Santa Claus Applique

Materials:

A Piece O' Cake A Slice of Christmas book by Linda Jenkins and Becky Goldsmith
100-percent cotton fabric
DMC 50-weight machine embroidery thread
1/2-inch sequin pins to pin applique in place
sandpaper board
Ultimate mechanical pencil for quilters
embroidery floss for the shoelaces
silk ribbon for the bow on the package in the border
10-gauge, clear upholstery vinyl for placement overlay (available at many stores that sell upholstery fabric)
permanent gel pens B- black, blue, white

Steps:

1. Draw the face on the fabric. To do this, make a copy of the pattern that includes the face then make templates for the block (figure A).

2. Place a small piece of face fabric right side up on a sandpaper board. Position the face template right side up on top of the sandpaper board. Trace around it (figure B).

3. Place the fabric over the copy of the pattern (figure C). Line up the outlines of the faces and tape the fabric in place. You should be able to see the eyes of the Santa on the pattern through the fabric. If you can't, use a light box.

4. Use a black gel pen to outline the eyes, draw the eyelashes and fill in the pupils of the eyes (figure D).

5. Use the blue gel pen to draw in the iris of the eyes. Use the white gel pen to color in the whites of the eyes. Draw in the eyebrows and nose if you prefer not to sew them. Fill them in with the appropriate color.

6. To make the pieced quilt for the bed, cut 10 different strips of fabric measuring 1-1/2" x 12" (figure E). Sew these togther, pressing the seam allowances in the same direction.

7. Cut off the pieced strips at 1-1/2 inches wide (figure F). Place them on a table and rotate every other one 180 degrees. Offset the strips (figure G ) and sew them back together.

8. Press seam allowances open (figure H).

9. Lay the template for the bed quilt over the center of this pieced unit (figure I). Trace around and cut it out adding a 3/16-inch seam allowance.

10. Use cutaway applique for the mustache. To do this, make the placement overlay by tracing the pattern on clear upholstery vinyl (figure J). Place the mustache fabric right side up on the sandpaper board. Position the mustache template right side up on top of that.

11. Put the template on the bias grain of the fabric. Trace around it and cut it out, leaving an inch or so around it. Finger press on the drawn line.

12. Use the positioning overlay to put the mustache in the proper place on the block, pinning it in place.

13. Begin cutting away a little excess fabric, leaving a scant 3/16-inch seam allowance.

14. Sew what you can. Then cut away a little more excess fabric, and sew. Continue in this manner until you have completed the mustache. Tip: Any small applique piece can be sewn using this technique.

15. To make the bow, arrange the ribbon on top of the package and tack it strategically with matching cotton thread. Don't knot the ribbon. Tack it on back with regular cotton thread. Tip: Be gentle with this ribbon, as it is fragile.