two ways to fold it
11
Is your fabric stash a bit rough around the edges? So frayed that your afraid to use it? Maybe it's how you fold it!?
...ok, that pun was absolutely awful and the intro sounds like a bad late-night infomercial. If there were an award for terrible writing on a blog, I'm sure I would have just won. Forgive me, I think I'm tired. I order lots of fabric online and I get lots of fabric in the mail. It rarely comes folded the same way twice.
One thing I noticed is that if the raw edges are exposed, it frays quickly. So I thought I'd share two of my favourite ways for folding fatquarters. The first which I call 'the basic tuck' is good for general storage. The second which I call 'the ballarat parcel' is a great presentation for gift fabric, lucky dips and swaps.
The Basic Tuck
Begin by laying your fat quarter right side down. Then fold over the long edges so they meet in the middle.
Repeat with the other sides.
Fold in half.
Fold in half again in the other direction.
The result is ~5 1/4" x 5 3/4" pocket of goodness with no cut edges exposed. These fit great in plastic CD/DVD bins for storage.
The Ballarat Parcel
I've named these the Ballarat Parcel because Emma from Ballarat Patchwork sends them this way. I may not have got them exactly as she does, but I think it's close! They are a joy to receive because they are folded so nice into a perfect parcel. This is great fold for a swap or gift.
Fold in half so the long cut edges are both at the bottom.
Fold in half the other direction so the cut and selvage edge are both at the left. At this stage the left and bottom sides will have cut fabric exposed. The top and right sides are folded edges.
Now mentally divide your fabric in thirds. Fold the left section over the center.
Now fold the right section over.
Using the same 1/3 process, fold down the top of the fabric.
Fold the bottom section upwards, tucking the raw bottom edge under the first layer of the top fabric.
You will get a cute little parcel worthy of the yum-cha table. Mostly likely folded slightly straighter than mine. That's always the way with photos!
This little gem is roughly 4"x4" and super cute.
What fat quarter tricks do you have up your sleeve?
Edit: Two minutes after posting this, I went to google reader and found this video gem from Kootoyoo! She makes a perfect square pouch with her fat quarters. Do check it out!
...ok, that pun was absolutely awful and the intro sounds like a bad late-night infomercial. If there were an award for terrible writing on a blog, I'm sure I would have just won. Forgive me, I think I'm tired. I order lots of fabric online and I get lots of fabric in the mail. It rarely comes folded the same way twice.
One thing I noticed is that if the raw edges are exposed, it frays quickly. So I thought I'd share two of my favourite ways for folding fatquarters. The first which I call 'the basic tuck' is good for general storage. The second which I call 'the ballarat parcel' is a great presentation for gift fabric, lucky dips and swaps.
The Basic Tuck
Begin by laying your fat quarter right side down. Then fold over the long edges so they meet in the middle.
Repeat with the other sides.
Fold in half.
Fold in half again in the other direction.
The result is ~5 1/4" x 5 3/4" pocket of goodness with no cut edges exposed. These fit great in plastic CD/DVD bins for storage.
The Ballarat Parcel
I've named these the Ballarat Parcel because Emma from Ballarat Patchwork sends them this way. I may not have got them exactly as she does, but I think it's close! They are a joy to receive because they are folded so nice into a perfect parcel. This is great fold for a swap or gift.
Fold in half so the long cut edges are both at the bottom.
Fold in half the other direction so the cut and selvage edge are both at the left. At this stage the left and bottom sides will have cut fabric exposed. The top and right sides are folded edges.
Now mentally divide your fabric in thirds. Fold the left section over the center.
Now fold the right section over.
Using the same 1/3 process, fold down the top of the fabric.
Fold the bottom section upwards, tucking the raw bottom edge under the first layer of the top fabric.
You will get a cute little parcel worthy of the yum-cha table. Mostly likely folded slightly straighter than mine. That's always the way with photos!
This little gem is roughly 4"x4" and super cute.
What fat quarter tricks do you have up your sleeve?
Edit: Two minutes after posting this, I went to google reader and found this video gem from Kootoyoo! She makes a perfect square pouch with her fat quarters. Do check it out!
Great minds ... it's all about that beginning of the year organising I reckon.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure that your "ballarat parcel" was what I remember from Patchwork House. Weird...mine's completely different.
Yikes - this is making me feel unorganized! I need to go and sort out the stash disaster!
ReplyDeleteWOW..i've just come from kootoyoo's blog where i saw your comment which urged me to check your folding technique out too..i must say i'm MEGA impressed with both your techniques!! thanks a bunch for sharing :)
ReplyDeleteYup! Great minds definitely do think alike... I really need to work on the way I store my stash.
ReplyDeleteYou girls are putting me to shame!
What? You fold it? You don't stuff it all in a drawer so you can play lucky dip when you need something?
ReplyDeleteAwesome! Just did a bit of googling to find this (via kootoyoo's blog) and it's the best tute I've found so far. I love that the end result is all nicely packaged up and can't come unfolded!
ReplyDeleteNow off to make a gazillion of them for the show. Thanks for the help ;)
Guess nobody ever folded notes in high school??
ReplyDeleteLove your blog and creations! Do you sell patterns for the animals?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the folding techniques.
ReplyDeleteGolly! I must have the messiest stash.
ReplyDeleteNext day off, you can find me holed up in my room folding all my fabric!
But as is always the way, I will find something I forgot I had and will stop my organisation just to make something pretty.
Nice little spam comment above this one Amy...
ReplyDeleteI'll be able to waste more time folding my fabrics now!