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 - 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 side of the triangle and fold in half meeting the points. Fold the top point back to meet the bottom fold to again find the center and put a pin in to mark the end of the joining seam.

9.  With the lining fabric sides together, top stitch the sides together from the pin half way up the side to the bottom fold. 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!