How to Make a Fabric Tea Set

A fabric tea set for your daughter, granddaughter or friend will be a gift that will always be remembered with sweet memories and gratitude. Embroidering delicate patterns or monogrammed initials, or adding handmade cross-stitches, will add a personalized touch to your tea set.

Things You'll Need

• Tea cup
• Saucer
• Pattern paper
• French curve ruler
• Fabric (your choice)
• Interfacing fusible
• Fabric scissors
• Straight pins
• Ric-rac trim (optional)
• Embroidery machine (optional)
• Sewing machine
• Thread
• Needle
• Fabric glue

Instructions

Making Your Fabric Tea Cup Pattern

1. Choose a tea cup and saucer as your design inspiration. Measure the width and circumference of the tea cup's mouth and the bottom holder. Measure the tea cup's height. Measure the tea cup handle's length.

2. Make a paper pattern using the tea cup's dimensions. For a tea cup's circumference of 7-1/2 inches and height of 2-1/4 inches, draft a rectangle shape. You will gather and shirr the bottom in a later step to form the tea cup.

3. Trace the tea cup's bottom holder outline on your pattern paper. You can make a freehand rough sketch of your tea cup's handle. Use a French curve ruler to shape any handle contours. Trace the saucer's outline as well.

4. Choose a medium- to heavyweight fabric for your tea cup set. Use a printed fabric for your tea cup's shell and a complementary print for the tea cup's inner facing and saucers. Select a heavyweight interfacing fusible so your finished cups don't collapse. Select trims such as ric-rac to finish your tea cup and saucer.

5. Pin your paper pattern and cut out your fabric parts. Your tea cup will have two parts: the rectangle shape and a circular disc for the tea cup bottom holder. For an eight-piece fabric tea set, you will cut out eight cups, handles and saucers.

6. Add embroidery, cross-stitch or decorative trim to the fabric panels before stitching.

7. Cut your interfacing using the same paper pattern. Read the directions for your fusible's setting. Most interfacing fusibles are set on a high cotton setting. Press your fusible to your tea cup's outer shell and saucer until it adheres.

Creating Your Fabric Tea Cup Set

1. Stitch the tea cup's outer shell to the inner facing. The wrong sides of the fabric will be facing out. Stitch one end of your rectangle shape lengthwise. Open your fabric and stitch the two sides together. It will form a cylinder shape. Fold the cylinder over into a rectangle shape once again. The right sides will be facing out.

2. Thread a basting stitch at the open end. Form a double knot to secure the stitch while basting. Pull the thread gently to shirr the bottom to the size of your tea cup bottom holder. Add a thin strip of fabric glue to the holder's rim. Add the tea cup to the circular holder and let dry. Add decorative ric-rac to the border with fabric glue, if you like.

3. Stitch your tea cup handles. Form a loop and hand stitch the handle to your tea cup.

4. Stitch the saucers' shells together. The wrong sides will be facing out. Leave a 1-inch opening.

5. Turn the saucer inside out with the right sides of the print facing you. Add decorative trim such as ric-rac to the border with fabric glue. Let dry.

References

• "The Sewing Book"; Alison Smith; 2009

Resources

• Your Fabric Place: Handmade Tea Cup and Saucer