This is a guest post written by Kelly of Red Headed Quilter. She describes how to make a beautiful quilted postcard for the holidays. Thanks Kelly!
Quilted postcards are a fun and popular way to send someone a beautiful and unique handmade gift. They are small and addictive to make and can even be sent through the US postal service as long as you limit the bulky embellishments.
Supplies:
· muslin for the back. You can also buy pre-printed postcard backing at some quilt shops.
· threads in various colors
· blue starry or snowy fabric for sky
· white-on-white fabric for snow
· fabric scraps (green, brown) for trees and cabin
· flat-backed buttons (I used a gingerbread man, sleigh, and reindeer. You could also use snowmen or other Christmas / winter motifs.)
· Lite Steam-a-Seam 2
To make the postcard shown:
- Cut the Peltex or Fast-2-Fuse to 4″ by 6″.
- Cut the muslin to 4″ by 6″.
- Write or stamp “POSTCARD” across one long side of the muslin and draw a line down the center to divide it into the message portion and the address portion. Use a stencil for the lettering and spread the fabric on sandpaper so it doesn’t slip as you write or trace.
- Put the muslin on one side of the Peltex or Fast-2-Fuse postcard center. Do not fuse yet.
- Cut the blue and white-on-white fabrics into sky and snow shapes.
- Apply the sky to the postcard first, then cover it with the snow. Make sure the muslin is in place on the back and then fuse the pieces down following the manufacturer’s directions. Use a press cloth to keep the fusible off your iron.
- Turn the postcard over and fuse the muslin down, again using a press cloth.
- Apply Steam-a-Seam to your scraps and cut out trees, a cabin and other details as desired.
- Place all decorative fabrics on the front of the postcard and fuse according to the manufacturer’s directions.
- Quilt around the elements of the postcard or quilt the sky and snow as desired.
- Use fabric markers to add details (such as footsteps in snow, birds, leaves etc.).
- Use Gem-Tac to apply flat-backed buttons to the postcard. You may also cut details out of fabric if you can’t find suitable buttons.
- Blanket-stitch or satin-stitch the outside edges of the postcard by hand or machine.
- Address it, add your note and mail it off! You can mail your postcard by having it hand-cancelled at the post office. If you’re worried about pieces coming off in the mail you can send it in a padded envelope.
Kelly Smith is National Quilting Examiner and author of the book Open Your Heart with Quilting: Mastering Life through Love of the Patches (Open Your Heart With)
(Dreamtime Publishing, 2008). You can follow her on Twitter and check out her website.
(Dreamtime Publishing, 2008). You can follow her on Twitter and check out her website.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a great idea!! Thanks for sharing.
How pretty! Thanks for the idea 😀
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