Saturday, August 27, 2011

Triangular Thread Catcher Tutorial


My little fabric Triangle Thread Catcher sits beside my chair in the living room and also travels in my on-the-go project box. Because of the shape, it sits nicely on any flat surface or even on the dash of the car! It folds up nice and flat even when there is a fair amount of thread in it. It has solved the problem of having threads or even 'dog ears' all over the car and my clothes when I stitch on the road or at home.


They are simple and easy to make. There have been a few people asking for instructions to make one of my little Triangle Thread Catchers so, here goes!






Materials:
  • 2 pieces of fabric at least 10" square (left over layer cakes would be great!)
  • 3 buttons or pins
  • 8 1/2" x 11" piece of paper to make pattern
  • quilting ruler at least 12" long

Making the pattern:

We are basically creating an equilateral triangle that is 9 1/2 inches on each side. (If you feel comforable, you can use your cutting ruler with the 60 degree angle and cut directly on your fabric.)
 

    
1.  Lay paper with the long side towards you and measure 9 1/2" starting from the corner on the left. Make a mark at 9 1/2 inches at the edge of the paper. 






2.  Fold paper in half aligning the mark you made with the left edge. Crease a line along the fold. (I have marked the crease with pen so you can see it more easily.)




3.  Use the straight edge of your ruler to measure 9 1/2 " from the corner mark to the center line. Put the 9 1/2" mark on the ruler at the mark on the right. Swivel the ruler until the end of it meets the center crease that you made. Mark along this line.




4.  Now, mark a line from the left corner to the top center in the same way.







                      5.  Cut out on the outer line and you have your pattern.

Cutting:

1.  Lay your fabrics on your cutting mat with right sides together.


 

2.  Place pattern paper on top and align your ruler along one edge of the pattern. Cut.





 3.  Repeat aligning ruler with pattern edge and cutting for the other two sides.



  

 Sewing:
    1.  With right sides of the fabrics together, place a few pins along all three sides. I like to use 2 pins close together to indicate where I will be leaving an opening - sort of a stopping/starting mark.

    2.  Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew around the three sides pivoting at the corners and leaving a 3 inch opening in the center of one side to use for turning.
     

    3.  Trim the fabric close at each of the three points.
     

    4.  Turn right side out through the opening.





    5. Use a needle or a point turner to work the corners to a sharp point. Work gently so you don't push a hole through the points. I like using a needle best but take care not to work too much and fray out the point. If either should happen to you, just turn inside-out again and resew at the corner and then try again.

    6.  Carefully work the edges flat and press. Press the edges of the opening under 1/4" on each side.

     

    7.  Top-stitch around the triangle about 1/8 inch or less from the edge - this will also close up the opening you used to turn it. (I missed doing this step on one of mine and it turned out OK too. Just be sure that your opening will be totally closed by the next step.)
    8.  Hold one long edge of the triangle and fold in half meeting the points.Then, fold the top point back to meet the bottom fold to find the center between the points and the fold and put a pin in to mark the center. This will be the end of the joining seam.




    9.  With the lining fabric sides together, top stitch the sides together on top of the previous top stitching from the fold up the side to where the pin is placed at the center point. Back stitch at both ends of the seam. 


    10.  Repeat this with the other two sides.



    Finishing:




    Fold each point down and secure with a button or pin in the center of the flap. I have used 3 different buttons on mine but have also used orphan earings and old tie pins.


    I hope you enjoy this little project!

    If you make one or more of these, I'd love to see it! Add your name and the link to the actual post (or picture in Flickr) showing your Triangle Thread Catcher. Or, you can always email me a picture!

    76 comments:

    1. These instructions were very easy to follow - great way to make this high on my 'to do' list!!
      I can see a few being made for fellow crafters as an extra little 'gift'!! Thank you for doing this!!

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    2. So cute and easy to make. Will make nice gifts too. Thanks for posting this. I need one of these by my chair in the living room for all the little snippets that are created.

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    3. These cute thread catchers were shared at quiltingboard.com. Love them and will be making a few for the holidays. Thanks for the tutorial.

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    4. These are really adorable! Thanks so much for the pattern. I found them on the quiltingboard.

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    5. Is the bottom the same as the sides? You just make 4 triangles?

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      Replies
      1. There is just one large triangle that has been folded up (and sewn) to create the sides and bottom. Just try making one following the directions and you will see how easy it really is. If you are still having trouble, let me know!

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    6. These are great. I'm in a mug rug and goodie swap at the moment and I think I'll try to make one these. Thank you for the tutorial :)

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    7. Great tutorial, and nice little thread catcher Edna! Awesome job! Thanks for sharing! 8-)

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    8. Great tutorial. I had fun making mine!

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    9. how cute! i can't wait to make a bunch!

      i'm thinking they'd make good presents for my sewig friends this christmas!

      thanks 'sew' much for sharing!

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    10. Love your tutorial. I put a link to it on my blog. Thanks.

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    11. I didn't make your thread catcher, but, I received one at my guilds holiday party this week. A friend and I are planning on making some for our other guild soon. These are sew cute! Thanks!

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    12. Great tutorial! Thank you for sharing!

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    13. hice el recoje hilos me salió a la primera,muchas gracias ,¿¿tiene mas tutoriales ?? espero su respuesta. Un beso ,Pilar,

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      1. Perdon la pregunta, pero como hiciste la base, yo no entiendo como terminar aquello. La base me queda hueca. Agradeceré mucho si me lo explicas, deberian ser cuatro triangulos y uno es pala la base???

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      2. Hope you can translate this. There is only one triangle that is made of two pieces of fabric joined and turned right side out. After that, each of the three sides is folded and sewn half way up each side leaving the points to become the flaps. I hope this helps!

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    14. I saw this at quilt guild today and loved it....so glad I found your tutorial...I'm motivated to get busy..thanks for posting.

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    15. I was looking for a thread catcher and yours is great not too big and really easy to do. I'm going to make a few for me and friends. Love the tutorial
      Thanks

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    16. I made 28 of your thread catchers (pictures on my blog http://cherylsteapots2quilting.blogspot.com/2012/01/2012-newfo-challenge-january.html. I'm even giving three of them away as part of my Triple Whammy Giveaway. I included a link to this tutorial. Thanks for the tutorial.

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    17. Olá! Adorei seu trabalho. Este porta linhas é muito bonito e gostei principalmente por não ser difícil de fazer. Vou fazer uns pra mim, Bjs.. Estou lhe seguindo ..

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      1. I am very happy that you like my thread catcher pattern. I hope you will make some. Thank you also for following me.

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    18. Thanks so much for the fun, and easy to follow, tutorial Edna!! I added my link above so you can see the two I made. TFS
      ~Terry~

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    19. Thanks for a wonderful idea.Such a well thought out and presented tutorial, too. No more complaints about my loose threads all over the carpet, now.

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    20. I really enjoyed your quick and fun tutorial. I left a link of the one I made. Thank you!

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    21. What a great idea and super tutorial! Thanks so much.

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    22. Thank you thank you! What a great little project.

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    23. Thanks for the Tute ... I used it today and the thread catcher was SO fun to make, and easy too. I needed to make something for a Challenge swap online. I made the thread catcher,a matching mug rug and dress-form pincushion.

      Now I'm thinking of making more of these little thread catchers for gifts for friends!

      warm quilt hugs, sue in CA

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    24. Thanks for your tutorial. I only need one, but they are so easy and cute I have made three. Great little extras to pop in with sewing gifts too.

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    25. As I was surfing the web this past weekend looking for a portable "ort" container that I can carry around with me
      I ran across your site and saw these wonderful little gems. It took me a couple of tries, but I now have it down and have already made a half dozen! I plan on giving them to my EGA group at our end of year get together in May and making them for the people I work with (about 70!) for Christmas this year and putting candy in them. Thanks so much for sharing this!

      Jayne

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    26. Amei visitar seu blog.
      Lindos trabalhos com tutorial.
      Obrigada por partilhar
      bel

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    27. I just made one for my mom. She crochets and travels and I can see this being just right to throw in a tote with her crocheting. Your tutorial was easy to follow and the finished product is cute-as-a-button. No buttons on the one I made though ~ I just tacked each outer triangle. I wondered if the buttons might catch on projects in Mom's tote, so I'll let her decide if she wants me to add the buttons. Thanks for sharing a great project!

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    28. I just made one and it is cool! Not too hard to follow your tutorial. I will make a few more so I don't have to use my glass Ort jar as it tends to get broken with little hands around. Thank you for the tutorial to make fabric ort bag. socialsue a4x4aspect@yahoo.com

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    29. Thank you sew very much for sharing this fabulous tutorial. I just finished my first thread catcher and am in love with it. I will definitely be making more of these for gifts to my sewing friends. I blogged about this today and linked to you. Blissful Stitching...

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    30. I made quite a few of these last month and just linked to pics of them. The instructions were easy. I made two without the top stitching and it came out much neater. Thanks for sharing.

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    31. I was enchanted with your thread catcher and immediately made four of them! I fastened the corners down with teeny tiny safety pins and they are definitely cute. Thanks so much for the great tutorial.

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    32. Just saw Createology's post on her thread catcher, very cute!
      Deb

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    33. Thanks so much for the tutorial. I made one and referenced back to your blog link. Fast, fun and functional. Love it!

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    34. Great tutorial! I made one today to go with some other sewing things to coordinate. I did a blog post on it and gave you credit. Hope you don't mind. Here is my blog. Today I Will Make

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    35. As a new sewer, I really enjoyed doing this project. Instructions were easy and the accompanying photos were helpful. I will definitely be making more for my friends who introduced me to this fun hobby. Thank you!

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    36. Really easy to follow and usefull to use!

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    37. This little accessory is so useful, cute to look at, and easy to make. There are three of them in my sewing room. One next to the sewing machine, another on my cutting table and the third on my ironing table. They fill up quickly but are easy to empty into the trash bin. I made them in March 2012 from a tutorial I found at
      http://robinquiltsetc.com/files/Snippets_and_Threads_Tutorial_1_.pdf
      Thanks for hosting this linky party!

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    38. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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    39. I work in a grade 5/6 class as an educational assistant. Almost all the students have a pencil sharpener container that invariably falls on the floor and breaks open only to scatter the debris all over the floor, not to mention the clanging the case makes as it bounces across the floor usually during silent reading or quiet working time. I'm hoping to make all the students one they can keep on/in their desk. At least if it falls it wont make a sound. If they want they can dump their pencil shavings inside the catcher and dump it at the end of the day!
      From Ontario, Canada. Thank-you!

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    40. cute, great tutoril, but a bit too tiny. I will try to enlarge the pattern.
      thanks for sharing.

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    41. I love it. Its small to carry with you for projects.

      Stephanie
      www.theladybugsgarden-stephanie.blogspot.com/

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    42. I just made my thread catcher! Thanks for the great tutorial and for sharing it with others. The first one was too small for me, so I made one with a 12" triangle and I also put rice in the bottom to weight it down.
      Shirley in Wisconsin

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    43. Thanks for a wonderful tutorial - very easy to follow. The thread catchers are so cute! I made a couple, then enlarged the pattern & made a couple more. I'll be making these as little gifts for my stitching friends. Thanks again!

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    44. I just made one too. They are so cute and easy. I'm not a quilter so I didnt really have the right kind of fabric or some of the tools but it still turned out really well. It will be great for crochet thread when I'm finishing projects. Thank you for the tutorial!

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    45. Thanks for fab tutorial, loved how quickly they came together and will be sharing the tutorial on my blog for others to come and check out your blog

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    46. Thanks for sharing this great tutorial. I made a couple and linked them up!

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    47. Wonderful idea , may I use your tutorial in a class I am teaching ? I made a small one that works as a jewelry box. It is on my blog.

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    48. Our quilt group would like to use this idea for our Christmas gathering. May we have permission, please?

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    49. So cute, very easy and useful too. Made some for church bazaar and will make more to use and to share.

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    50. I'm going to make one of these, linked over from St. Victor Quilts, also, I need a favour, I'd love to follow you but really need your posts coming into my inbox. Could you be so kind as to set that up? Also, I'm another Canadian Quilt Blogger, Good Earth Quilting out in B.C.

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    51. Thank you for this wonderful tutorial! A friend of mine gave me one of these last Sunday. Her gift touched me, and was such a surprise. It really made my day. I look forward to making some of these, so that I can spread some love and cheer, too.

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    52. Done and done... And then done again.
      http://www.flickr.com/photos/sexyninjamonkey/11461262293/

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    53. Edna, I made one of these as an extra on a swap and they were a big hit. Gave your html on the site for others to come here. http://www.flickr.com/photos/105749630@N03/12547878724/ crystalbluern at onlineok dot com

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    54. Saw it, did it! What fun!

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    55. thank you so much for sharing this little treasure! i put the pic up on facebook and shared your tutorial! thank you again!

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    56. What a great plan will be doing a few of these

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    57. Excellent idea and would make great gifts for quilty friends...thanks for sharing.

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    58. muchas gracias por el tutorial
      Espero pronto tener el mio terminado
      Me gusta
      saludos

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    59. This wouldn't only be good as a thread catcher. I belong to a stamping club and scrappers and stampers can generate a Lot of paper scraps! I think I'll make a few of these for that... one for my sewing room, one for the RV, one for meetings and classes....

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    60. Could these be made with wadding inside to make them stiffer or iron on vilene. Welcome any views.
      Margart

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      1. I find that this small size does not need anything more to keep it sitting up nicely. If you were to increase the size, I would add a bit of iron on interfacing. Make a test one from the pattern as written and then decide if you feel it needs to be stiffer.

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    61. Thank you for sharing. Great tutorial x

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    62. You put this up in 2011 and people are still making your cute little thread catchers. I have made several along with a pin cushion and given as gifts. I also have made several for myself. They are quick and easy to make. Thank you for sharing your design.

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    63. I love this tutorial, it was easy to follow, and thread catchers are definitely handy to have around. I posted a review of this tutorial and a picture of my own version of this on my blog.

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    64. Thank you for this tutorial. Someone recently asked me to make an ort catcher, and I had no clue how to go about sewing one. Thanks to you, I had one finished in 15 minutes!

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    65. I am FINALLY unconfused, lol. I was seeing it as 3 triangles, not 1.

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    66. I made this for when I quilt in the car. A friend shared it with me - you can see mine here https://www.instagram.com/p/BwuKv9DBYd2/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

      Thanks for sharing this simple pattern that my students can use in the classroom and maybe make me less nuts about all the threads being everywhere :)

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    67. I love it! I'm planning on making these for my sewing group for Christmas gifts. But my question is ... does it matter what kind of material to use. Cause I have a lot of little pieces of leftover fabric and some are like silk/polyester type. Thank you for this great idea .... MEC

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    68. Thank you, I had googled ORT BOX and your tutorial came up. I think it's cuteness attracted me. Instructions are quite precise and easy to follow. I am into bias edging to restrict turning things as my fingers hurt so much, this will be easy to do.

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    69. Thank you for this, I can wait to get started!! Will take a while as i dont have a sewing machine, so by hand it is! I have some Alice in Wonderland fabric squares that will be perfect, just need to buy some buttons :-)

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