
For EBHQ members making fabric postcards for the Voices in Cloth 2016, with a special thanks to Sue Mary Fox, whose great experience in making these postcards is documented here.
I hope you have as much fun making these as we did when we all got together to learn the techniques.
Please make 5 for the guild, if you feel as though you’d like to help out.
Note: EBHQ will provide the fast-2-fuse and the printed “Postcard” backings at monthly meetings and Drop-Ins. E-mail me if you would like me to send you a pdf to make your own postcard backs.
Some tips before you start:
–We expect these postcards to be mailable as is. This means that the edgings should be only those indicated here in the tutorial. Anything else, like bias binding or other edge embellishment will not work, since ithose cards would need an envelope to go through the mail.
–Also to ensure mailability, please do not add beads, buttons, rick rack, bows, charms, or other three-dimensional items to the surface. Save these for the ones you make for yourself to hand-deliver to friends or family.
–Take time with your first postcard to get used to the process. The ones you make after that first one will be much easier and much more fun.
Materials for 4″ x 6″ postcards:
–fast-2-fuse interfacing—Double-sided fusible stiff interfacing, medium or heavy weight
–Wonder Under—Paper-backed fusible web
–parchment paper, release paper, or Teflon coated mat for use with the fusibles
–fabrics for backgrounds
–fabrics for embellishing—conversation prints, words on fabric, flowers, etc.
–other optional items—ribbons, trims, rickrack, rubber stamps, leftover patchwork blocks or scraps
–machine sewing threads
–card stock or paper backing designated with “Postcard” and “First Class Letter Postage”. We have printed these so that purchasers will be aware that a regular postcard stamp will not be enough for mailing. First class letter rate postage should be used.
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Step 1–Create Background

Fuse fabric or a good combination of fabrics to one side of the 4″ x 6″ piece of fast-2-fuse.
NOTE: place a release paper under the card so it doesn’t fuse to your ironing surface.
–extend fabric pieces over the edge, to be trimmed later, so that white does not show
–choose horizontal or vertical card orientation
–if you like the fabric combinations, make 2 or 3 more
–when fusing combinations, overlap the fabrics just a tiny bit, so no white shows through
Step 2–Embellish

–add any of the following using Wonder Under or light fabric glue : ribbons, flat lace, embroideries, images cut from other fabrics
–avoid anything that adds too much thickness
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Step 3–Stitch through all layers

Note; no special needle needed
— use an overall pattern
–try the decorative stitches on your machine
–experiment with fancy variegated, metallic, rayon, or other fun threads
Anything added in Step 2 should have some stitching as well.
Trim edges.
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Step 4–Make an edging for the card/affix “Postcard” paper backing
Two different ways (choose the look you want):
Method 1–Stitch dense satin stitch around entire card, fuse paper to back of card (using a release paper so your iron doesn’t melt the printing) , and straight stitch in the ditch on the front to secure the paper.
Front
Back
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Method 2–Fuse paper to back of card and sew with a loose zigzag stitch around entire card.
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(Click on photos to enlarge.)
AND YOU’RE DONE !!!
Any questions??? Contact susandague@yahoo.com
Bring finished postcards to monthly meetings or to a Drop-In.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
ADVANCED TIPS:
HOT TIP for making the postcard process easier:
My new favorite sewing machine foot, called an Open Embroidery Foot, which makes applying decorative stitches to the body of the cards and the zigzag stitches to the edges of the cards SOOOOOO much easier. You can actually see exactly where you are sewing.
The foot for my machine looks like this:

Red Triangles-a vintage quilt
29 03 2013Purchased in 1991, this vintage quilt top was a favorite of mine for a long time, and was one of the first few I sent away to Quilting Plus for hand-quilting, since I thought it deserved such care and respect. It was such a favorite mainly because staring at and studying it helped to inform the work that I do today.
Red Triangles, date unknown 76″ x 83″ Photography by Sibila Savage
The center of the quilt is a beehive of pinwheels, with the red the only repeated patch. Since the red is not always in the same position within the pinwheel block, it is hard for the eye to tell where one pinwheel ends and another begins. Also, the sprinkling of the dark navy triangles near and in the borders seems to frame the brighter center.
Red Triangles, detail 1
These two final borders (one, turquoise rectangles and broken dishes blocks and the other, squares on point) visually hold all this activity in place. The construction of borders is exactly what Freddy Moran mentioned in her Parts Department class: the quilter made the borders, applied them to all the sides, and, when the border was in place, simply chopped off any remaining fabric, regardless of any block pattern disruptions.
Red Triangles, detail 2
Nothing too fussy or fancy here, just simple shapes and tons of fabric scraps combined in many wonderful ways.
I know this much chaos in one work is not for everyone, but I love it.
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Categories : My vintage quilt collection, Observations and insights, Quilts and commentary