Chenilling Tutorial - with a tip to help sore wrists

Hi there guys

This is my first tutorial for 2012, I hope you really like it and find it useful. This is excellent for those scrappy bits of fabric you don't want to chuck out but don't want to waste either. This technique is called Chenilling and is excellent for bags, table/place mats and could even be used in quilt squares.

Items required:

• Sewing machine (if you're really keen you could hand stitch it)
• Thread and needle suitable for sewing through several layers of material
• Fabric - this can be any fabric you like in any shape you like, as long as there are at least 4 pieces the same size. Aim to have at least one plain colour piece for the lining. I personally did a piece with 4 layers of fabric sandwiched together so my tutorial will only reference 4 pieces, however I do know someone who successfully did it with 7 layers. 
• Something to mark lines with
• Ruler
• Sharp long scissors

Method:
Step One: Cut your material to the same size, and sandwich the pieces together with a plain piece on the bottom. In my example, I chose black for the bottom, an orange/white for the second layer, a plain blue for the next layer, and a cute country pattern layer for the top. Line up the pieces so they are even and pin them in a sandwich.

Step Two:
Starting at one corner, measure across the lining piece diagonally and mark. Then mark a diagonal line 1 inch on either side of the middle line. Continue this across the lining piece until it looks like the picture shown below.

Step Three:

Once you've completed that, using your machine (or hands) sew the first middle diagonal line, through all four layers. Continue stitching the first line on the right, then the line on the left, and stitch diagonally across so it looks like the picture below. Continue through until all the lines have been stitched.

 Step Four:
For this step, you will require your scissors again. To complete the step, you need to cut the top three layers of fabric (not the lining) between the lines, Carefully slide of the scissor blades in between  the bottom layer and the top three layers, as shown below.

I found the easiest way to hold it while cutting was to slide the blade under the top three layers, then pinch the material around the blade - as shown below. I have RSI and very sore wrists a lot, and found this method put less strain on my wrists. Try it out and please comment below if it helps you.

Once you've finished cutting all of the spaces between the lines, it will look like the below picture.

 Step Five: Finally, you can either choose to leave it as the picture shows above, or you can choose to make it more raggedy by washing it and putting it in the dryer. Both have very effective results. You can either choose to roll in a hem, or you can insert it into a bag to secure the loose edges.

Above picture courtesy of Cooma Craft Group showing the raggedy edges achieved from washing/drying


Hope you enjoy this neat little tutorial and please show me if you choose to make something following it. Thanks for reading, and tune in next time

Nilmerg - Contributing blogger bio

Hi my name is Elaine, or as many in the virtual world know me, Nilmerg! I live at the northern end of the Kosciusko National park, in NSW, Australia. I have 2 great kids, both girls ages 2 and 4 and a hard working husband. I’m a stay at home Mum and while I don’t officially work, I sell my hand crafted products under the business name Apple Valley Creations. It’s a far cry for someone who grew up in South West Scotland and has a degree in Archaeology(that really was a career in Ruins!). But I love living in Australia and enjoy the better quality of life that my family can enjoy.

I have been sewing since I was about 4 or 5. Here is my first ever project (yes I still have it in my possession, even though I’ve emigrated!) I don’t remember who came up with the design, me or my Mum. But I do remember my Mum having to unpick some of it after I had sewn it to my
school skirt!

My next projects were counted cross stitch, mostly country companions and other cute images until I did my daughters birth samplers in 2007 and 2009. I thought that they were quite Epic, but my current cross stitch is really EPIC – it’s a Selina Fenech image by Heaven and Earth Designs – Caelia. It is such a huge piece that it will certainly be an heirloom piece – either the finished project or more likely the unfinished project!

I started quilting in 2007 shortly before the arrival of my first child. Of course it was a baby quilt. Yellow because I didn’t know if I was having a boy or a girl! It was a 9-patch and is a very good pattern to learn with. I did a few weeks of quilting lessons at my local quilt shop before setting out on my own. But I think my favourite quilt I've done is this one - my second quilt. This is when I learned applique. Since then I’ve completed a king sized double 9-patch quilt, 2 personalised lap quilts for my daughters, a mini art quilt, many cushion covers and am currently working on a single quilt for my nephew and a scrabble board cushion cover for my older brother. While quilting isn’t something that I do on a regular basis, it has taught me some valuable lessons about sewing, including how to use a sewing machine; a skill that I had failed to aquire at school, much to my home economics teacher’s disgust! I didn’t even manage the apron project!

I’ve recently picked up inchie making. I’m not even sure that this is an art form, but the people on craftster are crazy for them! There is something strangely therapeutic about decorating a 1” square piece of paper! And it is amazing what you can do with them. Here is a project that I recently completed. It contains inchies that I have made and hundreds of inchies made by others from all around the world.

So that’s me, I’m looking forward to writing some contributions to this blog. I love to cook so maybe there will be some recipes in there too. As a person who is always busy and never empty handed, I hope that I can pass on some knowledge and inspiration to you.

Just for fun...
Vegemite or Peanut Butter: Has to be Peanut butter

Summer, Autumn, Winter or Spring: Spring

Cats or Dogs: Sorry, but neither, I'm not a pet person, but if I had to have one, it would be a cat.

Pen or Pencil: Pen

If I were a doll, the accessories would be: Sun glasses, Cross strap backpack, embroidery hoops, threads and 2 kids in tow!

I know how to cook: a Roast beef dinner with Yorkshire Puddings.

Scary Movies or Happy Endings: I think I'd have to go Happy Endings!