Radius Shaped Corners on Fabric Postcards

December 2015
Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

Redwork by MaryLou Curry

Who says a postcard MUST have square corners?  Well, they don't have too.   

Radius-shaped corners add a modern touch to your postcards.  This sleek shape is clean looking. The soft curves are easy to overcast and sew, and you don't need any special tools.



SIX EASY TIPS:

1. Create your postcard as usual with all three layers:  front, filler, backing.  Take care to keep embellishments a good distance away from the four corners. 
2. Use a small jar, cookie cutter, soda cap or any suitable object as a guide to gently mark the curved corner shapes.  
3. Trim carefully with scissors.  
4. Select a favorite overcast stitch, bias trim, rick rack or cording to finish the radius corners.
5. Stitch slowly when working your way around the curved areas.  Sometimes it helps to shorten your stitch length at the most curvey corners, then return to normal stitch length on the straight sides.  When you shorten the stitch length it gives better thread coverage and prevents thread gaps.
6. I suggest you make a sample curve when attaching any trims to the edges.  This will help you get the machine settings correct, and give you a better understanding of how those trims will behave when stitching around the radius.

Use an object to guide your radius shape

Trim curves carefully

I happen to adore the look of radius corners, but apparently many of my swapping partners do not.  

When I flipped through my collection of almost 500 swapped postcards, only one swap partner, MaryLou Curry of Toronto, Ontario Canada frequently enjoyed using this same method on some of her postcards.  Thanks MaryLou!  I have posted some of her creations for you to enjoy!

I hope you will give Radius-Shaped corners a try sometime!

metallic piping corner

bobbin work with pearl cotton

yarn used in bobbin

more piping

MaryLou Curry felted

MaryLou Curry metallic quilted

MaryLou Curry used wide satin stitch on edges

Keep it Simple

December 2015

Sheree McKee

SewFabSew.blogspot.com

Some times you need to make a quick fabric postcard.  Time is of the essence.

Less can be effective and it can save time.  Keeping your postcard project short and sweet can lead to some nice results.

There is a marketing slogan called the KISS principle:  Keep it Simple and Straightforward.

This is a simple Christmas postcard.  By using a ribbon with text verse it adds to the holiday impact.

I used a sparkle background fabric;  a holly-themed cotton with hints of silver metallic specks.  It was fused to stabilizer.  I layered a “HO HO HO” ribbon near the bottom with decorative stitching.  I tucked in a little gather of tulle netting and a feather before sewing the top row.

Lastly, I pulled a small silk flower off a spare stem of white flowers in my craft closet, and topped it with a coordinated button!

The edges were finished with a metallic thread stitch.  Then I used Aleene’s Tacky glue along the edges only, to glue it to some postcard stock.

But first, I stamped the card stock with a rubberstamp.

It took me about two-and-a-half hours to make and finish four postcards!

A little sparkle, a little sentiment, and a little frou-frou!

Now it’s time to hang some Christmas decorations, bake some cookies, shop for gifts…. clean the house…. pack for a trip….  Whew!

Merry Mittens in Ribbon

December 2015
Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

Lace and ribbon scraps

These "Merry Mitten" fabric postcards are made from scrap ribbon and lace.


For this swap, I emphasized a Christmas theme by using a poinsettia background print.   You could create a snowy winter theme, by using ice blue and silver background fabrics.



 

Lay diagonally onto fusible side of stabilizer

First, I began by cutting a 6" wide by 24" long piece of single-sided stabilizer.  With the fusible glue facing upward, I laid random strips of ribbon at a 45 degree angle.  I pressed the ribbons into place in groups of three to four.  

Be careful not to touch the stabilizer with your hot iron!

Here's your chance to play with
decorative machine stitches

Secondly, once the strip of stabilizer was filled and fused,  I bridge stitched between each ribbon.  

I used a variety of decorative machine stitches and some variegated colored thread.  Metallic threads would also make pretty connecting stitches.

A mitten template can be moved around

Third, I drew up a mitten shaped pattern that would fit inside a final 4" x 6" postcard.  It was able to carefully cut four mittens from the stabilizer.  

Layer trims if needed

Then I layered some lace trims over a few of the wider ribbons.

Base postcards before mittens are attached

Next, I prepared four base postcards on more stabilizer.  This is where I used the pretty Poinsettia fabric from my stash as a background.










Finally, I centered the firm mitten shapes onto the bases.  I simply held them in place as I stitched the perimeter with a wide decorative stitch that would swing on and off the mitten.

You might like the link below to a previous blog article  

about Holiday Recycling