Retro Christmas Mantle Cover Decorating for Christmas is one of the most fun times of the year. Add to your Christmas joy with this easyto-assemble mantel cover, designed for a standard 50 mantel. Using one of the 25 designs available from the Retro Handwork Collection by Sublime Stitching. These hand-sewn designs will enhance any project you are working on. Machine Supplies Required: Any Sewing/ Embroidery machine (must accommodate 230mm X 230mm embroidery designs) 230mm square embroidery hoop Embroidery foot All purpose zigzag foot Overcast foot Size 11 needle (we recommend the Janome Blue Tip needle) Pre-wound bobbin Empty bobbin Fabric/Notions Required: 1 yd. Christmas fabric (44 /45 ) ¾ yd. solid fabric for embroidery (44 /45 ) 1 8 yd. coordinating Christmas fabric (44 /45 ) 1 3 yd. thin fusible batting Embroidery thread All purpose sewing thread Scissors/snips Rotary cutter/mat Fabric marking pen Fabric pins Point Turner Embroidering Stocking Design 1. Prepare your machine for embroidery. 2. Refer to your machine manufacturer s instructions on how to import embroidery designs into your sewing/embroidery machine. 3. Open your Edit screen. Select the hoop size function and select a hoop that is 230mm square or larger. 4. Import stocking design into Edit screen and rotate the design 45 degrees so that it is no longer horizontal, but vertical. Move the design to the top left corner. 5. Copy and paste the stocking design. Move the second design to the bottom left corner, keeping approximately 2 grid spaces (1 ) in between the designs. 6. If applicable, use your Group function to combine the two designs. Use Copy/paste function. Move second group to the middle of the hoop. PAGE 1
7. Use Copy/paste again and move third group of designs to the far right. 8. Layer solid colored fabric upon cut-away stabilizer. 9. Hoop fabric/stabilizer in hoop closest to 230mm X 230mm without going under. Try to hoop the fabric with the straight of grain in mind. 10. Embroider stocking design, using recommended thread colors or thread colors that coordinate with your fabric choice. 11. When complete, remove fabric from hoop. 12. Re-hoop the fabric next to the embroidered fabric, leaving 2 in between. This will give you room to work when cutting these pieces out later. 13. Embroider the first two groups of designs only. Remove fabric from hoop when complete. Set aside. Note: If your mantel is a wider width, you can sew the third stocking combination. This will add 10 to your mantel cover. If you need to increase the width even further, you will need to buy additional fabric and embroider more of the stocking groupings. Each grouping adds 10 to your mantel width. Fabric Prep Hint: You can cut your fabric while your machine is embroidering! 1. Using a rotary cutter, ruler and mat, cut two 17 strips from main Christmas fabric, across width of grain. 2. Cut off the selvedge edges and set aside. 3. From the 1 8 yd. coordinating Christmas fabric, cut a 4 strip across the width of fabric. 4. From this strip, cut four 5 ½ blocks. Set aside. 5. From the remaining solid fabric that was used for embroidery, cut two 4 strips across width of fabric. Set aside. 6. When the embroidery is complete, carefully cut out each of the stocking groups (6 stockings in each group). Each rectangle should measure 4 X 11. Set aside. 7. Cut two 6 strips of batting across the width. Set aside. PAGE 2
Sewing Main Fabric Together 1. Attach all purpose zigzag foot. Thread machine and bobbin with all purpose sewing thread. 2. Select straight stitch. 3. Select the two 17 strips of main Christmas fabric. With right sides together, pin the 17 cut edges together. 4. Using a ½ seam allowance, sew them together. Press seam allowance to one side. 5. Keeping the seam in the center of the strip, cut off both ends to create a 51 strip. Set aside. 6. Repeat the above steps for the batting strips. Set aside. 7. Place the 17 X 51 main Christmas fabric on a table, wrong side facing up. Lay the 6 X 51 strip of batting, fusible side down, ¼ below top edge of fabric. Press. 8. Fold the top edge of fabric over the batting, creating a ¼ hem. Pin in place and press. 9. With right sides together, fold the top folded edge of fabric back on itself, creating 6 fold. The batting should be at the top of the folded edge. PAGE 3
10. Sew a ½ seam allowance on both of the sides, only sewing the length of the batting. Clip the two corners and turn right side out. Use point turners for a crisp point. Press. 11. Fold the remaining raw edge in ¼. Fold again ¼. Edge stitch the folded edge to complete the side seams. Repeat on other side. 12. Edge stitch the remaining 50 opening closed. Set aside. PAGE 4
Assembling Embroidered Tucks 1. Assemble the 4 X 11 embroidered rectangles and the 4 X 5 ½ printed blocks. Pin the 4 cut edges together, starting with an embroidered rectangle and alternating with the printed block. 2. When all 9 pieces have been pinned together, sew them together using ½ seam allowance. Press the seams toward the darker of the two fabrics. 3. Pin the two 4 solid strips together at the 4 cut edge. Sew together using ½ seam allowance. 4. Press the seam to one side. Keeping the seam in the center of the strip, cut off both ends to create a 69 strip. 5. Pin, right sides together, the bottom edge of the pieced embroidered strip to the 69 solid strip. 6. Starting at the side, sew a ½ seam allowance along the 4 edge. Pivot at the corner and continue sewing along the bottom 69 edge. Pivot at the end and sew up the remaining 4 side. 7. Clip the two corners. Turn right side out and use point turner for crisp points. Press. 8. To create the tucks, align the seams of the embroidered rectangles together. Center both seams in the center of the printed block. Pin in place and press. Repeat for the other three tucks. 9. Sewing a ¼ seam allowance, baste each tuck in place. Set aside. Finishing 1. Pin wrong side of mantel cover bottom edge to the lined side of embroidered tucks strip. 2. Sew ½ seam allowance, with embroidered tucks strip next to feed dogs. Press. 3. Attach Overcast foot. 4. Use zigzag or overcast stitch to finish the unfinished edge of seam allowance. PAGE 5