Windows Postcards
Just a short post today to share the second round of postcards I made for a recent swap. The theme for this one was Windows! I had made a postcard a couple of years ago with a swinging door… a second bit of Peltex (the stiffener that I use inside the postcard instead of batting..the stiffer middle makes it FAR easier to quilt on the machine) that was sewn to the top with yarn as strap hinges. So I decided that for my windows, I would make shutters that move!
I found the stone print fabric in my stash, so thought I’d make English (or Irish or Scottish) stone country cottages with windowboxes and shutters. Then of course every good cottage needs a cat (or several!). I had a print fabric with kitties in green leaves, so I fused up a chunk, then fussy cut the kitties and some of the leaves. In my stash of fused fabrics, I had some leftovers from previous projects, and used the prints to cut up more leaves and flowers for the window boxes and for the “wood” of the boxes themselves. The coral windowframes are the same fabric I used to make the guitar in the portrait I did of my son, here.
I used a VERY wide zigzag set to almost zero stitch length to make the “hinges” where one end of the stitch just caught the edge of the shutter. This left enough wiggle room to swing the shutters open and closed. Here is one with closed shutters:
Because of the shutters, I mailed the postcards in those plastic slipcovers that you seen on fancy cards at the stationery store. Enjoy!
A shot of the batch, with a post-it note to tell the recipient to open the shutters:
And a different kitty-in-the-window:
For this round, I wrapped the stone fabric around to the back to finish the edges of the card and used printed cardstock on the back side. The shutters are edge-finished with a metallic paint and a bit of stitching around the edge to secure the fabric (I never trust any fusible to hold forever!).
December 7th, 2010 at 6:27 am
Are you putting the addresses on labels on the plastic cover?
I love these postcards Sarah!
December 7th, 2010 at 8:54 am
How whimsical! Thanks for sharing some tips on making fabric postcards!
December 7th, 2010 at 9:18 am
Charming! You have been having fun — final;y …
December 7th, 2010 at 9:36 am
Love them all!!! How did you do the cat? Looks like thread painting but I can’t see close enough. You are so clever! I’m disappointed when you don’t post daily, but I know you have another life.
December 7th, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Great postcards!
December 7th, 2010 at 9:44 pm
These are really cool!
December 8th, 2010 at 7:43 am
Hi Sarah
after reading comments on Postmark’dART, I just HAD to check out your blog
December 9th, 2010 at 3:59 am
Lovely postcards, great idea with cat in window