Crazy, Crazy, Crazy! Quilt Post Cards - edited*

I have been waiting for this one. I saw some that had been mailed to a quilting friend and they were wonderful. I hope mine are up to par.

NieceDenise: One of the reasons I like to swap is because it pushes me to try new and different things. I may not always be good at it, but I have found that swappers are very generous with their encouragement when you are willing to try. If this is the first CQ for you, then a little PC is the best way to start, it is small and will not take a long time to do. Please do let your partner know if this is the first CQ PC you have tried - and be sure to post a picture. You may be pleasantly surprised at everyone's reactions!

Our quilt guild is having classes on March 17, national quilting day. They are showing us about pc's ,charms and acq class. i cant wait.

Perfect - you'll be a pro by May 22!

Question... OK, so I piece the fabrics onto muslin background. And when it is all done, I embellish it. But how do I make it into a post card? Do I stitch the finished front onto light background "backing" like a traditional quilt? Then write the address on the background backing? I am concerned about them being too flimsy, so wondering about using "Temtex" or "Peltex" inside ( the stiff interfacing used for fabric bowls or millenary work) to make it stiff enough to go thru the mail ? thanks for any help here. Looking forward to this swap!

Fingers Inc., yes, you have got it right. There are a number of ways to finish it. Doing it like a traditional quilt is fine, and often the CQ embellishing, along with the multiple layers of fabric, will add enough body to the PC to mail it. I prefer fusing to Peltex but you have to be careful not to squish the embellishments too much. You could also use fabric glue to attach the front to a card (or muslin) back. I have also seen plain index cards used to add body - cut to about 1/2" smaller than the finished size, they are inserted before the final perimeter stitching is done and are not actually caught up in the stitching.

The writing is done right on whatever is used for the back of the PC. I usually use a heavy muslin or off white pillow ticking which is tightly woven and a bit stiffer than muslin. You can also spray streach your backing fabrioc before writing on it.

Hope this helps!

Went to the class yesterday. Boy did I see a lot. And learned alot too. I was just making it too hard. We used double-sided fusible temtex. It really worked great.

Erna: You won't believe this --- I can hardly believe it myself --- but your absolutely gorgeous naked crazy quilt post card made it here, all the way from South Africa, in pristine condition! Not a mark or scuff or bead missing. Wow. I haven't even started mine yet but you have certainly set the standard! Thank you! (pic posted)

Hi Terry - just wrote a message here, and it got lost when I hit "Say It". I wanted to invite you te see some more of my CQ PCs, here:

http://zakerna.homestead.com/craftsnstuff.html#anchor_113

Love Erna

I received one card already. I posted a picture of in the gallery along with the two that I just finished.

Hi Erna: I just wrote you a fairly long reply and it suddenly vanished - we are both plagued by computer elves today I'm afraid!

I notice that you use some highly patterned fabrics in your CQs. Most that I have seen tend to use small patterned or solid colour fabrics so that the hand embellishments really stand out. By using the more patterned fabrics, though, you get the illlusion of embellishment without all of the work. Since I am a very lazy person, this appeals greatly to me and I am going to try it when I make my PCs for this swap! (Better get moving! lol). Thank you very much for the link! Hugs, Terry

We are building up quite a lovely collection of PCs in the gallery - everyone please take a minute to have a peek!

Hi Terry - I am a pattern-glutton! I used quite a lot of "shwe-shwe" fabrics in my CQPCs. These are very popular amongst South African black women, especially for wear to "traditional" occasions: funerals, family feasts, marriage negotiations, and so on. The fabrics usually have an indigo, brown or red ground, and are finely patterned in white or sometimes yellow (on the brown ground). They are cotton, very durable and washable. The patterns are mostly intricate geometric configurations of dots. The garments made from shwe-shwe are often decorated with colourful rickrack, and panels of plain fabric in bright, contrasting colour or of different shwe-shwe. Originally shwe-shwe cloth was produced in Germany, and the early European traders and missionaries brought it to South Africa. Now the fabrics are designed and printed locally, or in the U.K. I really LOVE shwe-shwe!

I got Erna's other PC!! And not a mark on it! I'll bet the postal handlers kept putting it on top of the stacks! Love the fabrics too! The stitching accents and doesn't overwhelm the prints; really beautiful!

I think I'm jealous! Its amazing they didnt disappear somewhere between here and there. Post pics please.

i am no longer jealous. i got one from blessings2ewe. Go to the gallery and see it. Mine is the one with the hummingbird and funny yarn aroung the edges. I love it. Thankyou so much for all your hard work.

I got a lovely, delicate butterfly CQPC from Nina in Norway today. THANKS!! I love it! Am going to attempt to load a pic on the gallery.

I enjoyed this swap. Let's try it again - even smaller... I'm going to post a CQ ATC swap. Please join me!

I sent my postcards today and put a pic in the gallery.

Brenda....I am one of the lucky ones to receive your card today. Very nice!!!

So glad the swap is getting you inspired. Have fun!

Keep in stitches, Marlene

Ah, I sent my postcards off today to linie and blessingstoewe( Hi again!).

I am a little concerned about them....the postal employees all were ooing and ahing. And then the postal employee only put $1 on the one to linie and I think hand-stamped PC to England need more postage....Let me know if I owe you for postage!

Keeping my fingers crossed that both get to their new home....I loved doing them even though I am not much into handwork anymore. Fun doing hand embroidery and beading once more.

Marlene

Marlene and linie: Your PCs will be in the mail tomorrow, May 22, since today is a holiday in Canada and the PO is closed (Last Minute Terry here). Naked, yikes! I hope they make it in one piece! Terry

Hi partners - I cannot open the "rate your partners and coordinator" window. The PC makes a funny bleep when I click, and nothing happens. will try again another day. Mybe it's not "really" available yet, because today is the final sending day?

Had a grey moment - pop-up blocker was switched on.

Marlene, Your postcard arrived today safe and sound. PO didn't even cancel the stamp. Thanks you so much, you did a wonderful job. I just love it. Cindy

I got one of the neat spider ones made by bren (see the gallery) - yay! Thx bren!