Piece to piece - the patchwork technique
Every needle-woman has a lot of unnecessary pieces of cloth, which she grudges to through away, to pile up in time… what if we sew something useful and beautiful using the rag technique? The rag technique, or patchwork, consists of sewing together pieces of cloth of different colors and texture, which allows making very elegant decorative blankets, pillows, rugs, kitchen gloves, clothes and much more. Let's try?  You can use any fabric both new and used. It is recommended to wash and steam the new material with an iron before you start working. This way you will avoid shrinking of material and the change of colors after you wash the make. The pieces of cloth, which were in use, should be starched and ironed. Cotton fabric is the easiest at work. Using cotton fabric it is very easy to make not only gloves, napkins and cloth covers for kettles and teapots, but also blankets and pillows. Coat fabric is rather soft and plastic – it is good for rugs, quilts and panels. Silk fabric will resemble cotton after starching, but it frays if often used. Remember that the makes of silk are makeshift.
If it is required to combine materials of different texture, then it is better to do it using the materials of one kind. However a very good effect is reached by a combination of the matching shades of fabrics, which differ by texture. For the durability fasten the sewed rags to the base (or the lining). Thick fabric and sheet wadding can serve as a base. You can use braid, finishing cords and ribbons for the trimming of the rag makes and for decoration of the “butt” seams.
As a rule, the ornament in patchwork consists of separate elements, equal by shape and size. Cut them out using a stencil from the thick paper or cardboard for convenience. To do so draw the required element on the cardboard (a square, triangle, etc.) not letting out at seams. Then step back 0,5-0,7 cm at each side, mark the second contour – the let out at seams, and cut out the inside and the external contours.
In order to cut out the required element from the fabric, you should put the stencil on its back side and mark the inside and the external contours by pencil. It ought to cut out the element by (along) the external contour, and to sew together along the inside contour, having put the two details together.
 Lay thick fabrics on the lining and sew them by “butt” with each other. First stitch the edges by two straight stitches and then sew them together by the “zigzag” stitch, catching both details. In this case don't cut out the let-outs at seams.
In the patchwork technique different kinds of geometric patterns are used.
Let's learn one of the simple methods – square in a square. It ought to join the isosceles triangles in order to make this pattern. The sequence of their gathering is shown by numbers on the picture. First, you should sew the inside square. Then sew 4 triangles on its sides. Trim the ready square; sew the next triangles on its sides and so on. The triangles, in their turn, can consist of two triangles.
For the general expressiveness of the pattern we recommend you to alternate light and dark “inserted” squares. The main effect here – is the symmetry of the ornament.
Show your imagination and try to experiment not only with color and texture, but also to join different elements – triangles, squares, polygons or even artistic images.
Thus, the make done in the patchwork technique will become a spirit of any interior, small children, who prefer everything bright and many-colored, will also enjoy it
From the “Housewife” magazine. - |
