from
each corner.
Double stitch
the seam by sewing along
the first seam. This strengthens
the seam and keeps the
stuffing securely inside the
block. |
|
|
|
Align
the opposite side piece with the
top piece, right sides facing.
Pin in place along the outer
edge.
Double stitch along the
pinned edge only with a 1/4" seam, starting and stopping 1/4" from each corner. |
|
|
|
Align one of the remaining two
side pieces with the top piece,
right sides facing.
Pin in
place.
Double stitch a 1/4" seam along the pinned edge
starting and stopping 1/4" from each corner. |
|
|
|
Align
the last side piece with the top
piece, right sides together.
Double stitch it in place just like the
other side pieces. |
|
|
|
Align
the side edges of the side
pieces together with right sides
facing and pin in place.
Double
stitch a 1/4" seam along the
pinned edges only starting and
stopping 1/4" from each
corner. |
|
|
|
To add the bottom piece, align
the remaining cotton fabric
piece with the bottom edges of
the side pieces, right sides
facing.
Pin in place. Sew a
1/4" seam along each edge,
leaving an opening between the
outer edge of one of the ribbons
and the nearest corner (sew over
the ribbon to hold it in place). |
|
|
|
|
Turn the block right side out
and stuff it with the polyester
fiberfill until firm. |
|
|
|
|
Turn the fabric of the opening
in 1/4" and hand sew the
opening closed with needle and
thread. Use a slip stitch, which
is also called a blind hem. This type of stitch hides along
the fold and tends to not
unravel through wear and
tear.
To do this, start the
thread in between one of the
folds at one end. Then, sew
through the top of the fold, making about a 1/8" stitch. |
|
|
|
Just above the fold stitch, use
the needle to catch a couple of
threads of the fabric on the
opposite side.
Repeat this
process across the opening and
back again to reinforce the
seam. Tie off the thread. |
|
|
|
|
The adorable baby blocks are a
fabulous gift for the little
loves in your life. Ribbons,
cuddly Minky fabric, and bright
embroidery provide hours of
entertainment! |
|
|
|
Here's a look at the adorable
baby block that Mary created.
The embroidered
Plush Animal designs sweetly
embellishes the block, and ribbon
tags give little ones something
to hold onto.
Click here to view her
fantastic work in the Stitchers
Showcase |
|
|
|
|
Dee whipped up these baseball
blocks for her grandson whose daddy is a
longtime Angels fan. She added a jingle bell
inside, and used the
Baseball and
Baseball Bear designs. |
|
|
|
|
Jackie gave her baby blocks an
even cushier feel with sherpa fabric and
fuzzy fleece. You can find the designs she
used
here. |
|
|
|
|
Gail fell in love with Mary's
baby block, and made version for her church
friends with their birth facts (date, time,
weight, and length) on either side. She used
the
Plush Animals and
Curlz Alphabet designs for her block. |
|
Copyright (C) Embroidery Library Inc 2016. All rights reserved.
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Size: 4.87 x 6.80 (123.7 x 172.7 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $19.97
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|
Size: 3.87 x 3.87 (98.3 x 98.3 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $19.97
|
Size: 2.53 x 2.53 (64.3 x 64.3 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $19.97
|
|
Size: 5.85 x 6.88 (148.6 x 174.8 mm)
Designs in Pack: 18
Price: $34.97
|
Size: 3.76 x 3.92 (95.5 x 99.6 mm)
Designs in Pack: 18
Price: $34.97
|
|
Size: 5.95 x 5.96 (151.1 x 151.4 mm)
Designs in Pack: 36
Price: $19.97
|
Size: 4.96 x 4.97 (126.0 x 126.2 mm)
Designs in Pack: 36
Price: $19.97
|
|
Size: 3.91 x 3.92 (99.3 x 99.6 mm)
Designs in Pack: 36
Price: $19.97
|
Size: 4.92 x 5.05 (125.0 x 128.3 mm)
Designs in Pack: 26
Price: $19.97
|
|
Size: 3.78 x 3.89 (96.0 x 98.8 mm)
Designs in Pack: 26
Price: $19.97
|
Size: 3.30 x 3.39 (83.8 x 86.1 mm)
Designs in Pack: 26
Price: $19.97
|
|
Size: 4.83 x 5.56 (122.7 x 141.2 mm)
Stitch count: 28197
Price: $5.99
|
Size: 3.34 x 3.86 (84.8 x 98.2 mm)
Stitch count: 16195
Price: $4.99
|
|
Size: 1.28 x 1.28 (32.5 x 32.5 mm)
Stitch count: 2863
Price: $1.99
|
Size: 2.54 x 2.54 (64.5 x 64.5 mm)
Stitch count: 8538
Price: $2.99
|
|
Size: 3.83 x 3.88 (97.3 x 98.6 mm)
Designs in Pack: 6
Price: $8.97
|
Size: 4.85 x 6.85 (123.2 x 174.0 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $17.97
|
|
Size: 3.79 x 3.91 (96.3 x 99.3 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $17.97
|
Size: 4.86 x 6.87 (123.4 x 174.5 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $17.97
|
|
Size: 3.79 x 3.86 (96.3 x 98.0 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $17.97
|
Size: 4.88 x 6.85 (124.0 x 174.0 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $17.97
|
|
Size: 3.94 x 3.94 (100.1 x 100.1 mm)
Designs in Pack: 12
Price: $17.97
|
Size: 3.04 x 3.84 (77.2 x 97.5 mm)
Designs in Pack: 70
Price: $19.97
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|
Size: 2.03 x 2.57 (51.6 x 65.3 mm)
Designs in Pack: 70
Price: $19.97
|
Size: 1.54 x 1.92 (39.1 x 48.8 mm)
Designs in Pack: 70
Price: $19.97
|
|
Size: 1.03 x 1.29 (26.2 x 32.8 mm)
Designs in Pack: 70
Price: $19.97
|
Size: 0.78 x 0.97 (19.8 x 24.6 mm)
Designs in Pack: 70
Price: $19.97
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