Quilt Clock

My mother-in-law is the ultimate crafter. She can embroider anything and sews like a mad woman. In a good way. I'm in awe of her skills. When she and my father-in-law built their current house she had a special craft room built which I am thoroughly jealous of. As much as I loved it, it needed a bit of pizazz. So I made this for her a few years ago.

Her name is Charleen, thus the nickname of Char. If you want to know how I made it ask.

 Fast forward a few years and I saw a clock made out of fabric, buttons and a quilt hoop and I though this would be the perfect addition to her room. Yes, I'm living vicariously through her craft room. I can't help it. You would too if you saw the built in storage/fabric closets and drawers and amazing embroidery machine!

So first off, I bought the hoop. Next I got a simple little linen fabric for $3 a yard at Joann's (I only used about a quarter of a yard. But I am using the rest to make some other items in the near future). A few days later I stopped back at Joann's to get a bag of buttons to match the bright colors of the yarn on the above creation (you can't really tell since my only camera right now is my phone, but it's bright orange, silver, a bright royal blue, and kelly green). I ordered the clock part on ebay for $4 and everything was in place. Fast forward to the week before Christmas and I thought it was time to approach this task.

At first I thought I should trace around the hoop and cut that shape to work with for my clock. WRONG! Cut a square a decent bit larger than your hoop so you can pull the fabric and keep it taut while you work with it.

I've never been one patient enough to deal with measurements or numbers or really anything. So I didn't measure the distance between the buttons. But I eyeballed it. It is pretty much even so I'm glad my eyes didn't fail me.

Buttons all sewn on.

I realized that due to my fabric, the clock parts wouldn't stay very well. So after talking with my smarty pants husband he suggested putting something between the cloth and the clock parts. I used a scrap of poster board I had from a primary lesson. I traced it and cut it to fit the largest hoop. Next I traced the inner hoop. I cut slits forming rhombuses (who knew I remembered that word?!) and then folded them in so they fit in the hoops.

Next I used my handy dandy exacto knife and cut a little x through the fabric and poster board right in the middle. No measuring, just eyeballing it. Look, you got the word Rhombus out of me- be impressed with that.

Your clock parts should have instructions on how to attached everything (each maker is unique and I honestly don't remember the name of the kind I have). I put the clock parts through and attached the hands. Then I trimmed the fabric so it was just barely longer than the hoops. That way, if necessary it can be pulled taut.

I thought everything would go quickly, however when you do some of it at work and forget parts at home it takes a bit longer. Three days later though I had my clock!

My recommendation? Make it when you have enough time (pun somewhat intended), and make sure you have everything together. And follow this pin instead of this cuter one you see everywhere. The cute one has no tutorial. The first one does.