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Materials Needed:
Scissors
Tracing Paper
Piece of muslin or plain cotton fabric approximately 10" x 10"
Assorted Fabrics -5 or more different fabric pieces about 6" x 6" (can be cotton, velvet, satin or brocade)
Sewing Needle ­ one for sewing thread and one with an eye big enough to accommodate 1 ply of Watercolours thread
Straight Pins ­ about 8 -10
Sewing Thread
Watercolours ­ 6 or more different shades of your choice. You will need about 1 yd of each color using one ply (1 strand of thread).
Satin Ribbon ­ 1" wide (any color you like)

The wonderful thing about crazy patchwork is that there are no rules and no mistakes! It doesn't matter what the back of your block looks like and it's ok if your stitches aren't all the same size or going in the same direction. So you can really let your imagination take over!

The crazy patchwork pocket shown is made for a pocket on a pair of jeans but you can substitute a pocket on any kind of jacket, shirt or pants instead. We will be constructing a crazy quilt block, shaped like a pocket, on which to embroider.

1. Place a piece of tracing paper over the pocket you wish to make into a patchwork pocket. Using a soft pencil, trace the outline of the pocket along the edge.

2. Cut the tracing paper into the shape of the pocket you have traced.

3. Place your tracing over the piece of muslin or cotton and secure with straight pins.

4. Cut your fabric about 1 1/2" inches larger than the outside of your traced pocket shape all around. Remove the pins.

One method commonly used to construct a crazy patch block is known as sew & flip. Begin by placing a fabric scrap somewhere on your muslin, right side up. Cut a piece of another fabric and place wrong side down over the first fabric, lining up one edge. The fabric pieces do not have to be the same size or shape. They just have to have one common edge. Sew along this one edge, about a 1/4"in, through both fabric layers and the muslin. Now flip the top fabric over to its' right side. Cut a third piece of fabric with one edge long enough to cover the first two pieces, lay it right side down, sew, and flip. Continue until you have covered the whole muslin.

5. When all the pieces of fabric have been secured over the muslin, flatten all the edges of the fabric along the outside edges. Stitch a simple running stitch about 3/4 to 1 inch inside the edge, through both layers of fabric all around the pocket shape.

6. Thread your needle with 1 ply (1 strand) of Watercolours thread. Using the straight stitch diagram, make a border of straight stitches along one side of a seam, joining 2 of the patches.

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We used a grouping of 3 stitches in a "V" shape for this. 2 stitches make up the "V" shape and then we added a 3rd stitch in the middle of the first 2 stitches. This stitch can be slightly longer than the other two stitches forming the "V." Repeat with the same thread or with a different color thread, on the other side of the seam.

7. With a new shade of Watercolours, using the buttonhole stitch diagram, make a series of buttonhole stitches along one of the other seams in your patchwork. We alternated long and short stitches for this, but you can make the stitches all the same size or all different sizes. Remember, there are no rules, so let loose and have fun!

8. With a different Watercolours thread, make a series of closed buttonhole stitches along another seam, using the closed buttonhole stitch diagram as a guide.

9. With another color thread, make a series of cross-stitches over the seam joining another 2 patches. Refer to the cross-stitch diagram. Isn't this fun? And look how much more interesting and colorful your patchwork becomes as you add different colored threads and a variety of different stitches.

Stay Tuned for Part II, where you'll learn even more new stitches to use that will add even more pizzazz to your Crazy Patchwork Pocket, as it takes shape!

Kids Stitch Diagrams and Instructions

Straight Stitch - This is a single stitch, which can be worked in a regular or an irregular manner. The stitches should not be too long or too loose.

Cross Stitch ­ Bring the needle through on the lower right line of the cross and insert at the top of the same line, taking a stitch through the fabric to the lower left line (A). Continue to the end of the row in this way; on the return journey, complete the other half of the cross (B). The top strands of all the stitches should all point in one direction.

Buttonhole Stitch ­ Bring the thread out on the lower line, insert the needle in position on the upper line, taking a straight downward stitch with the thread under the point of the needle. Pull the thread up to form a loop and then repeat.

Closed Buttonhole Stitch ­ The stitches are made in pairs forming triangles. Bring the thread through at (A), insert the needle at (B) and with the thread under the needle, bring it through at (C). Insert the needle again at (B) and bring it through at (D).

 

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