Contents
- Welcome to the Patchwork Mending Booklet Tutorial
- Creating the Mending Booklet Overview
- Included in the Mending Booklet Kit
- Preparing for your Mending Booklet Project
- Step by Step Instructions for Creating the Mending Booklet
- Wrapping up your Mending Booklet
Welcome to the Patchwork Mending Booklet Tutorial
Hello and welcome! If you've purchased the Patchwork Mending Booklet Kit then you're in the right place for all your instructions. If you haven't purchased the kit, feel free to enjoy the tutorial or go get your own kit HERE!
In this tutorial we will go over everything you need to know to create your own beautiful mending booklet that will hold all of your tools and supplies for a new mending habit that will be a beautiful creative expression in your life.
Creating the Mending Booklet Overview
- Supplies in the mending booklet kit + any extras you might need for your project
- Preparing for your mending booklet project
- Step by step instructions
- Finishing your mending kit
If you haven't already, check out the Patchwork Mending Booklet playlist over on YouTube crafted especially for you and this kit. There is a welcome video from the team, video tutorials and lots of other helpful videos to continue your patchwork skills.
Ready to dive in? Let's go!
Included in the Mending Booklet Kit and supplies you'll need
In your Mending Booklet kit you have:
- A small bundle of gorgeous patterned fabric cut into squares - this is recycled fabric from a brand we love - Ace + Jig!
- A piece of natural colored heavy weight linen fabric
- Embroidery thread in three colors
- Gingham Ribbon
- A pack of Embroidery Needles
- Small scissor snips
- Yellow head pins
- All packed in a reusable zipper pouch
You may also need to gather these from around your home:
- Regular sized scissors for cutting your fabrics
- An iron
- A ruler
- A sewing machine (totally optional as all the sewing can also be done by hand!)
Preparing for your Mending Booklet Project
Now that you have all your supplies gathered, clear a space where you will have ample working room and set the mood. Put on some music, make yourself a cup of tea. Enter into your project as if you're entering into a ritual -- because you are! You are activating your creativity which is a beautiful practice of love for yourself and the world around you. Take a few deep breaths and allow yourself to get excited! You're about to make something wonderful that will feed a new habit of mending and sustainability and a skill that is priceless. And try to put any thoughts of "I have no idea what I'm doing" or "I'll be terrible at this" aside. It's just not true! You're here to learn and grow -- let's focus on that!
Step by Step Instructions for Creating the Mending Booklet
Now that we're all set up, let's begin. The first thing is to choose which of the patterned fabrics you will use for your booklet. You'll use 4 in total. These are specialty fabrics and some of them are more delicate. I would suggest choosing at least 2 squares of fabric that seem heavier weight / more durable.
- Line up your 4 chosen fabric squares in a row, organizing them in a way that is pleasing to you. Make sure all fabrics are "right side up" and the heavier weight/more durable fabrics are the two in the middle.
- Next, we will flip square 2 up on top of square 1 with "right sides together" and do the same for square 3 and 4. Now you have 2 stacks of 2. Line up the edges that will be sewn together and place a few pins in to hold it there. You'll only be sewing 1 edge of each stack.
- Load your embroidery needle with thread and knot the end. Sew a straight stitch across each of the edges or you can use a sewing machine if you have one. Sew at about a 3/8" seam allowance which means approximately 3/8" from the edge.
- If you need to, trim up the squares so they are even all the way around. Now open your sets of two and iron your seam allowance to one side so they lay flat.
- With both of your pieces open, lay them on top of each other "right sides together" lining up the edge that will be sewn together and placing a few pins in to hold it there. Now hand sew (or machine stitch) this seam with the same 3/8" seam allowance. Open it up, iron the seam allowance and you should have your four squares sewn together in a row.
- Next, find your natural linen fabric and iron it if needed. Lay your patterned fabric row on top and cut out the linen to match in size. You may want to pin them together before you cut for accuracy.
- Flip your linen over on top of the patterned row with "right sides together". The linen doesn't really have a right side, just make sure that the right (top) side of your other piece is on the inside.
- Pin all along the outside edge - making sure you plan to leave about 2 - 2.5" inches open on one edge. Sew all along the edge with a 3/8" seam allowance. Remember to leave that opening!
- Now trim your corners at an angle to make for sharp corners when we turn this right side out. Make sure not to snip your seam!
- Using the opening you left, carefully turn the whole thing right side out. You'll have to finesse this a little. Be patient. Stick your finger or the eraser side of a pencil into all the corners to get them nice and square. Now you have your pieces sewn together! If you'd like to, you can iron the whole thing to flatten out your seams. This makes the next step much easier.
- Now we will sew up the 2" we left open. Tuck the seam allowance in and use a few pins to hold it in place. We will sew it closed with a top stitch that will continue around the whole edge. Choose a thread color you'd like to be seen!
- Use a simple running stitch to first close up the 2" opening and then continue around the edge until you end up back where you started. Make sure to end your stitch on the linen side and tie off your knot there.
- Next we begin to give your booklet shape. Using your small scissors as a guide, place them on the linen side of your rectangle. Fold up from the bottom to create what will be the pocket to hold your scissors. You'll want to make sure the scissors fit fully inside the pocket. Pin this in place.
- Now fold down the top flap, leaving about 1" space for the booklet fold. Pin this in place. Fold the booklet over, making sure the spacing is correct. Adjust if needed.
- Using the same running stitch and the same thread color, stitch the flaps closed. You will need to do a line of stitches on either side of each flap. Be mindful of how your stitching is coming through and lining up on the front side of the booklet.
- Now we will sew on the ribbon that will act as your closure. With your booklet open, decide where the ribbon will be attached. I chose to attach mine on the top flap (not the scissor flap). Fold over your ribbon edge a few times to create a clean edge and use a simple X stitch to sew it in place.
- Trim up any loose threads, add your scissors and needles and you're finished! Admire how lovely it is and be proud of yourself for making something with your own two hands!
Wrapping up your Mending Booklet
HOORAY! You now have leftover squares of gorgeous fabrics that you can use to patch and mend clothing, blankets, pillow covers, towels, bags -- anything! Use the informational tutorials in the YouTube playlist to learn more about the art of mending. It's simple and easy -- especially now that you have everything you need in your own mending booklet!
Thanks for following along and growing with us. To continue on your mending journey and learn even more skills, check out the other mending kits and projects. And if you haven't purchased the mending booklet kit, you can do that HERE.
See you soon!
xx
The Grow Creative Team