Friday 2 December 2011

Somerset Star Christmas Card Tutorial





These beautiful greetings cards make wonderful gifts and are an ideal way to display your patchwork! It looks complicated but it's actually easier than it looks. There is not much skill needed to make this. This is a traditional patchwork design called Somerset Star in the UK. It's made by using small pieces of fabric folded to make triangles. Here is the instruction of making the Somerset Star Christmas card.


Materials:
  • a piece of white or cream backing fabric , 7" x 7"
  • a 6" embroidery hoop
  • white fabric cut 12 pieces , 1.5" x 2.5"
  • blue fabrics cut 16 pieces, 1.5" x 2.5"
  • white thread
  • needle
  • a circle aperture card- circle 96mm Dia

Step 1

Turn under the top edge of each rectangle by 1/4"


Step 2

Fold the top corners to the middle to form a triangle.



Step 3

Create 12 white triangles and 16 blue triangles.
Tips: Use 2 different colours of fabrics to show the contrast.



Step4
Divide the fabric into four and draw a line from left to right and from top to bottom.



Step 5
Using an embroidery hoop to hold the fabric taut so that it doesn't pucker.


Step 6

Position four triangles.


Step 7

Sticth the triangles at the centre.


Step 8

Stitch the triangles according to the order of numbers. Number 4 will be go back to the center on another piece of triangle.


Step 9

Stitch all the four triangles.


Step 10

Take your second set of blue triangles. Build up the next round of four triangles, placing them 1/4" below the first.




Step 11

Build up another four of blue triangles overlapping the first.



Step 12

Take your third set. Repeat the same step as Step 10 for another round of triangles.



Step 13

Repeat the same step as Step 11 for another round of triangles.


Step 14

Continue to work in rounds, spacing the triangles over the previous round and in between until the design is complete.
.


Step 15

Complete the final round.


Step 16

Remove the star from the hoop and iron it on the ironing board.


Step 17

Trim off the extra bit and now you can create your card!


Step 18

Ta da! Here is your Somerset Star Christmas Card!


You can even play around with it by using different materials

or
in different pattern!

For more designs please visit here!

I was featured on Sew Happy Geek !

14 comments:

  1. Wow, what a great tutorial. I really want to try doing this. Thanks for the creativity!

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  2. Beautiful work Janet! We call this the Folded Star method. Many years ago my friend and I made table hot pads using this same method - we were living in Papua New Guinea and the house-girl loved doing all of the ironing of the little pieces of fabric! I recently taught this project to my own craft group but sadly I had to do all of the ironing myself:-(
    Your tutorial is great! I especially like the version with the ric rac around the circle - beautiful!

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  3. What a lovely tutorial Janet! It's making me want to make some right now! I'll be sharing this on Twitter and fb!

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  4. Wow, this is stunning - I came over from SewHappyGeek's facebook page. It is amazing!

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  5. dear janet
    thank you so much for visiting my blog and for your kind words.
    Congrats on all your crafts!!!
    hugs
    federica

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  6. Fantastic tutorial, thanks very much. I will try this method for my next year's cards (I probably have to start in the summer to make sure they are ready by Christmas ;)...

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  7. These are absolutely gorgeous! This is something to start now for Christmas this year!

    Thank you for a very well written tutorial!

    Blessings for a wonderful weekend!
    Donna

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  8. Just found your blog through a link....love the cards and the tutorial is great!! TFS

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  9. HERMOSO,,,,UN ABRAZO

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  10. What a wonderful tutorial - thanks so much! I have just made some cards and really enjoyed making them. I put a link to your tutorial in my quilting blog - just letting you know :)

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  11. I'm doing a card swap this year and I am so making this! Beautiful tutorial, I found it on Pinterest! Thank you for taking and making it look so easy.

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  12. Preciosas las tarjetas y muchas gracias por el tutotial está estupendo, saludos.

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  13. Just beautiful I have always wanted to make one of these so after seeing yours now I'm ready to make my own............thanks for sharing with us all

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  14. Is the back of the star covered with the card or exposed?? Where do you purchase the cards from ?? Thankyou

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