Stained Glass Snowflake Block

Cutwork is a needlework technique where portions of fabric are cut out and the resulting holes reinforced with embroidery. We have been learning how to create this heirloom needlework in a fraction of the time making lacy snowflakes, glittery snowflakes, and snowflake quilt blocks. So what would happen if we placed different colored fabrics in the snowflake cutouts? A stained glass snowflake block, perhaps?

Supplies

Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

• clear heavy-weight water-soluble stabilizer such as Sulky Ultra Solvy
• washable marker
• fabric for the snowflake
• assorted fabrics for the cutouts
• fabric for the background
• small short-bladed scissors with sharp-pointed tips
• embroidery thread

Trace your snowflake onto clear heavy-weight water-soluble stabilizer using a washable marker. I find that fabric markers don’t show up well on the Solvy and have better success with the kids’ Crayola markers. Pin the Solvy onto the right side of the snowflake fabric, making sure that the marker color shows up against your fabric.

Sew through the two layers with a straight stitch on the marked lines. Then cut out the fabric close to the stitching but leave the Solvy uncut.

Choose a stained-glass fabric for the first set of cutouts and position it under the snowflake, right side up. Pin in place.

Set your sewing machine to a satin stitch wide enough to cover the cut-out edges and the straight stitches. You may want to test the stitch on scrap fabric to find the best settings. Satin stitch around the first set of cut-out edges.

From the back, trim the stained-glass fabric close to the stitching. For fun, I top-stitched around the satin-stitching with embroidery thread that matched the stained-glass fabric. Here’s how it looks from the back and the front.

Choose a stained-glass fabric for the second set of cutouts and position it under the snowflake, right side up. Pin in place.

Satin stitch around the second set of cut-out edges. From the back, trim the stained-glass fabric close to the stitching as before.

Continue in this manner, adding stained-glass fabrics, satin-stitching, and trimming until all the cutouts are filled. Layer the stained glass snowflake onto the background fabric,  matching centers, and satin stitch around the outside edges.

Once the stitching is complete, soak the snowflake block in water to dissolve the Solvy.

So many possibilities, so many snowflakes! At least these cutwork snowflakes don’t need to be shoveled. We hope you have enjoyed learning this updated heirloom needlework technique while making lacy snowflakes, glittery snowflakes, snowflake quilt blocks, and stained glass snowflakes. The blizzard isn’t over – we’ve got one more snowflake on the way. See you soon!