Ice Cream Wall Art

Inspired by Festive Foundations: Summer from designer Charise Randell

Project tester: Martha Gamm

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

• Scraps of red, yellow, green, and tan batiks
• 1⁄3 yard cream linen
• Lightweight copy paper, tracing paper, or foundation material of your choice
• Flat head pins
• Embroidery floss: red
• Air-soluble marking pen
• 10"-diameter embroidery hoop
• 10"-square felt (optional)
• Add-A-Quarter ruler (addaquarter.com; optional)

Finished block: 4-1⁄4 ×10"

Finished size: 10" diameter

Cut pieces in the following order. Because the blocks are foundation-pieced, fabric pieces are cut larger than necessary. You'll trim them to the correct sizes after stitching them to a foundation.

From red batik, cut:

• 1--1-1⁄2" square (position A1)

From cream linen, cut:

• 2--4-1⁄8 ×10-1⁄2" rectangles
• 2--1-1⁄4 ×12" rectangles
• 8--1" squares (positions A2–A5, B2, B3, B6, and B7)
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×3" rectangles (positions A6 and A7)
• 1--1-3⁄4 ×5-1⁄4" rectangle (position A8)
• 4--1-1⁄2" squares (positions B4, B8, C3, and C4)
• 2--2-1⁄2" squares (positions B5 and B9)
• 2--1-1⁄2 ×4" rectangles (positions C7 and C8)
• 2--3-1⁄2×6" rectangles (positions C5 and C6)
• 1--2×5-1⁄4" rectangle (position C9)

From yellow batik, cut:

• 1--2-1⁄2 ×3-1⁄4" rectangle (position B1)

From green batik, cut:

• 1--2-1⁄2 ×4-3⁄4" rectangle (position C1)

From tan batik, cut:

• 1--4-1⁄2 ×5-1⁄2" rectangle (position C2)

1)    Click on "Download this Project" above for the full-size foundation pattern. Print each foundation section once on foundation material. Be sure to print the sections at 100% or full scale and check the accuracy of printing with the 1"-square guide.

2)    Cut out foundation sections A–C roughly 1⁄4" outside dashed lines to make three foundation papers.

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 is 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 red batik and cream linen pieces for foundation paper A.

2)    Turn foundation paper over so marked side is down. Place red batik position A1 square right side up on foundation paper position A1 (Diagram 1). Pin with a flat head pin. Hold paper up to light to confirm that fabric piece completely covers position A1.

3)    Turn foundation paper over so marked side is up. Referring to Diagram 2, fold foundation paper back on the stitching line between positions A1 and A2.

4)    Measure 1⁄4" from folded edge of foundation paper. Using a clear ruler and rotary cutter, trim fabric piece to create 1⁄4" seam allowance (Diagram 3). If using an Add-A-Quarter ruler, place ruler lip against folded edge of paper and use rotary cutter to trim fabric piece along ruler edge. Unfold paper.

5)    Turn foundation paper so marked side is down. With right sides together, align edge of cream linen position A2 square with trimmed edge of red batik position A1 rectangle; pin and check placement of position A2 square.

6)    Turn foundation paper marked side up. Sew on stitching line through all layers, backstitching at beginning and end of line (Diagram 4). Turn paper marked side down. Using a dry iron, press open position A2 square, pressing seam toward newly added piece (Diagram 5).

7)    Fold foundation paper on stitching line between position A3 and positions A1 and A2 unit. As before, trim 1⁄4" from folded edge.

8)    Turn foundation paper marked side down. With right sides together, align edge of cream linen position A3 piece with trimmed edge of positions A1 and A2 unit; pin and check placement of position A3 piece.

9)    Turn foundation paper up marked side up. Sew on stitching line between position A3 and positions A1 and A2 unit 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 A; press, leaving paper in place. Using a clear ruler and rotary cutter, trim on dashed outer lines to make section A (Diagram 6). The section should be 1-7⁄8 ×4-3⁄4" including seam allowances.

11)    In the same manner, use yellow batik, green batik, tan batik, and cream linen pieces to foundation-piece sections B and C (Diagram 7). Section B should be 1-7⁄8 ×4-3⁄4" including seam allowances. Section C should be 4-3⁄4×7-3⁄4" including seam allowances.

12)    Referring to Diagram 7, join sections to make ice cream unit. The unit should be 4-3⁄4 ×10-1⁄2" including seam allowances.

1)    Referring to Block Assembly Diagram, sew cream linen 4-1⁄8 ×10-1⁄2" rectangles to ice cream unit. Add cream linen 1-1⁄4 ×12" rectangles to complete ice cream block. The block should be 12" square including seam allowances.

2)    Remove foundation papers from block with tweezers or blunt edge of a seam ripper, taking care not to tug or pull out any stitches. Press block from wrong side.

3)    Using a light box or a sunny window and referring to Embroidery Placement Diagram, use an air-soluble marking pen to lightly trace the Embroidery Pattern (found in PDF download above) onto block. Place the block in the embroidery hoop, centering the design inside the opening. Pull fabric taut and tighten the screw.

4)    Using two strands of red embroidery floss, backstitch the traced words. To backstitch, pull your threaded needle up at A (Backstitch Diagram), insert it back into fabric at B, and bring it up at C. Continue in the same manner until all letters are stitched.

1)    Stitch a running stitch approximately 1" from block edge (outside the hoop). Pull the thread to gather the fabric in the back; knot thread. Trim excess fabric approximately 1⁄2" beyond the gathering thread.

2)    If desired, cut a felt circle that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the embroidery hoop. Whipstitch the felt circle to the gathered fabric on the back.

• How to Foundation Piece: Step-by-Step Photos