To Mum with LoveTo Mum with LoveTo Mum with LoveTo Mum with Love

An original design by Vikki Collumbine of Sew Useful Designs © 2010

To Mum with Love

A decorative fabric envelope designed by Vikki Collumbine

of Sew Useful Designs © 2010

Materials

• One fat eighth beige tone-on-tone or tea-stained fabric (outer envelope)

• One fat eighth beige/cream pattern print (lining) • 2in (5cm) square of green tone-on-tone cotton fabric (postage

stamp centre)

• 2in (5cm) square of burgundy tone-on-tone cotton fabric (postage stamp outer)

• One cream vintage button approx 1in (25mm) in diameter (front of envelope)

• Two burgundy vintage buttons approx 1in (25mm) in diameter (back of envelope)

• 6in (15cm) length of cream cotton or tea-stained (5mm-wide) ric-rac

• One skein each of DMC stranded embroidery thread in Red Fruit (816); Green Artichoke (3011) and Antique Silver (3033)

• 2in (5cm) square of double-sided fusible web such as Vliesofix • One fat eighth lightweight fusible wadding such as Parlan

• Two A4 sheets of lightweight cardboard • Cream cotton thread for use in your sewing machine

• Embroidery needle and scissors

• Pinking shears • 2B pencil

• Glue stick • Rotary cutter and self-healing mat

• Sewing machine and general sewing supplies • Iron and ironing board/mat

• Lightbox (optional)

Finished measurement 7½ x 3¾ inches (19cm x 95mm)

Stitches used

Backstitch, seed stitch, running stitch and cross-stitch.

Before starting

Requirements are based on fabric 44in (112cm) wide. A ¼in seam allowance is included unless otherwise stated. Please read all

instructions before beginning this project.

Cutting

1. From the beige tone-on-tone print cut one 11x8¼in rectangle. 2. From the beige/cream print cut one 11x8¼in rectangle.

3. From the fusible wadding cut one 11x8¼in rectangle.

Preparation 4. Take the A4 “main envelope” pattern sheet and adhere it to

one A4 sheet of lightweight cardboard with the glue stick. **Please note that the width of the main envelope template

should measure the same as the width of the A4 cardboard it has been glued on to - both should measure 8¼in (21cm)**.

Cut out the envelope template along the top shaped edge, on the lines. Then glue the postage stamp and small heart paper

templates on to the second A4 sheet of cardboard, and cut out each shape on the lines.

5. Position the main envelope template beneath the beige tone-on-tone rectangle of fabric; aligning the bottom edge of the

paper template with the one small end of the fabric rectangle.

6. Using a lightbox or well-lit window and the 2B pencil, trace the design from the envelope template on to the right side of

the beige tone-on-tone rectangle. Transfer all markings including the dotted lines, lettering, opening, and button

placements. 7. Place the fusible wadding (Parlan) rectangle adhesive-side-

down on to the wrong side of the beige tone-on-tone rectangle, and iron in place following manufacturers’

guidelines. 8. From the double-sided fusible webbing (Vliesofix) cut two 2in

squares. 9. Fuse one 2in square of Vliesofix to the wrong side of the

green fabric square. Place the ‘inner postage stamp’ template on to the fusible webbing and draw around it with the pencil.

Cut out on traced lines and set aside.

10. Repeat step 9 with the other 2in square of Vliesofix and the burgundy fabric rectangle, only this time trace around the

‘outside postage stamp’ template and use the pinking shears to cut out on traced lines.

11. Trace around the small heart shape template on to the remaining fused burgundy fabric and cut out on traced lines.

Set aside. 12. Cut the cotton ric-rac in to three 1½in lengths and set

aside.

Assembly 13. Using two strands of Red Fruit (816) embroidery thread

backstitch the lettering on the front of the beige tone-on-tone print. Use a small seed stitch for the ‘full stops’.

14. Remove the fusible-web backing from the postage

stamp shapes. Referring to the photograph for guidance, position the burgundy ‘outer postage stamp’ below the dotted

line on the beige tone-on-tone fabric, to the right of the stitched lettering. When you are happy with the position, fuse

in place. 15. Now position the green ‘inner postage stamp’ shape

centrally on top of the burgundy rectangle and fuse in place.

16. To complete the postage stamp, position the small love heart shape on to the green ‘inner postage stamp’ shape and

fuse in place. 17. Sew on and around the green shape using a straight

stitch on your sewing machine and contrasting cream thread. 18. Repeat step 17 with the small heart shape.

19. Take the three 1½in lengths of ric-rac and referring to the photograph for guidance, position them on the left-hand

side of the postage stamp and sew in place with matching cotton thread, using a running stitch.

20. Place the beige tone-on-tone rectangle and beige/cream print rectangles together with right sides facing and pin

together.

21. Take the envelope template and position it on top of the beige tone-on-tone side of the pinned fabrics ensuring that

the bottom flat edge of the template is positioned beneath the lettering (and not above it). With the pencil, trace around the

shaped top edge of the envelope. 22. Sew the rectangles together using a ¼in seam

allowance and leaving an opening as marked on the pattern. When you come to sew the top shaped edge of the envelope,

sew on traced lines. Clip curves and turn right side out. Press lightly with a warm iron and slip stitch opening closed.

23. Stitch along the two traced dotted lines situated above and below the stitched lettering. This will help your envelope

to ‘fold over’ easily. See Diagram 1. 24. Sew the cream vintage button on top of the ric-rac

using two strands of Green Artichoke (3011) thread. Bring

the threads to the front and tie off; then trim the thread-ends to ¼in and splay them.

25. Using two strands of Red Fruit (816) thread sew one red vintage button to the top shaped edge of the envelope on the

button placement dot you traced previously. Repeat with the other red button, sewing it to on to the other button

placement dot lower down on the envelope.

Finishing

26. Fold the fabric envelope over on the sewn lines. Using two strands of Green Artichoke (3011) thread, cross-stitch

down one side of the envelope, sewing only on to the lining fabric. See Diagram 2. Repeat on the other side of the

envelope. 27. To make the threaded braid that secures the envelope,

cut one 8in length each of Red Fruit (816), Green Artichoke (3011) and Antique Silver (3033) threads and knot them at

one end. Plait them together and knot at the other end. Trim the ends to neaten. Tip: After tying your first knot, use

sticky tape to adhere the top of the threads to your desk or

any other sturdy surface, to give you leverage when you plait. See Diagram 3.

28. Wrap the completed braid around the two red buttons on the reverse of the envelope to secure it.

29. Your fabric envelope is now complete – just slip a special card or love note inside, perhaps a lace handkerchief

or sweet-scented sachet of your mum’s favourite scent… and then you are ready to gift it to the very special lady in your

life.

Enjoy your special memories!

Other patterns by Sew Useful Designs can be found at:

www.sewusefuldesigns.blogspot.com Email: sewusefuldesigns@hotmail.com

Phone: Australia (03) 9762 1464

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A note on copyright: Sew Useful Designs patterns are intended for

personal use only and not for commercial resale. Thank you for respecting the designer’s copyright! ☺

Postage Stamp templates

Main envelope template

To mum with Love Sew Useful Designs © 2010