Festive Wine Wrap

Inspired by: Festive Foundations: Winter from designer Charise Randell

Project Tester: Martha Gamm

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• Scrap of brown print (block)
• 3⁄8 yard blue print (block, carrier)
• 10" square each green polka dot and olive green print (block)
• 18×21" piece (fat quarter) cream polka dot (lining)
• Lightweight copy paper, tracing paper, or foundation material of your choice
• Flat head pins
• Fusible interfacing
• Add-A-Quarter ruler (addaquarter.com; optional)

Finished block: 5-1⁄2 ×9"

Cut pieces in the following order. Click on "Download this Project" above for the foundation piecing patterns and the wine carrier patterns. Because the tree block is foundation-pieced, its fabric pieces are cut larger than necessary. You'll trim them to the correct sizes after stitching them to the foundation material. Note that the Wine Carrier Pattern is a partial. To make a complete Wine Carrier Pattern, fold a large sheet of paper in half (you may need to tape sheets of paper together). Trace the pattern on onto the folded paper, placing indicated edge on fold and extending bottom edge 7". Cut out and unfold.

From brown print, cut:

• 1—-2×2-1⁄4" rectangle (position 1)

From blue print, cut:

• 2—-4-1⁄4 ×11-1⁄2" rectangles (positions 8 and 9)
• 2—-2-1⁄2 ×3" rectangles (positions 2 and 3)

From green polka dot, cut:

• 1—-3-3⁄4" square (position 6)
• 1—-3×5" rectangle (position 4)

From olive green print, cut:

• 1—-3-3⁄4 ×4-1⁄2" rectangle (position 5)
• 1—-3-1⁄2×4-3⁄4" rectangle (position 7)

From blue print, cut:

• 1—-6-1⁄2 ×11-1⁄2" rectangle
• 1—-6 ×9" rectangle
• 1 of Circle Pattern

From cream polka dot, cut:

• 1 Wine Carrier Pattern
• 1 Circle Pattern

From interfacing, cut:

• 1—-11-1⁄2 ×15" rectangle
• 1 Circle Pattern

1) Print Tree Block Foundation Pattern once on foundation material. Be sure to print the pattern at 100%, or full scale; check the accuracy of printout with the 1"-square guide.

2) Cut out foundation pattern roughly 1⁄4" outside dashed lines.

To foundation-piece, stitch fabric pieces to a foundation paper with marked side of paper facing up and fabric pieces layered underneath. The resulting pieced unit will be a mirror image of the foundation paper. When foundation-piecing, use a tiny stitch length (12–16 stitches per inch).

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1) Gather tree block brown print, blue print, green polka dot, and olive green print pieces.

2) Turn foundation paper marked side down. Place brown print position 1 rectangle right side up over position 1 (Diagram 1). Pin with a flat head pin. Hold paper up to light to check that the brown print rectangle completely covers position 1.

3) Turn foundation paper marked side up. Referring to Diagram 2, fold foundation paper back on the stitching line between positions 1 and 2.

4) On brown print rectangle, measure 1⁄4" from folded edge of foundation paper. Trim brown print rectangle using a rotary cutter and clear ruler to create 1⁄4" seam allowance (Diagram 3); unfold paper.

If using an Add-A-Quarter ruler to create 1⁄4" seam allowance, place ruler lip against folded edge of paper. Use a rotary cutter to trim along edge of ruler.

5) Turn foundation paper marked side down. Place blue print position 2 rectangle atop brown print position 1 rectangle with right sides together; align blue print position 2 edge with trimmed brown print position 1 edge. Pin and check placement of position 2 rectangle.

6) Turn foundation paper marked side up. Sew on stitching line through all layers (Diagram 4), backstitching at beginning and end of line. Turn paper marked side down. Using a hot dry iron, press open position 2 rectangle, pressing seam toward newly added piece (Diagram 5).

7) In the same manner as before, fold foundation paper on stitching line between positions 1 and 3. On blue print rectangle, measure and trim 1⁄4" from foundation paper folded edge.

8) Turn foundation paper marked side down. Place blue print position 3 rectangle atop positions 1 and 2 unit with right sides together; align blue print position 3 edge with trimmed blue print position 2 edge. Pin and check placement of position 3 piece.

9) Turn foundation paper marked side up. Sew on stitching line between positions 1 and 3 through all layers, backstitching at beginning and end of line.

10) Continue adding pieces in numerical order, trimming, stitching, and pressing in the same manner, until you have pieced entire foundation paper. Press, leaving paper in place. Using a rotary cutter and a clear ruler, trim along dashed outer lines to make block (Diagram 6). The block should be 6×9" including seam allowances. Remove foundation paper carefully to avoid pulling or distorting block.

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

1) Referring to Diagram 7, sew together tree block and blue print 6 ×9" rectangle. Press seam in one direction. Add blue print 6-1⁄2×11-1⁄2" rectangle; press as before.

2) Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse interfacing 11-1⁄2 ×15" rectangle to wrong side of Step 1 unit.

3) Referring to Diagram 8, place Wine Carrier Pattern on fused Step 2 unit with pattern fold line centered on seam. Trace pattern; cut out.

4) Referring to red sewing lines on Diagram 9, sew together Step 3 wine carrier piece and cream polka dot wine carrier piece. Clip seam allowances along curves just up to seam lines, being careful to not clip stitching.

5) Turn only right-hand handle portion right side out. Insert right-hand handle portion into left-hand handle portion (Diagram 10), making sure lining sides are facing. Sew across straight top edges through all layers to make handle (Diagram 11).

6) With piece still folded in half lengthwise, sew together raw edges of side seam (Diagram 12).

7) Turn entire piece right side out. Insert bag body inside bag lining with wrong sides together (lining should be facing out). Baste bottom raw edges together about 1⁄8" from edge. Turn entire piece wrong side out.

8) Following manufacturer's instructions, fuse interfacing circle to wrong side of blue print circle. Layer fused circle on wrong side of cream polka dot circle; baste raw edges about 1⁄8" from edge.

9) Fold Step 8 circle in half twice, mark quarter marks with pins, and unfold. Fold bottom of bag in fourths, mark with pins, and unfold. Matching quarter marks, join circle and bottom of bag with 1⁄4" seam (Diagram 13). Zigzag-stitch around edges to finish them. Turn right side out to complete wine carrier.