scrappy fabric frame tutorial

It has been too long since I shared a tutorial...

in fact this is more a decoupage technique..

 using fabrics though and not paper.

This is my first attempt at a fabric frame

so let's work through this together!

Here's what you need~

A frame (or something you fancy covered in fabric!)

PVA glue, the type of glue that dries clear

A paintbrush

Scissors

And fabric scraps*

* The point of this little project is purely to use up all those odds and ends.

That said, I can well imagine this would be really cute

with a limited palette of one floral fabric

or spots and stripes.

So lets go!

Start by taking the frame apart.

This first picture is inside the back of the frame.

This lip stops the glass falling out

and is where I began gluing.

When placing your scraps you will need to have at least one straight edge,

cut one if you need to.

Apply glue to the area of the frame that you are about to cover,

and smooth down the fabric with your fingers or a paintbrush.

Take the fabric all the way round the back of the frame 

to create a nice edge.

Continue overlapping scraps

glueing them down as you work around the frame,

always working from the inside out.

Another view from the back of the frame.

The fabric top edge can be neatened during or after.

If something isnt working add another scrap!

Be aware that you will (if you're like me)

get into a bit of a sticky mess,

but at least you are not taking photos (like me!)

Okay still with me?

The picture on the left is the finished frame.

To stop the fabrics fraying and generally hold it all together

paint a layer of glue over the whole frame.

This gives an almost plastic finish,

(if you want to keep the fabric look

then you will have to work very neatly

good luck with that!)

Once dried replace the glass etc....

and add a suitable picture or special postcard from a friend x

Good things to know.

Darker fabrics work better over lights

(as I discovered, see the purple gingham~ whoopsie)

Too much glue will give an opaque look when dried~ boo.

Make sure you remove any fluff from the finished frame

before you coat it in glue.

Admire what you've made

and think of bigger and better things you can cover with this technique!

wordless wednesday

scrappy do

  Come on now we all have scrap bags in need of attention don't we?

 You may find a gem or two

like this label that was destined for Marys quilt

before the fraying began.

 I like to think it's my sentimental tendencies 

that keep me from throwing these things out

and not one of those horrible hoarding behaviours!

Generally speaking scraps usually get turfed out after Christmas

but as I'm in a moving stuff about decluttering mode

here we are...

I have a few ideas bouncing around my head,

but the one that really got the cogs whirring

was Marys reminder of her 

scrappy fabric baubles

that she made last Christmas......

 Here is my first attempt drying off.
This is so much fun
and all you need is some old baubles, pva glue and scraps..
I dare you to have a go
you wont regret it!

chalk and cheese

 I have been a very good girl this week

and only worked on my wips*

 The issue with wip

is that personal tastes change.

This is the pink quilt I mentioned as unfinished in my last post,

it was started last year (I think)

when I was venturing into machine quilting.....and pink!

Thankfully this morning I finished the quilting

which was a chore.

Quilting should never be a chore,

and one should never be out of love with a quilt..

but it happens!

These quilts are quite different

however with my new outlook on red

I think I may bind both with similar fabrics!

 A chore which I am enduring I am loving

is the mammoth task of hand quilting my scrappy strip quilt.

 The look I am going for is a heavily quilted effect

something that only handquilting will achieve....

it will be worth it wont it?

You know me well enough to know that I don't care what fabric I use

and that I have a stash of oddments that WILL be used.

Well look what I've pulled out to back this quilt.

I often wonder how close to the bad taste line I can get

before I fall all the way over.

I found this fabric in a junk shop

I have no idea what it is.

I imagine it's a 60s/70s dress fabric

maybe terylene?

The thing I love about quilts

is that they should be a patchwork of what you have to hand...

and that you should always love what you quilt xx

ps. my handquilting is very unorthodox
so far I have managed to quilt three strips in two days...
only thirty seven left then..

*wip = works in progress

seeing red

 It has come to my attention that all my quilts contain turquoise

apart from my unfinished pink and white zigzag....unfinished!

 Is it just me with this safe colour fallback?

It is my favourite colour of choice....

but sometimes it's good to try something new.

I have long lusted after red quilts,

there is something about red that ties everything together,

or wakes a subdued palette up.

Red makes a quilt feel traditional

and I am a traditional girl.

Lets get reddy to rumble!

 ps* just wondering if moving the hoard from one side of the room to the other

counts as tidying?

bloggers quilt festival

 It's a quilt reveal...but not the one you were expecting right?

Remember back in spring

when everything went a bit experimental.

I painted a picture for the first Le Challenge

and then I thought I could make a quilt.

Well she's hot of the press

just in time for the festival.

 As per usual I English paper pieced it,

it's a fun way to quilt

I just cant imagine machining this quilt this accurately.

I have named this mini 

quilting by numbers

as I really did number all the triangles.

*forgive the creases...my bad!

I love how it matches my summer of love quilt.

*in fact come to think of it I may have used it as an inspiration....duh!!

 I also love the pale pink on turquoise combo, 

especially with a dark border.

 I'm entering this in the wall hanging category.

There are plenty more beauties to feast your eyes on

 so go take a look!

creator, stylist, model, photographer, editor, blogger.

Taking advantage of the sunlight is a must at this time of year,

even mid-storm!

This photo shoot was to share my chunky crochet scarf I made yesterday

whilst we braced ourselves for the storm.

After reading Nats post on David Butlers free lecture on photography

I popped over to craftsy and had a watch.

Admittedly I'm only half way through the lecture

because I got fed up with the buffering!

However I found it really inspirational

and agree with a lot of what he said.

I am not a model I don't have a posh camera 

but I did have the light....

ps. plus I do take lots of photos

 and I edit most of them

* thankfully we survived the storm 

and all my beloved trees are still in the ground x

** scarf is made with Cygnet Seriously chunky

and is crocheted with a 9mm hook

half treble UK

 or

half double US
*** wishing I'd put a belt on!
**** one of my wellies has sprung a leak
this post was written with one bare foot x