Years ago, I made a cute baby quilt with chenille flowers and stems on blank squares alternating nine-patch blocks. For some reason, I was thinking about that quilt this week and realized I've never shared what an easy and eye-catching process it is to make your own chenille!
I like to use about six layers of fabric. I used 10” squares for this project and it made enough for about a dozen of these pillows! Haha! You will layer them all right-side up on top of each other and score (or mark) a line diagonally across the stack.
Pin through all the layers in a few places to keep them from shifting, then using a walking foot, stitch through all the layers along the marked line. Stitch many lines like this across the stack using the side of the walking foot as your guide. I stitched my lines about ⅜” apart.
Cut through the stack halfway between the stitching lines. These chenille strips should be about ⅜” wide.
I worked up a 16” pillow top with some orphan triangles out of neutral whites. You could use a solid piece of fabric for this or another patchwork background like a neutral log cabin block, whatever suits your fancy and your scrap pile ;)
I quilted the background with batting and backing to give it some stability, then drew my shamrock template with a disappearing marker. You can print off my template here.
It’s time to add the chenille strips! I started with the angled end at the inside point right where the stem will come down. Do a little backstitch to secure the end in place. Use thread that matches your chenille strips, and stitch as close to the original stitch line as you can.
I do not pin anything in place, I prefer to manipulate the strips along the marked line little by little. These curved lines are easy to maneuver when you make your chenille strips on the bias because they bend easily.
When I came to the next sharp angle, I clipped the strip off at an angle then started down the next line with a new strip.
If you run out of strips before getting to the next corner, just butt the end of a new strip up to the last one and keep stitching.
Once I had gone all the way around, I added the stem and secured both ends with a backstitch.
Use a hard-bristled toothbrush or soft wire brush to fluff up the top and edges of the chenille strips. You may have to scrub hard at first to get the fibers loosened up. Be sure to scrub the sides of the strips, too, to make them extra fluffy.
And here it is, a cute chenille shamrock. I have quite a bit of green chenille left, so I might try a fern leaf pillow or several flowers with green leaves as a table runner.
So many ideas!
Happy Sunday everyone,
Krista
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