Helen Philipps - Modern Vintage Gifts: Over 20 Pretty and Nostalgic Gifts to Sew and Give

www.stitchcraftcreate.co.uk

For full sized downloadable templates, please go to http://ideas.stitchcraftcreate.co.uk/patterns/

TO DEAR LITTLE RHYS, WITH ALL MY LOVE

Modern Vintage Gifts is a varied collection of handmade fabric projects inspired by traditional patchwork and sewing crafts but brought up to date with contemporary fabrics and fresh ideas.

I love to play with fabrics and colours and the effect of one fabric with another is what first appealed to me about patchwork. I learnt to do patchwork when I was still a schoolgirl and the first shapes I sewed were hexagons, which I still enjoy using. I love the old, traditional patchwork blocks and templates and finding new and modern ways to use them. Here I have stitched diamonds together to make stars, combined hexagons with appliqu and fabric flowers, sewn Big Dipper blocks for a small quilt and stitched bold tumbler shapes for stylish red and white festive pillows.

There are plenty of small projects for quick makes too (perfect for when you are short of time but still want to make a special gift), including floral and striped appliqu hearts, a bright and colourful garland of birds, fluttering butterfly gift tags, easy-sew holly coasters and a sweet, scrappy star pincushion.

I have always been fascinated by vintage fabric toys, the kind you see in museums and the nurseries of historic houses open to the public or, if you are lucky, passed down through the family. Little fabric dolls, bears and rabbits tucked into antique toy beds and prams have always charmed me, so for this book I have made a small bear, a mouse and two dolls, as well as some tiny patchwork doll quilts.

Flowers and fruits are always a crafty favourite of mine, and they appear in this book as a summery strawberry wreath, a strawberry pincushion set, a pair of autumn pillows embellished with a bright appliqu pumpkin, a red and white spotted toadstool, a big flower appliqu pillow, a set of stuffed fabric pumpkins and a fresh and pretty cherry pot holder to brighten up the kitchen.

I hope this book will inspire you to make your own projects, using the instructions and templates to make them just as they appear here, or taking the ideas and using them as a starting point for your own creativity. If you are new to sewing and crafting just jump in and have a go at any project that appeals to you. It doesnt have to be perfect and by following the simple instructions here you can soon learn how to make things and add your own special touches, too.

Happy making!

Making and decorating a fabric wreath is a great way to use up scraps and left-over binding from patchwork projects. This wreath is a really lovely summer decoration with its sweet strawberries, flowers and leaves, and its easy to make, too. You can add as many strawberries and flowers as you wish, and they are so pretty you may even want to make a few spare ones to add to other projects.