ScrapHappy June 2021 — Fabric Greeting Cards

I like to send out cards for birthdays and holidays, but it takes me 30 minutes to drive to the store, and when I get there, I can never find the perfect card. So I decided to make my own, and how better to make them than from fabric?

It was easy to pick cute fabrics from among my scraps, but I had a hard time figuring out how to make mitered frames for the blocks.  I am sure that “how-to” is on the internet somewhere, but I couldn’t find it, so here is the process I worked out.

Mini-quilt with 1-inch fabric frame

Supplies

  • small piece of feature fabric (example, 6-inch square)
  • batting scrap the same size
  • backing fabric, in either a solid or non-directional print. Its dimensions need to be 4 inches larger than the feature fabric in both length and width (example, 10-inch square)

10″ square for backing, 6″ square for center, 6″ square of batting.

Step One

From the large backing piece, cut a 2-inch square notch from each corner.

Step 1: Cut notches from corners.

Step Two

With printed side of fabric up, fold the flaps in to meet the edges of the central square, and press.   They will have right sides together, and the unprinted side of the fabric will be facing you on all the flaps. (Do not fold them all the way in toward the middle.)

Step 2: Fold flaps in to meet the edges of the central square.

Step Three

Stitch a diagonal line across each set of flap corners.

Step 3: With right sides of the flap fabrics together, stitch a diagonal line across the flap corners.

Step Four

Trim excess fabric from corners.

Step 4: Trim excess fabric from corners.

 

Step 4: After corners are trimmed, it looks like this.

Step Five

Flip the whole backing piece over.  You will now be looking at the unprinted (wrong) side of the fabric.  Turn each flap so the stitching lines are on the inside, and the printed (right) side of the fabric is up.  You should have an octagon.

Step 5: Flip the whole piece over, turn flaps so seams are inside and right side of fabric is outside, making an octogon.

Step Six

Fold the flaps in toward the center, and press.  I did not always get a good sharp miter, but I planned to cover the corners with embellishments, so that didn’t worry me.  I wanted to miter just to reduce bulk.

Step 6: Fold the flaps into the center, and press.

Step Seven

Tuck the batting square and the square of feature fabric into the backing piece, and  feature fabric.  They should form a nice, colorful frame around your feature fabric.  Press, and then topstitch around to hold everything together.

Step 7: Place batting square and feature fabric in the center, press, and topstitch all around.

Step Eight

You can add some quilting, and embellish with yo-yos, cute buttons, etc.

Step 8: Quilt and embellish as desired!

Options

You can make the frames thicker or thinner by playing with the sizes of the backing fabric pieces, and the sizes of the notches you cut out.

 

I got on a roll and made a lot of these.  It was fun to pick scraps with certain people in mind. For some of the cards, I used more of the interior design samples that I got a few years ago.

They don’t fold like traditional cards, so I think I will just print out some sentiments on printer fabric, and then fuse those to the backs.

I have a group of them clipped up to my pegboard and I like seeing them there, and knowing that for once I am prepared for upcoming birthdays!

ScrapHappy Day is the 15th of each month, and it is hosted by Kate and Gun.  I love love love scraps, so I am always happy to visit all the participants, and get some great ideas:

Kate , Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynn, Lynda,
Birthe,Turid,Susan,Cathy, Tracy,Jill,
Claire,Jan, Moira,Sandra, Chris, Alys,
Kerry, Claire, Jean, Jon,Hayley, Dawn,
Gwen (me!),Bekki,Sue L,Sunny,Kjerstin,
Vera,Nanette, Ann, Dawn 2,Noreen,
Bear,Carol,Preeti and Edith

 

Category : Quick and Easy Crafts, Quilting, Sewing
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