Biscornu Finishing Directions

I've been meaning to the post the finishing directions for Biscornu's for quite some time now. These directions were written for me by Cathy Drolet. Thank you Cathy!

Biscornu Finishing Directions

Biscornu's can be any size. Your two designs should be the same size.
(You can use plain fabric on the back if you choose to.)

Stitch your designs leaving about 1 1/2 inch all around the design.

If your fabric is floppy (Lugana, especially the opalescent, falls into this category), or very open weave, you might want to fuse some lightweight interfacing on to the back of your fabric squares.
(Optional)

Backstitch a square border, using 2 strands of floss, around the design. Leave as many threads from the design as you wish, 2 or 3 is best. This step is very important. This backstitch border has to be the exact same length on each side (perfectly square), as you will be using it to stitch the front and back of the biscornu together. If the backstitch border is not square, you will never get your biscornu sewn together correctly.

Trim your fabric 1/2 inch from the backstitching line. (If you're suing a loose weave fabric, you might want to zigzag the edges on your machine to prevent fraying while you are joining the pieces.)

Finger press the seam allowances to the back of the stitched pieces, all four sides, along the backstitched lines.

Place pins in the exact middle of each of the sides, on both stitched pieces, at the backstitched line. If you have to count your backstitched threads to get to the exact middle, do so. It is very important to find the exact middle of the sides.

You are going to stitch your two pieces together, right side out, so you will always be able to see your backstitched line. Using two strands of floss, join one of the corners of piece 1, to the middle of one side of piece 2, using a simple whip-stitch.

Continue to join the two pieces together, stitching only under the backstitch thread on each piece, not piercing the fabric, pulling stitching thread tight enough to not leave gaps in the stitching, but not so tight that the seam is distorted, until you get to the corner. I always stitch twice through the backstitch preceding a corner, and the first one starting the next side. Line up the ext part of the seam and continue whip-stitching, until you reach the next corner. Continue around the biscorn, keeping the seam allowances to the inside, and matching the backstitch lines as you stitch the seam, from corner to corner.

As you stitch you'll see your biscornu take shape, with eight sides.

When you have only one seam left to sew, it is time to stuff with Poly Fiberfill. (If your biscornu is small, you may want to leave the last two seams un-stitched before you add stuffing.) Make sure you get stuffing right into the corners and stuff so the biscornu is full, but not overstuffed, or it will be difficult to stitch the final seam.

Stitch the remaning seam and fasten off your thread. Make sure the thread is securely fastened and run it through the biscornu and back out through a seam, tugging the thread a bit, before cutting it off where it emerges. The end will disappear back into the biscornu.

Attach your buttons, one on each side of the biscornu, directly in the middle. Use a double strand of quilting thread and thread the two ends through the eye of the needle, leaving a loop on the other end. Attach the first button to the thread, using the loop, either through the shank on the button or going through both holes on the button then putting the needle through the loop and pulling thigh (just like a look start in cross stitch.)

Push the needle through the center of the design on one side of the biscornu and out through the center of the design on the other side of the biscornu. Thread the other button onto the needle and push the needle back to the first side, pulling the thread taught to make the traditional dent in the center of the pillow. Sew through each button a couple of times, then fasten off your thread. Your biscornu is complete.

Easter Purse Completed!

I finished this up this morning:



Isn't that Springy looking?

I'm not sure what I'll stitch on next. I have 5 purses to put together now and 3 Comfort Dolls but I'm not feeling up to sewing at the moment. I may do a bit of vintage iron-on transfer embroidery.

And here are pages 41 & 42 of my 1936 Herrschner's Catalog:





There's only 2 pages of this catalog to go. I'll post them over the weekend.

Inauguration Day!

I must confess, I absolutely love the pomp & circumstance of Inauguration Day! I have ABC on in the living room and I'm listening to it as I type. Normally, I don't watch the news or regular TV. I don't care to be bombarded with the negative messages that come through, even in commercials. Instead, I listen to QVC most of the time. Lots of pretty things to look at and the show hosts are so cheerful and uplifting to listen to. And every now and then, I do indulge in a little something special for myself.

But Inauguration Day is something special and I'll admit that I have put a lot of hope and faith in our new President. I see a light in him and I know he'll do well for our country.

I'll be working on my laptop in the living room today. I'm designing a project in cross stitch to commemorate today's events. Normally, something like that wouldn't be my thing but it's been calling to me for days and when my father in law suggested a special commemorative sampler, I knew I had to do one. I'll make it available as soon as I have it ready.

In the meantime, here is an update on my Easter purse:



The appliqué is beaded and embellished now. I love the SRE at the bottom! I was going to bead this with seed beads and then I thought to myself, geez louise girl! you're going to be here for days beading this. That's when I thought to use the bugle beads instead. It took about 2 hours to do the bugle beads.

I was asked about my little chick image in the middle. That image is from some Victorian clipart that I have. It's a copyright free image. I don't use a traditional image transfer method. I print my images on fabric using my computer. Also, I use cotton fabric rather than the silk that's usually used for crazyquilting. I've found that images transferred to silk look washed out. At least to me. With the cotton fabric, the images are crisp and bright and I'm all about that!

If anyone is interested in having some of these images, I will be happy to make some available. Please leave me a message here or in email and I'll gladly put some together. I can print 4 images on one sheet of fabric. I can also put some together with a few embellishments. In fact, I've been thinking of doing some embellishment packs since my stash has it's own stash! Ha, ha, ha! Give me some ideas of what you're looking for such as vintage ladies, holiday images and so on and I can get some things together.

Finally for today, here are pages 39 & 40 of my 1936 Herrschner's Catalog:





Check out the white with black polka dot dress at the bottom of page 39! That is just screaming at me! I love it!!!

Well, there's only about 4 pages left to this catalog. I hope you've been enjoying it!

Happy Inauguration Day everyone!

The Easter Purse Continued....

I stitched for about 2 hours this morning:



The seams are embroidered, the appliqué is sewn down and I started on some SRE. Now for the glitter! The beads & sequins really bring out the beauty in the borders and overall design.

Over the weekend, I added a few 6 Inch Pre-sewn crazy quilt blocks to my Etsy shop. These are the same size as my Button Blocks. I've hand-basted the sewing line and added some lace:



Speaking of my Button Blocks, I'm really wanting to put some together so I've decided to take 25 of the pastel colored ones and put them into a quilt. I will continue to make Button Blocks for a bigger quilt down the road and I may use some for door-hangers. I really enjoy making them and looking at them so I thought it would be fun to put together a small quilt for now while I continue to make them. I'll keep you posted on that when I get to it. I think I need a few more pastel colored ones first. I plan to stitch on more of them once I complete the stitching on the Easter purse.

I also want to share with you a new blog that I recently found. Needlework News keeps tabs on other needlework & craft blogs and posts links to interesting articles, new designs and ideas, helpful products and complimentary patterns. It's worth checking out!

Finally for today, here are pages 37 & 38 of my 1936 Herrschner's Catalog:





These dresses are so beautiful, aren't they? I would so love to have a closet full of these!

Easter Purse Continued

A quick update on my Easter purse:



I'll be sewing the pink appliqué down today. I plan to add some SRE embroidery to it and of course beads and sequins!

I love the pastel colors and I know this will be perfect to take when Scott & I go to breakfast on Easter morning.

The seam treatments are my own charted borders for Waste Canvas. I've done so many of these borders, that I have a hard time choosing which to use sometimes. I do have my favorites and many times, it's a matter of theme or fitting the space. I am planning on putting Volume 2 together. I want to pick up some PDF software to put it together myself. Volume 2 will only be borders. The instructions for working with Waste Canvas are available in Volume 1. Click here to learn more.

In the meantime, here are pages 35 & 36 of my 1936 Herrschner's Catalog:





Aren't these dresses something? Oh, I would so wear these! Wait until you see the next couple of pages!

Ok, I'm off for now to list a few 6 inch blocks in my Etsy shop.