Soooo, I sat down with my graph paper and drew my own.
It turned out just like I wanted it to on the first try. I also had everything in stock which surprised me.
There is a new feature on the blog starting today. At the bottom of the page you will see the words PRINT FRIENDLY, you can print off this tutorial now. I also gave you a link for the template for the mouse.
You can make this from scraps in your stash or buy one fat quarter for the body and the tail and a fat eighth for the head and ears. You will also need some Insul-bright about an 8" x 8" piece.
You need to cut out
1 body
1 tail
4 ears
2 heads
1 piece of body fabric 8" x 8"
1 piece of Insul-bright 8" x 8"
Sew together the two head pieces right sides together.
Sew the two ears, right sides together.
Leave openings as per the photo below.
Turn the three pieces right side out and press.
Make a tail for the mouse.
(For photography purposes these pieces are larger than what you will be making.)
Cut one piece of fabric 1" x 5".....you may want it longer than I did so go for it.
Fold you fabric in half lengthwise wrong sides together and press.
Open it up and fold in one side to the middle crease you have just created by pressing.
You will be putting wrong sides together again
Do the same with the other side.
I hold my sides in place with my flower head pins. I can get my iron on it and give it a good blast of steam this way without scorching my fingers.
Before you press, spray it with spray starch. The inexpensive kind works well for this.
It acts like a temporary glue along with the heat from your iron.
Final fold.
Bring one side of the strip to the other side and press for the last time. I did keep using my pins to hold the piece in place on my board.
When you are all done, fold in half
Find the centre of the back of the mouse....the widest part is the back and pin your tail in place.
Place the two ears on the body of the mouse and then the head, making sure that the raw edges of the ears are well under the head.
Stitch only the head in place. I used a zig-zag stitch and co-ordinating thread.
Sew around the edge of the mouse body to the Insul-bright. I used a zig-zag stitch again.
To make the backing
Fold your 8" x 8" piece of fabric in half and press
Stitch down the folded side -- 1/4" seam allowance
a third of the way with a regular stitch, a third with a basting stitch and the last with a regular stitch.
Re-inforce the stitching when you begin and finish the basting stitch.
Trim away a very scant amount of the fold, without cutting into your stitching
Lay the piece flat on your work surface and pin the front of the mouse to the backing, right sides together. Pin, then stitch around the entire perimeter with a 1/4" seam allowance.
Trim away the excess fabric and open up the basting stitches. Turn your mouse right side out,
sew up the opening in the back, attach the eyes and the nose. I did sew the tail together at this point.
They you go
One microwave potholder.
A mouse even a cat will love.
Use your imagination with your fabrics. You don't have to go all grey.......co-ordinate them with your kitchen colours.
I'm making a few more and using the colours in folk's kitchens for them
If you would like a copy of this tutorial, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the link
Print Friendly.
The template for the mouse can be found here
We are off to Quilt Canada tomorrow morning. It's a one hour drive from our town to St. Catharines. I hope to have some photos to share next week from the show. I have no plans on spending money this time as we leave on holidays very, very soon.