Sentimental Stitches

I think I told you I first heard about this in an email from The Quilt Show. I should have saved the email for reference but going from memory, the referred you to a German web site for pictures and recommended a lazy susan from Linens ‘n Things at $25. It looks really nice but I found a bamboo lazy susan at Walmart for $9.88 and it worked great. I purchased it at the store here in TC.

Reading German was never a talent I possessed and most of you could figure things out from the pictures but here’s my version made in Shipshewana during the Dear Jane Retreat.

Here’s what you’ll need:
Lazy Susan (mine is about 15″)
Cotton Batting
Cotton String
Paper for Pattern
Safety Pin
Sewing or Quilting Thread

Place your lazy susan upside down on your pattern paper and trace around the edge. Cut out your paper pattern. You’ll use it on both the batting and fabric. Because lazy susans vary in size from brand to brand, I recommend making the paper pattern.

Using your paper pattern, cut out two circles of cotton batting. I used 100% cotton rather than a poly/cotton blend because I wasn’t sure how the heat of the iron would effect the blend. Don’t you love my hand drawn squiggles around the pattern. You don’t need to use your artistic talents for that. I just wanted to make sure you could see the edge of the pattern.

Pin your paper pattern to the wrong side of your chosen fabric. I used a cotton print by Moda from one of the American Jane collections.

Using a pencil, mark out around the circle on your fabric 3 1/2″ from the edge of the paper.

Cut out the fabric on your drawn line.

Turn under 1/2″ and sew around the circle about 1/4″ from the folded edge leaving a 3/8″ opening to insert the string. I stitched this one by machine but if I make another one I’m going to use a double strand of quilting thread and a running stitch like you would on a yoyo making sure the start and stop points are secure. I think it would be easier and look neater (not that anyone is going to see it) than my machine stitching did.

Using a small safety pin, thread string through the casing.

Center your batting circles in the middle of your fabric cover.


Place your lazy susan upside down on the batting circles.

Pull up string to gather cover around your lazy susan.

Pull string tightly adjusting your gathers evenly.

Tie string in a knot or bow. A extra set of hands is helpful at this point but I managed to do it okay.

Trim excess ends of your string and tuck under so they are out of the way. Readjust any uneven gathers.

Flip that baby over and enjoy. We all laughed at the retreat when I gave mine a spin and the fabric made us all dizzy. I haven’t had much time to test this out yet but I think it has it’s place. I also saw a 22″ lazy susan somewhere and wonder if I might like the larger size.

If you have any questions please email me. I’m off to work for the day.

Would one of the CyberQuilters please contact me. I was invited to join your group several months ago and knew I didn’t have the time but would like to participate during the winter but don’t know how to join.