5 easy steps to make chenille fabric

Yesterday on QUILTsocial, I showed you how to use UNIQUE QUILTING Stitch-N-Steam – 157 x 45cm (62″ x 18″) and the FABRIC CREATIONS Fabric Bundle (5pcs) – Metallic Gold – 45 x 53cm (18in x 21in) to create a wonderfully textured fabric for a fidget quilt. I also made 2 other textured blocks using FABRIC CREATIONS Faux Fur Fabric – Zebra – 45 x 76cm (18″ x 30″) and FABRIC CREATIONS Burlap Fabric – Oyster – 45 x 61cm (18″ x 24″).

I’ll make another textured block today using the OLFA CHN-1 – Chenille / Textile Cutter to make fuzzy chenille fabric.

The OLFA Chenille Cutter

Step 1 Cut the layers of fabric

The OLFA Chenille Cutter can cut from 4 to 8 layers of fabric, so I’ll cut 3 – 8″ x 10″ rectangles from the FABRIC CREATIONS Fabric Bundle (5pcs) – Metallic Gold – 45 x  53cm (18in x 21in)  and 1 from a black fabric that I have on hand. The base layer will remain uncut and should be larger than the top layers, so I’ll cut another piece of black fabric 10″ x 12″. Layer all pieces, right sides up, with the largest piece of fabric on the bottom.

Layer the 4 smaller pieces of fabric on top of the largest piece with all right sides up.

Step 2 Draw diagonal lines on the top fabric.

To ensure that the channels are straight and equally spaced, I’ll draw diagonal lines ½” apart across the top fabric using a UNIQUE SEWING 2-in-1 Dual-Tip Wash-out/Air Erasable Marking Pen—Fine and my  OMNIGRID Ruler – 12 ¹  ⁄₂ ″ x 12 ¹  ⁄₂″ (31.75 x 31.75cm). For the chenille cutter to work, the channel it cuts through must be on the bias grain of the fabric.

Draw diagonal lines ½” apart across the top fabric.

Step 3 Stitch along the lines.

I’ll clip everything together using some UNIQUE QUILTING Clever Clips Large – 12pcs. The instructions that come with the  OLFA CHN-1 – Chenille / Textile Cutter say to use a longer stitch length, so I’ll set my sewing machine to 2.5 instead of the usual 2 and stitch all the lines.

Clip the layers together and then sew along each line.

Step 4 Cut through the channels.

Now I’ll cut through each channel using the  OLFA CHN-1 – Chenille / Textile Cutter. I’ll take extra care not to cut the bottom (base) layer.

Step 5 Fluff.

Next, I’ll wash the fabric in soapy water and throw it in the dryer with some towels to fluff it up. Here’s the finished product.

The finished chenille fabric

Trim the piece of chenille to 4½” x 6½”, then clip it to one of the 4½” x 6½” quilted sandwiches. Baste all the way around to keep the layers together.

The OLFA CHN-1 – Chenille / Textile Cutter is so easy to use! I like that you can use it to make 4 different sizes of chenille channels. All the different texture blocks are made so tomorrow, I’ll start making some of the activity blocks for my quilt. I’ll use buckles, zippers, buttons, and more. See you then.

This is part 2 of 5 in this series

Go back to part 1: 4 easy steps to create texture in a quilt with Stitch-N-Steam

Go to part 3: Use hook and loop tape to make peek-a-boo windows in a fidget quilt

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