Christmas Cracker Tutorial with baby lock

by Bethany Armitage

What better time of year to show off your creative skills and tuck in to some fun and festive projects! We're delighted to bring you this Christmas Cracker tutorial from the team at baby lock - the perfect finishing touch for your Christmas table!

Materials:

  • Assorted Christmas fabrics
  • Lining Fabric. We used a polycotton tartan
  • 5(6mm diameter) of sturdy cardboard tubing such as the centre of a roll of fabric or postal tubes
  • Fusible Fleece
  • Decorative thread
  • Narrow Ribbons
  • Lace

Equipment

  • The team at baby lock recommend a combi machine (Gloria, or Ovation), or separate Cover Stitch and Overlocker. Throat Space required.
  • Gathering Foot

CUTTING DIAGRAM: (check the circumference of your tube. baby lock's was 7.5 (19.5 cm). Therefore, they added 1 (2.5 cm) ease, then cut the tubes to 6 (15cm) length.

Christmas Crackers: How to Make

Lay the fusible fleece in the centre of the main fabric. There is a slight gap top and bottom.

Place the lining on top, pin and fuse with a hot iron.

On the lining, mark the centre line, and a line 2 (5 cm) either side for the decorative stitching.

Set your machine for a Triple Cover Stitch, with a decorative thread in the looper. With the lining on top, stitch down your three straight lines, using a stitch length of 1.5

Set up for a 4 thread overlock, using the gathering foot, stitch length 4 and differential feed 2. Then, place the lace under the foot, right side up, and the fabrics through the foot, right side down. Gather the lace onto the fabrics.

Using the overlock stitch as a guide, turn the seam down and press a crisp edge.

Set your machine for a Triple Cover Stitch. With a decorative thread in the looper, stitch the seam down to create a decorative edge.

Cut 2 strips of ribbon 16 (40 cm) long. Mark the middle.

With right sides together, fold the cracker in half. Insert the centre fold of the ribbon into the seam at the mark. Then using a 4 thread overlock, stitch the seam.

With a large eyed darning needle, thread the chain of the overlock back through the stitches to tidy.

Turn the cracker right side out and press the seam.

Slide the cardboard tube into the cracker. Centre it, and tie the ribbons

Finally, insert the gifts, hats and jokes.If you think that some of your guests will miss the crack in their crackers? Include a party popper with the gift!

Merry Christmas from all at baby lock UK!

baby lock offers a range of innovative machines that boast revolutionary features include the Jet Air Threading System. Click HERE to visit their website and see the full range of machines on offer.