Peg

Traveler’s Infinity Scarf with Secret Zipped Pocket – DIY Tutorial

While prepping for an upcoming plane trip, I discovered an ingenious, new travel accessory. It’s an infinity scarf with a secret zipped pocket—perfect for keeping travel documents close at hand while hiding them out of sight. But these nifty scarves aren’t limited to a passport and vaccination card, they can also stash a smart phone, lipstick, car key or cash! In addition to hiding valuables, these scarves function like regular scarves—they add a pretty pop to an outfit while also fighting off the chill of air conditioning or cold weather.
But, wait, it gets even better! You can easily add a secret zipped pocket to your favorite rectangular scarf and convert it into an infinity scarf for your next travel adventure! Read on for detailed step-by-step instructions.

Start by selecting a rectangular scarf that’s at least 65” long and 18” wide. I admit I have quite a stash of scarves and many of them were just the right shape and size for this project! I decided to convert three scarves—one in light cotton for the summer, one as a gift and one in a heavier rayon fabric for the winter.

It’s worth taking a few moments to consider the scarf’s fabric. Scarves made of lightweight, close-weave cotton are ideal for this project because they are easy to sew and will effectively hide the zipped pocket. On the other hand, scarves made of thin, transparent silk, gauzy, open-weave cotton or thin, stretchy knit are less than ideal for this project. Alternatively, you could purchase suitable fabric off the yard for this project.
This project involves basic hand and machine sewing. If you’re new to sewing or your skills are a little rusty, you may find inserting the zipper a little challenging. You may, therefore, want to start by practicing with a few zippers and some scrap fabric before attempting it on your scarf. See More Info section below for a recommended resource.
Supplies Needed
. Scarf: Choose a long, narrow, flat scarf at least 65” long and 18” wide in a woven fabric with some body. Avoid whisper-thin silks and gauzy cottons because they won’t hide the secret zipped pocket and they’re difficult to sew. Alternatively, you could purchase suitable fabric off the yard for this project.
. Pocket Fabric: Select cotton fabric in a matching color for the zipped pocket. I chose to buy a fat quarter which is a quarter yard of fabric pre-cut into an 18” x 21” rectangle. The specific amount of fabric needed for the pocket will depend on the width of your scarf. See Step 2 (below) for the calculations.
. Zipper: 7” all-purpose zipper suitable for centered application. Alternatively, a longer zipper can be shortened to 7”.
. Sewing Thread: In a color which blends with the scarf.

Equipment and Tools Needed
. Iron
. Sewing Machine with Standard Presser Foot and Zipper Foot
. Sewing Scissors
. Tape Measure
. Ruler
. White Chalk Pencil and/or Dark Fabric Marker I love the Pilot FriXion marker.
. Square or Rectangle Ruler   These rulers, typically used for quilting, are ideal for ensuring markings are square.
. Straight Pins
. Seam Ripper
. Hand-Sewing Needle
Step 1 Prepare Scarf Determine the fabric content of the scarf. Press on appropriate setting. Select a marker, pen or chalk which is suitable for the type of fabric and can be removed easily. Alternatively if the scarf fabric is too delicate for a marker, you can use thread tacks in a contrasting color.
Overcast the fringe ends of the scarf by sewing a row of zigzag stitches along the raw edge keeping clear of the fringe. Then cut off the fringe close to the stitching. There’s no need to worry about perfecting these edges because they will be hidden inside the finished scarf.

Step 2 – Prepare Pocket and Zipper Measure the scarf and calculate the size of the pocket. The width of the pocket will be equal to half the width of the scarf (Scarf Width / 2). I made my pocket 9″ in length because that is half the length of a fat quarter of fabric. Alternatively, you could make the pocket a different length by adjusting the other measurements in this tutorial accordingly. For instance, a longer pocket length would require a longer zipper.
Cut TWO rectangles of fabric for the pocket. For clarity, mark L (length) and W (width) along the edges of the pocket sections. If it’s not obvious, mark the right side (vs wrong side) of the fabric. Overcast all edges on both pocket sections.
Test the zipper to ensure it opens and closes smoothly. If the zipper was folded in the package, press it flat with an iron taking care to not melt the zipper teeth. If the zipper needs to be shortened, close the zipper and hand-sew across the zipper teeth at the desired length. Ensure the stitches are sturdy enough to serve as the new zipper stop. Cut the zipper about ½” below the newly stitched zipper stop.

Step 3 – Attach Pocket Sections to Scarf   Lay scarf on work surface with right side facing up. Choose one short end of scarf as the “reference edge”. Measure 6” from the reference edge along the outside edge of one of the scarf’s long edges. Mark. Repeat on the opposite long edge. Mark. Fold scarf in half lengthwise. Measure 6” from the reference edge along the fold and mark a 9-inch line along the fold.

With the right side still facing up, lay the scarf on the work surface. Pick up a pocket section with the wrong side of the fabric facing up. Lay the lengthwise edge of the pocket section along the lengthwise edge of the scarf aligning horizontally with the 6” mark.   Pin in place. Repeat with the other pocket section on the opposite side of the scarf.

Prepare to sew the pocket section to the scarf. Use a ¼” seam allowance and begin sewing at the 6” mark. Repeat with the other pocket section.
Pull pocket sections away from the scarf. Press seams toward pocket sections.
Step 4 – Sew Scarf into Partial Tube Lay scarf on work surface with right side facing up. Fold scarf in half lengthwise. Pull pocket sections up and away from scarf. Align two long edges of scarf from the reference edge to the pocket sections, along the pocket sections and for another 7”. Pin in place. Measure and mark 7” from the reference edge, 14” from the reference edge, and 21” from the reference edge.

Prepare to sew the long edges of the scarf together. Use a ½” seam allowance and sew from the reference edge to the 7” mark. Move to the 14” mark and sew to the 21” mark. Change to a basting stitch and sew from the 7” mark to the 14” mark. Open the seam, pull pockets away from the scarf, and press the seam.
Step 5 – Sew In Zipper As noted above, if you’re new to sewing or your skills are a little rusty, you may want to start by practicing with a few zippers and scrap fabric before attempting to sew a zipper into your scarf. See More Info section below for a recommended resource on How to Install a Conventional Zipper.
Lay scarf on work surface with seam facing up. Pull pocket sections away from the seam smoothing them flat as shown below.

Position the closed zipper, facing down, along the seam with the top of the zipper toward the reference edge. Ensure zipper teeth are centered over the seam stitching. Position the zipper tab up away from the teeth. Use pins to mark the zipper stops at the top and bottom of the zipper; they should align with the start and end of the basting stitches at the 7” and 14” marks. Secure zipper in place with a few pins.

Prepare to hand-sew the zipper in place temporarily with a basting stitch. Reach inside the scarf tube to keep the opposite side of the scarf and the pocket sections clear of the basting. Baste close to the outside edge of the zipper tape. Remove all pins.

Turn scarf right side out. Use marker/chalk to draw sewing guide lines ¼” to the right and to the left of the existing seam. Draw perpendicular lines, just below the zipper stop and just above the zipper tab, to connect the sewing guidelines creating a long, thin rectangle.
Install the zipper foot on your sewing machine. Prepare to start sewing the zipper across the bottom. Reach inside the scarf tube to pull the opposite side of the scarf and the pocket sections clear of the sewing needle. Following the markings, stitch across the bottom of the zipper, then turn and stitch up along one side. As you near the top of the zipper, prepare to move the zipper tab out of the way. Leave the needle in the fabric, lift the zipper foot, and slide the zipper tab down the zipper past the needle. Drop the zipper foot and finish sewing the seam. Slide the zipper tab up again. Adjust the zipper foot to sew in the opposite direction. Following the markings, stitch across the bottom of the zipper, then turn and stitch up along the remaining side. Stop to adjust the zipper tab as before. Finish sewing the seam and then sew across the top.
Remove the basting stitches from the seam in the scarf. Test zipper to ensure it slides freely. Adjust, if necessary.   Remove the basting stitches from along the sides of the zipper.
Pat yourself on the back—the most difficult step is done!

Step 6 – Sew Pocket   Close zipper. Turn scarf inside out. Position pocket sections, one on top of the other, aligning all edges with the right sides together. Pin in place.

Sew with ½” seam allowance. Press seam.
Prepare to attach the pocket to the inside edge of the scarf. Turn the scarf right side out. Lay scarf flat on the work surface folded on the centerline. Smooth out bottom layer of scarf, pocket and top layer of scarf. Align the inside edge of the pocket (opposite the zipper side) with the folded edge of the scarf—it should align with the 9-inch line marked in Step 3. Pin in place.

Sew through all layers close to the fold.
Step 7 – Finish Sewing Scarf into Tube   Turn scarf inside out with right sides together. Fold in half lengthwise. Align pocket sections. Align the unsewn sections of the long edges of the scarf. Pin in place.

Stitch the long edges of the scarf with a ½” seam allowance. Press seam.
Step 8 – Sew Scarf Ends to Make Loop   Turn scarf right side out. Working on the short ends of the scarf, bring the right sides of the two ends together. Align the seam lines. Pin in place. Sew all around the short end of the scarf with a ½” seam allowance stopping about 3-4” from the start. Hand-sew the opening closed.
Voilá! Your new secret pocket travel scarf is ready for action! Simply wrap it around your neck in a loop or two, adjust to position the secret zipped pocket, and tuck away your valuables!

More Info

Please pin this image to share or save for future reference.

See the Sew4Home blog for a detailed tutorial on How to Install a Conventional Zipper.

Today’s Takeaways

1. An infinity scarf with a secret zipped pocket can keep travel documents close at hand while hiding them out of sight.
2. A rectangular scarf can easily be converted into an infinity scarf with a secret zipped pocket.
3. Consider repurposing a rectangular scarf as a traveler’s infinity scarf.

Clay How Tos Make

Clay Play Days

Thursday is my favorite day of the week. It’s clay play day—the day I go to the clay studio and get to play with clay for several hours! Clay play day involves a lot of experimentation and a fair bit of persistence. I’m still a beginner so every project teaches me something new.
For instance, I wondered if rolled roses could be made from clay in the same way they are made from felt. The felt technique was covered in a previous FanningSparks’ blog post, Teacup Pincushion – DIY Tutorial. The flower in question, the pink felt rose, is visible on the teacup pincushion below.

That blog post included a template (see Felt Flowers for Teacup Pincushion – Complimentary Download) and these illustrated instructions.

I’ve learned the same template and technique can be used with clay. Obviously, there’s no need to sew with a needle and thread—instead the rolled clay is attached by scoring and slipping. Here’s how my first ceramic rose turned out.

Eventually the idea to make a small wreath with rolled roses came to me. This is the final result—I love it!
The interwoven leaf form was inspired by a circular brooch I found at a local thrift store. The brooch is less than 2 inches in diameter but it scaled up beautifully to a 10-inch wreath. Paper templates were used to cut each piece separately.

The idea for this project translated into a design quite easily. What was not so easy, was the functional execution! My first, failed, attempt is shown below. It looked great when I put all the leaves and roses together. But then the leaves broke and the whole thing fell apart. The issue was twofold 1) the roses were too heavy and 2) the interwoven leaf structure wasn’t strong enough to support all the pieces.

In my second attempt, I made the clay slab thinner so the roses would be lighter. Then I added a narrow, circular ring of clay underneath the leaves to reinforce the fragile leaf connections and support the assembled structure. The final version held together nicely.

This piece is finished in the same AMACO Celadon glazes, in Marigold and Wasabi, as my collection of handmade ceramic tiles (see Still Talking About Tiles!) and looks lovely hung nearby.
Another recent clay project was inspired by an intriguing flying insect—the dragonfly.

Dragonflies are rather fascinating. Did you know, for instance, that “dragonflies are masters of flight. Dragonflies are able to move each of their four wings independently. They can flap each wing up and down, and rotate their wings forward and back on an axis. Dragonflies can move straight up or down, fly backward, stop and hover, and make hairpin turns—at full speed or in slow motion. A dragonfly can fly forward at a speed of 100 body lengths per second (up to 30 miles per hour).” as reported in a ThoughtCo article (see More Info below).

Since dragonflies are usually found near water, I decided to make a waterlily to complement the dragonfly. The two pieces were made separately.

The dragonfly hovers over the flower petals on a small, wooden stick.

A cute, petaled candleholder inspired the ceramic waterlily (shown below on the right). A simple plastic food container lid provided the perfect form for the waterlily base. I found cornstarch worked well to keep the clay from sticking to the plastic. Once the rounded base was formed, I applied the individual petals by scoring and slipping each one in place. The trick, I learned, was to keep the clay at the right moisture level—wet enough to form by hand but dry enough to retain its shape.
Unfortunately, I left the plastic lid inside the clay while it dried causing a few cracks along the bottom edge (shown in the inset photo below). This type of mold, where the clay is draped over the mold forming a convex shape, is called a hump mold. Alternatively, a slump mold forms a concave shape when the clay is placed inside it. This project drove home the fact that clay shrinks as it dries and hump molds should be removed before drying. Luckily, the resulting cracks are small and more or less hidden by the bottom row of petals.

The dragonfly was a bigger challenge—I had to make it twice. I used a paper template to cut the dragonfly body and wings from a clay slab. Then carefully cut and removed sections of clay to form the veins in the wings. Yes, it was a slow and tedious process!

When I made the first dragonfly, I made the body and wings separately and attached the wings to the body in the final step. As it turns out, this was not ideal—the connection points weren’t strong enough and one of the wings snapped off after drying. In my second attempt, I cut the body and wings as one piece and built up the body with additional clay to form the head, eyes and abdomen. This gave the piece the needed stability and strength.

Here’s a closer look at my lovely ceramic dragonfly and waterlily.

The final clay project I’d like to share in this blog post is a set of three collared vases. My goal was to create a vase that would be attractive and interesting with or without flowers or greenery.

I made the first vase with an exaggerated shirt collar and a simple row of buttons down the front.

The second vase has an elaborate ruffle collar. This one was a little tricker to make. I started by researching how ruffle collars, or Elizabethan ruffs, are sewn from fabric. Then used a similar technique with clay.

Setting the vase upside down to let the clay dry worked well. The finished vase looks a little unwieldly but is surprisingly stable.

The third vase, featuring a cheongsam collar, is my favorite. It is the most detailed—each small frog fastener is shaped from coils of clay.

The secret to making these vases is the underlying form. To my eye, it gives the illusion of an upper torso. The surprising source? A bottle of foaming soap. I’m starting to see ceramic projects everywhere I look!

Here’s a final look at my trio of ceramic collared vases. Tres chic!

One of the things I love about working with clay is the versatility of the medium. There is an endless variety of techniques to try and there’s always something new to learn. And best of all, you can make almost anything!

More Info

My clay play days take place at the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation (OCAF) School Street Pottery Studio. The studio is located in Watkinsville, Georgia, USA. You can learn more on the OCAF website.
I’ve mentioned the studio in a few previous blog posts about ceramic projects:
. Still Talking About Tiles!
. I Spy Something White
. Pinch Pot Bunny
If you’re in the US Southeast and interested in beautiful pottery you may want to take in OCAF’s upcoming Perspectives show. “Fifty of the top potters from across Georgia will display their work during Pottery Perspectives 2022, a huge exhibition and sale on view in the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation’s (OCAF) 1902 building from August 27 through September 11, 2022. … Upwards of 4,000 pieces of pottery created by some of the most gifted ceramic artists in Georgia will be for sale.” Get the details on the OCAF Perspectives website page. You may also want to check out these blog posts about previous Perspectives shows:
. Admiring Evidence of Process
. Event Expands Pottery Proficiency
To learn about the surprising qualities of dragonflies, see the ThoughtCo article 10 Fascinating Facts About Dragonflies.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Clay is a surprisingly versatile medium.
2. Creative inspiration can spring from unexpected sources.
3. Experimentation, and a willingness to try again, are necessary to learn new skills.

How Tos Make Other Media

All Around the Amethyst Cabochon

One of my all-time favorite travel souvenirs is a pair of beaded sandals. They feature traditional Nyonya bead stitching and were purchased from an artisan in Malacca, Malaysia. The shoe style is more contemporary than traditional but the decoration is consistent with traditional hand-sewn beadwork. Predictably, I don’t actually wear these beauties—instead they’re on display in my studio where I can admire them every day. They are a sweet reminder of the year I spent in Singapore and the dear friends who made it so special.

“The Baba Nyonya community [is] a subethnic group of the Peranakan Chinese community whose culture and lifestyle is a fusion of predominantly Chinese and Malay influences” is how author Datin Seri Endon Mahmood sets the context in her book The Nyonya Kebaya. She explains a pair of embroidered or beaded shoes were an important part of completing the Nyonya look which featured exquisitely embroidered blouses called “kebaya”.
“In addition to embroidery, Nyonyas are also known for their beadwork. Up until the twentieth century, when young Nyonyas stayed at home to learn domestic skills, they were taught the art of stringing, threading and stitching beads by their mothers, grandmothers and aunts. … Although Nyonyas termed all beads manik potong (‘cut beads’), the beads used in their beadwork were tiny seed beads, especially those made of coloured glass known as Rocaille beads, which came to the region via traders. Three methods of beading were employed: stringing (for making tassels and fringes); threading (in which strings of beads are knotted down to form patterns) and, most commonly, stitching (in which beads are sewn one by one over a design drawn on fabric stretched on a frame). …Sadly, beadwork is now a dying art. Rocaille beads have largely been replaced by bigger plastic ones. Nevertheless, a handful of craftspeople in Penang and Malacca still carry on making beaded shoes”
Here’s a closer look at the intricate beadwork on my Nyonya beaded sandals.
This beautiful beadwork has fostered an appreciation for and curiosity about the art of beading. So, when I saw a workshop called Bead-Embroidered Semi-Precious Stone Pendant listed amongst the many offerings at the recent Berea Festival of LearnShops, I signed up. I’m so glad I did!
The instructor, Fran Morris Mandel of The Beading Angel, creates one-of-a-kind beadwork jewelry. She originally studied beadwork from renowned jewelry artists in California. Her art has been published in exclusive beading magazines including Bead & Button, Beadwork and Bead Unique. As stated on her website, Fran has a “passion for sewing tiny glass ‘seed’ beads one-by-one, using a needle and thread … [she] loves using seed beads, crystals and semi-precious stones to create intricately woven pieces of jewelry, essentially becoming wearable works of art.” Not only does Fran create stunning beaded jewelry, she’s also a skilled teacher! She led us through the steps to create our own masterpieces with gentle guidance, patience, attentiveness and flexibility. Her upbeat, friendly personality put us all at ease. (Many thanks, Fran!)
Here are a few examples of Fran’s striking one-of-a-kind pieces.

The workshop description stated “Participants will surround a semi-precious stone cabochon with seed beads and back it on ultra-suede to create a wearable necklace pendant.” And that’s exactly what we did! There were only 3 students in the class which made for an easy-going, relaxed setting with lots of ideas and tips being shared. (Thank you Candi and Holly!)
Here are the bead-embroidered, semi-precious stone pendants we created (mine is on the left, Candi’s is in the middle and Holly’s is on the right). I think we were all amazed at what we accomplished in only a few hours!

Here’s a closer look at my beaded amethyst cabochon.

It all started with a terrific selection of semi-precious stone cabochons which Fran provided. A cabochon is a stone, gem or other object (such as glass) that has a flat back and smooth dome surface. In her book Beading Cabochons, author Jamie Cloud Eakin advises “For your first projects, I recommend that you choose either round or oval cabochons with a dome that’s approximately 4mm high and that has a good slope tapering to a thin edge. This shape and configuration is easiest to bead properly.” Fran had already glued each cabochon to a small piece of Pellon interfacing on top of a small piece of manila file folder.

Next we selected seed beads in colors to enhance our chosen cabochons. Seed beads are tiny, round, glass beads, named for the seeds they resemble. They are also referred to as rocailles. Seed beads come in a wide variety of colors, finishes and sizes. We chose two colors in size 11/0.

Pictured below is my workplace with my materials. I chose a gorgeous amethyst cabochon along with silver and purple seed beads. Other supplies included Hana beading thread, Thread Heaven thread conditioner, and E6000 adhesive.
Using a thread conditioner was new to me. I learned Thread Heaven is considered both a wax and a conditioner. The wax makes the thread slide through the work easier and the conditioner stops the thread from fraying. We simply pulled our thread through the thread conditioner to coat it. By the way, Thread Heaven is no longer available but Thread Magic seems to be highly recommended as an alternative.
We needed very few tools—only small scissors, a size 10 sharp beading needle and a beading pad. The beading pad, which resembles a small fleece blanket with a short, velvet-like nap, worked great. The pad made it easy to pick up beads with the needle while preventing them from rolling away.
Later on, we would also use a jump ring, jewelry pliers and a neck chain.

We started by sewing a base row of seed beads around the cabochon. We used a backstitch and did our best to space the beads evenly while keeping them tight against the base of the cabochon.

We added more rows of beads working up the slope of the cabochon to form a nice, snug bezel. The number of rows needed varies depending on the size and shape of the cabochon. I used 5 rows of silver seed beads.

At this point, I switched to the purple seed beads and added a row of beads around the bottom edge.

The next step was to attach the outer backing. We trimmed the Pellon interfacing and manila file folder close to the edge of the cabochon. Then cut a matching piece of ultra-suede and secured it in place with E6000 glue.

After the glue dried, we carefully trimmed all the backing materials to align with the bottom row of beads. A final row of beads in a peyote stitch gave the bezel a pretty finished edge. The final step was to create a bail at the top of the pendant.

All that remained was to add a jump ring and chain so we could proudly model our new beaded cabochon pendants!
Here is a final look at my bead-embroidered amethyst cabochon pendant.

More Info

You can learn more about the Baba Nyonya culture and the Nyonya Kebaya in the book, The Nyonya Kebaya: A Century of Straits Chinese Costume by Datin Seri Endon Mahmood. (Many thanks to Gary for gifting me this gorgeous book along with heartfelt thanks to Judy and Sam for the memorable weekend in Malacca!)
The charismatic town of Berea Kentucky hosts the Festival of LearnShops every summer. The LearnShops are short workshops on a wide variety of subjects such as sustainable living, Appalachian crafts, fiber arts, jewelry making and quilt block painting. To learn more about Berea, the Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky, check out the Visit Berea website. Information about the annual Festival of LearnShops is available there.
You may also enjoy my previous post, Lessons Learned from my First Barn Quilt Block, in which I share my experience attending a Quilt Block Painting LearnShop.
The book, Beading with Cabochons: Simple Techniques for Beautiful Jewelry, by Jamie Cloud Eakin can be found here on Archive.org.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Beading can involve various techniques such as stitching into bead fabric (eg my beloved Nyonya sandals) and jewelry making (eg my new beaded amethyst cabochon pendant).
2. Consider attending a workshop to learn a new skill or technique.
3. Tiny seed beads can be combined into an astonishing variety of forms.

Decorate Exteriors How Tos Make Other Media

Lessons Learned from my First Barn Quilt Block

“Please bring a smile and wear comfortable clothing you don’t mind getting paint on.” wrote Mary Reed in her introductory email. With this one sentence, Mary deftly set the tone for her recent Quilt Block Painting workshop. The one-day workshop was part of the popular Festival of LearnShops held in Berea, Kentucky.
An enthusiastic group of eight students gathered on a Wednesday morning at Berea’s Russel Acton Folk Center. Several students had painted quilt blocks before and were adding to their collections. Others, like me, were new to the activity. Mary made everyone feel welcome. Then she explained the materials and tools we would be using.
We used 2-foot square panels of aluminum composite material to make our quilt squares. This is the same material used by professional sign makers. It is specifically designed to withstand harsh weather and is lightweight, bend-resistant, durable and moisture-resistant. Commercial brands include DIBOND® by 3A Composites and PolyMetal™ by Nudo Products. Mary had already primed our metal sign boards with Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Primer so we were able to start marking our patterns right away.
Most barn quilts (see my previous post Have Barn Quilts Made a Comeback?) feature traditional patchwork quilt patterns with repeating, geometric shapes in a carefully-defined color scheme. This barn quilt, spotted on a dairy barn in Wisconsin, is a case in point.

As reported in the 1935 book, The Romance of The Patchwork Quilt in America, “The pieced quilt (made of pieces of fabric cut after patterns and sewed together to form a block or repeat) was familiar to most households where economy was a necessity, as it was created of scraps of material not otherwise of use. The pieced quilt in pioneer days provided means of turning to good account the precious scraps of printed cottons, at that period so rare and costly. The use of so many tiny pieces in one quilt and the pride with which the number-often in the thousands-was announced, gave evidence of their patience and frugality.”
The below quilt, in a Courthouse Square pattern, illustrates the beauty of a patchwork pieced pattern. It was made in northern Illinois and given to Mary Catherine McCool as a wedding gift in 1849.

We were able to choose from various quilt block patterns. Mary provided a variety of options for anyone who had not brought one from home. Mary patiently guided us through the steps of drawing our patterns and then taping and painting our designs. It’s not a difficult process although it does require patience and careful attention to detail. In today’s post, I’d like to share some of the lessons I learned while painting my first barn quilt block.
Lesson #1 – Simplify the Design
I looked at a variety of patchwork quilt blocks and painted barn quilts online before deciding on a pattern. The many hummingbirds visiting our feeders lately inspired me to seek a pattern featuring one of these flying jewels.

Elements from a few different patterns were merged into a single design. Then using special software, called Rapid Resizer, I created a line drawing of the design, resized it to the desired 24” x 24” square format, and printed it. This is the same software I used in a previous project to make a tiny door (see Make Your Own Tiny Door – DIY Tutorial Part 1). It worked very well for this project. Shown below are the printed pattern elements I brought to the workshop.

In hindsight, this design was a little too ambitious for a one-day workshop—especially for a beginner. I did manage to get a good start at the workshop but wasn’t able to finish the project. I drew the pattern, painted the background, and painted the first dozen or so parts. Most importantly, I learned the process and gained the confidence to finish it on my own. Here’s how my barn quilt block looked at the end of the workshop.

I took my partially-complete barn quilt block home and set about finishing it. The first thing I did was rework the design. After seeing the pattern laid out, I decided the original design was too busy and complex with too many small, fiddly pieces. So, I enlarged the flowers and the hummingbird, removed the rows of diamonds, shrunk the border and simplified the center element. The revised pattern is bolder and more streamlined. The below photo shows the main elements of the revised pattern.

Lesson #2 – Plan Color Scheme
The Quilter’s Recipe Book offers this advice about color selection. “In any pieced block, the variations you can create by changing and rearranging colors and tones are almost infinite. It is useful at this stage to make a quick sketch of your block and photocopy it several times. Use colored pencils or fiber-tipped pens to try out different color schemes.” Alternatively, you can use colored paper to test color combinations as Mary helped me do at the workshop.

At home, I spent a little more time planning my color scheme and mixing paints. I selected three analogous colors, blue, violet and red, for the three large flowers. Then added white paint to create a tint for each and black paint to create a shade for each.

To add a little drama and sparkle, I selected yellow and orange as accent colors for the small flower in the center.

Lesson #3 – Tape Precisely
Every element of the barn quilt block design is painted independently. Painter’s tape is placed around the outside edges of each part to ensure neat, clean painted lines. There are a few tricks to avoid bleeding (as seen on the top black edge shown below) and get perfect edges (as seen on the bottom black edge shown below).

One trick is to use a sharp X-Acto knife with a metal ruler to cut the painter’s tape.

Another trick is to use a bone folder (credit card or similar tool) to burnish the edges of the tape. But the best trick is one Mary shared with us—seal the edges of the tape with a small amount of Acrylic Matte Medium. Simply paint over the medium. It’s important to apply the medium sparingly, though, to avoid ridges and bumps under the paint.

The final trick is to remove the painter’s tape, before the paint dries, by pulling it away from the painted area at an angle.

Lesson #4 – Paint Carefully
Mary recommends exterior latex semi-gloss paint for barn quilt blocks. Small foam rollers work well for large sections and foam brushes work well for small sections. I like to line my roller tray with foil to ease cleanup.

Start with the lightest color, taping and painting all the elements in this color at once. Allow the paint to dry before adding a second coat. Then remove the tape, allow the paint to dry and move on to the next paint color—working from light to dark.

After lots of taping and painting, I finally finished my first 2-foot square barn quilt block. Here’s how my personalized Lilies & Hummingbird design turned out.

And here it is beside the peppy orange bench I plan to hang it above. I’m really glad I took the time to rework the design and super pleased with the results! I’m also grateful to have attended Mary Reed’s Quilt Block Painting workshop. Many thanks to Mary and the other participants for a great workshop and a fun day!

More Info

To learn more about barn quilts and see several examples from Kentucky, check out Have Barn Quilts Made a Comeback?
The charismatic town of Berea Kentucky hosts the Festival of LearnShops every summer. The LearnShops are short workshops on a wide variety of subjects such as sustainable living, Appalachian crafts, fiber arts, jewelry making and quilt block painting. To learn more about Berea, the Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky, check out the Visit Berea website. Information about the annual Festival of LearnShops is also available there.
The quilting reference books mentioned in this blog post are available for free on Archive.org:
. The Romance of the Patchwork Quilt in America by Carrie A. Hall and Rose G. Kretsinger
. The Quilter’s Recipe Book by Celia Eddy
To learn more about the Rapid Resizer software used in this project, see my previous post Make Your Own Tiny Door – DIY Tutorial Part 1 and/or the Rapid Resizer website.

Today’s Takeaways

1. Painted barn quilt blocks typically feature traditional patchwork pieced quilt patterns.
2. Simplify the design and plan the color scheme for a painted barn quilt block.
3. Take time to tape precisely and paint carefully when painting a barn quilt block.

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Have Barn Quilts Made a Comeback?

Barn quilts were all the rage about 20 years ago. Artists and enthusiasts across the country were painting large quilt blocks and hanging them on their barn walls. Community members joined forces to organize quilt trails. Local visitor centers created barn quilt maps and encouraged people to come visit. Curious visitors travelled scenic back roads in search of barn quilts and found local culture along the way. Discoveries were shared. Guide books were written. More barn quilts were created and the cycle continued. The Barn Quilt Movement was in full swing.
All of this came to mind, when I spotted these pretty, scaled-down barn quilts on a recent visit to the Red Oak Lavender Farm (see my Stop and Smell the Lavender blog post).

It made me wonder… what ever became of barn quilts? Are they still a thing? My quest for answers led me to the beautiful state of Kentucky. In addition to stunning horse farms, …

…endless miles of plank board fences, …

…spectacular, award-winning thoroughbred mares, …

…and their adorable foals, …

…I found an amazing variety of gorgeous barn quilts sprinkled around the state.

This pretty blue barn quilt, in a Carpenter’s Square pattern, was spotted in Ravenna Kentucky. It is part of the Madison County Kentucky Quilt Trail. Wikipedia describes a quilt trail as “a series of painted wood or metal hung or freestanding quilt squares installed along a route emphasizing significant architecture and/or aesthetic landscapes”.

The first barn quilt trail was started by Donna Sue Groves. She came up with the idea while working for the Ohio Arts Council in the 1990s. Donna Sue shared her story in Following the Barn Quilt Trail: “I learned the value of using the arts to build a sense of community, particularly through creating large public murals. … I also realized that the majority of communities held annual quilt shows and everyone seemed to have a quilt story. …Most rural communities did not have large, blank, store walls or a floodwall for murals, but they did have barns. … Why not make use of those barn walls specifically for a community project decorating them with quilt squares?” Adams County Ohio, where Donna Sue lived, launched their trail and dedicated their first quilt square in October 2001. The idea caught on and soon interested parties were reaching out for more information. The Ohio team generously shared their how-to information and encouraged the recipients to pass along what they learned. Since then, barn quilt trails were established in nearly every American state as well as many Canadian provinces.
This barn quilt was spotted near Richmond, Kentucky.

The pattern is called The Star Within. It is typical of traditional, patchwork quilt patterns with regularly, repeating shapes and a planned, repetitious color scheme in a symmetrical design.

Many of the barns, called tobacco barns because they were once used to air-cure tobacco, are no longer in use.
Ironically, some of the barn quilts appear as if they will outlive the barns on which they are displayed.

This pattern is a Nine Patch Star.

The residents of Estill County in Kentucky also embraced the Barn Quilt Movement during its heyday. As explained on their website, “The Estill County Quilt Trail is a project of the Estill Arts Council that became a true community wide effort. Citizens from all walks of life, both women and men and, young and old, came together to help in the selection of quilt patterns and barn sites. Mondays became known as the “quilting bee” night as volunteers showed up to draw and paint, for close to two years, in order to complete and install over 50 quilt squares. Through this project many new friendships were made and a sense of pride in the rich cultural heritage of the community’s historic, agricultural, and folk art roots was realized.” I recently had the opportunity to travel sections of the Estill County Quilt Trail and admire several of the barn quilts created by this talented group.
As I entered the town of Irvine, it quickly became obvious barn quilts are no longer just for barns. For instance, visitors to this quiet, pleasant town are greeted by this colorful barn quilt on the local optometrist’s office.

Many quilt patterns have a fascinating backstory. For instance, the Log Cabin pattern, shown below, “is one of the most well-known and popular of all patchwork patterns … it symbolized home, warmth, love and security.” As explained on the Homestead Quilt Discovery Experience website, “The center square of the block was done in red to represent the hearth, the focal point of life in a cabin or home. The name, Log Cabin, comes from the narrow strips of fabric, or logs arranged around the center square. Each fabric strip or log was added to the pattern in much the same way logs were stacked to build a cabin … Many Log Cabin patterns were worked in two color schemes, lights and darks, divided diagonally in the middle. This represented the sun’s east to west movement in the sky. As the sun rose, its light shown on the cabin, creating the light side of the block. As the sun traveled west, part of the cabin was left in the shadow, creating the dark side of the block.”
This Log Cabin quilt square is prominently displayed at the Estill County Historical and Genealogical Museum and Research Center.

The local florist shop also got into the quilt square action with this aptly chosen pattern, known as Flower Basket, painted on the shop’s wall.

The charismatic town of Berea Kentucky also features several outstanding barn quilts. Berea, considered the Folk Arts and Crafts Capital of Kentucky, hosts the Festival of LearnShops every summer. The LearnShops are short workshops on a wide variety of subjects such as sustainable living, Appalachian crafts, fiber arts, jewelry making and, you guessed it, painting barn quilts! Berea boasts a number of artisan studios, art galleries, and unique boutiques. Many of these businesses are located in the Artisan Village area of town. The Honeysuckle Vine Gallery & Studio proudly displays a Grandmother’s Fan barn quilt.

Traditionally, barn quilts were large–typically 8-feet square—but, today, talented artists and enthusiasts are creating barn quilt squares in a variety of sizes and configurations. Groupings of three quilt squares, like those shown below, are sprinkled throughout Berea. These were spotted in front of the Berea College Farm.

A little online research reveals interest in barn quilts remains strong. The original Barn Quilt Movement may have slowed but scores of people, as evidenced by the 38,000+ members of the Barn Quilt Addicts Facebook Group, are still painting quilt squares to decorate their homes, garages, sheds and surroundings. The quilt squares may be smaller—typically 4 feet square or less—but the beautiful patterns and joyful colors are the same. Barn quilts, it seems, don’t need a comeback—they never went away!

More Info

Check out my previous post, Stop and Smell the Lavender, for a visit to the Red Oak Lavender Farm & Shop in Dahlonga, Georgia, USA.
The Kentucky Tourism website provides information about visiting Kentucky’s famed horse farms. “Centered around Lexington but found all around the state, these farms are responsible for breeding, raising and training the magnificent horses that dominate the racetrack. Many farms offer set hours for visitors, and several companies lead guided tours.”
Check out the the Madison County Kentucky Quilt Trail or the Estill County Kentucky Quilt Trail website for more information.
Special thanks to Mary Reed for pointing me in the right direction!
To learn more about Berea, the Folk Arts & Crafts Capital of Kentucky, check out the Visit Berea website. Information about the annual Festival of LearnShops can be found there. Stay tuned here, to the FanningSparks blog, for an accounting of my experiences attending the Berea LearnShops!
After a wonderful visit to the beautiful state of Kentucky, I was deeply saddened to hear about the Central Appalachia floods which recently devastated eastern Kentucky. My thoughts are with all the talented and charming Kentuckians I met during this trip.
Suzi Parron is the author of two books: Barn Quilts and the American Quilt Trail Movement, written in cooperation with Donna Sue Groves in 2012, and Following the Barn Quilt Trail in 2016.
You can learn more about the Quilt Discovery Experience at the Homestead National Historical Park in Beatrice, Nebraska on their website.
Check out the Barn Quilt Addicts public group on Facebook for “pictures of Barn Quilts of all sizes from anywhere and everywhere, barns, quilts. … creations, … ideas, tips.”

Today’s Takeaways

1. A barn quilt is a painted replica of a quilt square. Traditionally, barn quilts were 8 feet square and mounted on barn walls. Today, barn quilts are painted in a variety of sizes and displayed in a myriad of places.
2. A barn quilt trail is a series of barn quilts installed along a route designed to encourage visitors.
3. Consider seeking out a barn quilt trail near you.

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New Chickadee Gourd Nest Box Goes on the Market

Earlier this month, I shared my plans to build a nest box from a gourd. Nest boxes are typically customized to meet the nesting needs of specific birds. In this case, I chose to target chickadees—those delightful, little black-capped songbirds. This is a Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) holding a berry.

My new chickadee gourd nest box looks quite promising. However, the real test—whether breeding chickadees actually move in—won’t take place until the next nesting season. In the meantime, I’d like to share how I made this gourd nest box.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s NestWatch website provides specifications for various wooden nest boxes including those intended for chickadees. They specify, for instance, how big the interior of a nest box should be for the chickadee’s nest and hatchlings. They also specify the size of the entrance hole—it should be just big enough for a chickadee to enter and exit while keeping out predators and undesired birds. Check out my previous post, Are Gourds for the Birds?, for the full rundown on these specifications. Most of the NestWatch specs were easy to apply but I did have to find a few workarounds to compensate for the differences between gourds and wood.

My project started with a visit to a nearby gourd farm. Bug’s Gourd Farm is a small, family business in the beautiful countryside of Eastern Georgia. They had tons of dried, raw gourds to choose from.

The folks at Bugs Gourd Farm were very helpful—answering my questions and helping me find just the right gourds (Thank you Ann!). They even gave me a few cracked gourds for practicing. The challenge was to find two gourds that would fit together—one for the main body and the other for a roof. Ideally, a nest box has a sloped roof with a 2-4” overhang on the front and a 2” overhang on the sides. I selected a martin gourd for the body (shown below left) and a kettle gourd (aka pear or teardrop gourd) for the roof (shown below right).

I decided to cut the roof section with a scalloped edge to add some interest. Paper templates were taped to the gourd to draw a cutting line.

It was easier to cut the scalloped roofline in two passes. In the first pass, I cut a straight line all the way around the gourd. In the second pass, I cut the indents for the scallops. Then with my safety respirator firmly in place, I used my Dremel sanding drum to shape the scallops and smooth the edges.
Since this was my first time cutting gourds, I had to try a few different tools and techniques to find a method that worked for me. The most popular method, according to my online research, is to use a miniature jigsaw specifically designed for cutting gourds. Two examples are The Caning Shop’s Gourd Saw and Welburn Gourd Farm’s Super Jigsaw Proxxon STS/E. Since I’m not quite ready to make this kind of investment, I decided to try using my Dremel with a cutting wheel. I was able to cut the gourd but it was awkward to use and resulted in a rough cut. I had better results with a scrolling saw blade in my regular DeWalt jigsaw. However, it was rather tricky to keep the jigsaw’s base plate snug against the gourd’s round surface.
The gourd’s shape also presents a challenge when securing the gourd for the cut. I used a combination of wood blocks and clamps to keep my gourd locked in place. This is where the scaled-down size of a gourd saw has a definite advantage—it is small and light enough to be used one-handed. It seems to be common practice to hold a gourd with one hand while using the other hand to cut with the gourd saw. Obviously, no matter which cutting tool is used, it’s critical to use it safely.
My next step was to remove the top, stem-end from the body of the main gourd to allow the roof to sit snuggly on top.

It can take a few tries to get the fit right. Here’s how mine looked with the roof sitting on the body.

My next step was to make an access door for future cleaning and monitoring. After deciding which side would be the front of the nest box, I marked a long, narrow loop on the backside. It’s easier to start and end the cut at the top rim than to cut a free-standing hole. I cut carefully since the cutout section will be used to close the opening.

Here’s how I clamped the gourd into place so I could cut the door with my jigsaw.

The door also provides easy access to remove dried seeds and fibers from the inside of the gourd. A round scoop or metal spoon can be used to scrap along the sides. It’s not necessary to remove every piece of fiber. In fact, it’s preferable to leave the inside of the gourd a little rough to help future nestlings climb out of the nest box.
The top edge of the door will slip neatly under the roof section. Therefore, all that’s needed to keep the door in place is a closure at the bottom. I made a closure with two pieces of wire, two beads and two 1” metal washers. The steps are illustrated below.
1. Drill a hole in the door and the wall. Cut a length of wire and bend it in half.
2. Slide a plastic bead onto the wire. Insert the ends of the wire through the hole in the door—from front to back—leaving about 1” of wire on the front.
3. Twist the wires between the bead and the door.
4. On the inside of the door, slip a 1” flat washer onto the wires, crisscrossing the wires through the hole in the center. Twist the ends of the wires to tighten and bend them out of way.
5. Repeat for the corresponding hole in the wall of the gourd.
6. To close the door, simply twist the two beaded wires together.

The roof was attached with a similar approach. I set the roof in place and carefully drilled through both the roof and body gourds. Working from the inside of the main gourd, I pulled a piece of wire through both holes to the outside, slipped a bead onto the wire, and pushed the wire back inside the gourd. Then I threaded the ends of the wire through a washer and twisted the wires to tighten them. All the mechanics are nicely hidden inside the gourd with only 3 small beads visible on the roof.

The final construction step was to bore holes for the entrance, drainage and ventilation. The NestWatch specifications called for an entrance hole with a diameter of 1⅛”. After trying a few test holes, I settled on using a 1” hole saw drill bit to bore the initial hole and then sanding the edges out to the desired 1⅛”. A round wood file worked well for this step. Alternatively, a Dremel sanding drum could be used.
Four ⅜” drainage holes were drilled around the bottom of the body gourd. Four ⅝” ventilation holes were drilled up under the roof towards the top edge of the body gourd. In hindsight, it would have been easier to drill the ventilation holes before attaching the roof.
The NestWatch specifications state nest boxes should be made with untreated and unpainted wood. Thus, I left the gourds untreated. I could not, however, resist the temptation to embellish the front with a painted design. I chose exterior paints because the gourd house will be exposed to rain, sun and changing temperatures. The base is simply interior/exterior paint from Behr custom mixed in my favorite shade of moss green. The black outlines are done with a Sharpie Extreme Permanent Marker—markers designed to withstand UV rays and the other rigors of weather.

Transferring patterns to the gourd can be difficult due to its curved surface. I found cutting my paper pattern into small, manageable sections and taping them to the surface individually made it easier. A regular lead pencil and a white plastic eraser worked well for this step.

Here’s how the decoration turned out.

As recommended by the NestWatch website, I used a metal pole to mount my nest box. It is a 5-foot length of ½” black steel with a threaded end. After finding the bottom center of the nest box, I used wood screws to attach a 3” metal floor flange to the nest box. Then the metal floor flange was attached to the pole. These components were found in the plumbing department at my local Home Depot store. A predator guard, such as a metal collar or section of stovepipe, can be added to the metal pole.
The final step is to select a site the chickadees will like. Chickadees nest in dense natural habitat, such as thickets of small trees, so the recommended placement is 4-8’ high in a stand of small trees. I plan to install my nest box in a shaded area to help keep it cool.
After selecting my final site, I will use a 2-foot piece of steel rebar to secure the metal pole in place. I’ll push the rebar into the ground ensuring it is plumb and slip the metal pole over the rebar.
And then I must wait! While chickadees may check out my new gourd nest box over the next months, I won’t know until next nesting season if any chickadees will take up residence and start a family!

More Info

See my previous post, Are Gourds for the Birds?, to learn more about cavity-nesting birds and NestWatch recommendations for birdhouses and nest boxes.
The NestWatch website, by The Cornell Lab of Ornithology, has many great resources for bird enthusiasts.
Bug’s Gourd Farm is located in Keysville, Georgia, USA. You can learn more on their website.
More information about the gourd saws mentioned in this post can be found on The Caning Shop website (see Gourd Crafting > Supplies & Tools) or the Welburn Gourd Farm website (see Tools & Supplies > Jigsaws and Jigsaw Blades).

Today’s Takeaways

1. Consider using a gourd to make a nest box.
2. Customize your nest box to the size and preferences of the birds you wish to target.
3. Advance planning and patience are needed to attract nesting birds to your surroundings.

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