PatchWords

A PatchWord Canvas

When I saw the blog hop announcement on Sew We Quilt 

for the

I knew I had to take part.   Thanks, Madame Samm and Linda for organizing this wonderful blog hop!

I have been thinking about starting a "journal quilt" for some time and this was just the incentive I needed. My project started as the "first page" in what I intend to be a "My Journal Quilt."

When I finished sewing and thought about quilting, I had to stop and think.  I had been considering a "Quilt As You Go" technique for this quilt.  Then I realized that I have no idea what the "next page" will be.  I decided to quilt it when I am further along in the journal quilt journey.

I wanted to display my page, though. Quilt tops look too incomplete to me.  I am one to to never call anything intended to be a quilt "accomplished" until it is quilted and bound.

So I decided a new way to display my work was needed. 

 I bought an inexpensive artist canvas in the appropriate size with a 40% coupon at Michael's. My canvas is 36" by 24"

The I cut and  cut and stapled batting over it.  

Then I gently stretched my quilt top over it and stapled it too.

 I did a "test" of scrap fabric and staples and I found that if I did not stretch too tight that the heavy duty staples will not leave holes and will not damage my fabric.  So I can enjoy my patchword canvas now and take it down and add more fabric and make a quilt later.

Seemed like a win-win solution to me.  I am pretty happy with the results and may make more of these fabric art canvases in the future.

Here is my design and sewing process:

I chose my first word and drew up a plan



I found some inspiring fabrics in my stash

and started my sewing machine to whirl.
I made my Butterfly Block first ... 

... this is my own design.

The Butterfly has always been a special sign in my life.

This block is inspired by an inspirational art postcard that my husband to be gave to me when first we came together.

The card was on our refrigerator for many years and in many different kitchens. Ten years ago my teenage daughter and I took an art journal making workshop together and the card became a page in my journal.  

 I also made the art journal cover.

It was not until I took this picture of the cover that I noticed that the wire word on the upper left corner of my paper journal is the same one I chose for my quilt journal.  I did not plan that!

To do the writing, I pressed the block to freezer paper to stabilize it so that the writing would be easier.

I used a permanent black fabric marker, an Identi Pen, to do the writing. I like these fabric markers as they have both a fine and a regular tip and they print nice and dark. I have used this pen on many labels and projects. I pressed the block again after writing to set the dye.  When you are writing on fabric you need to be fearless. It is only fabric after all and you can always rip and sew another piece on if your really do not like the results. My penmanship, like my sewing and quilting is not ever going to be perfect.  It is my own, which is good enough for me.

Then I made My PatchWord ...

I used my own learn as I go method to make these letters and word. I cut 1 inch strips and squares and added larger squares and pieces as needed.

piece by piece

letter by letter

oops!

fixed!

getting there!

tricky "v" required larger pieces of background fabric

all my letters in a row

sewed the together

trim and done

Then I made my word definition ... 

I wanted to add a definition of this word so I went to dictionary.reference.com/

and copied their definition to my Word processor.

 and then  ...

trim to 8.5 by 11 inches

You can add letters to fabric with just freezer paper, an iron and an injet printer. It is important to wash your fabrics first to remove the sizing and finish added in the manufacturing process. Then just cut a piece large enough to go through a standard printer and iron it to the shiny side of a freezer paper rectangle. I always cut both oversize

you want to be sure to trim off rough edges and threads

Then just print!

I set my color to black and ran it through my no frills Lexmark printer.  I have also printed labels in color using this process that have washed well.

To test that the print would not run I printed two copies of the definition on the same sheet and cut off the top one to ...

wash in the sink.

I used hot tap water and Woolite, which is what I wash all my fabrics and quilts with in the machine, too.

The freezer paper back will peel off easily in the sink.

Soak it!  Scrub it!

rinse it

set it to dry and then press it again with a hot iron

Here is the washed piece on the top and the other piece still on the freezer paper. As you can see the lettering did not run and the top piece is ready to be sewn into My Journal Quilt.

I framed my word definition in a rusty brown tone on tone before sewing it into my  layout. 

More PatchWords 

and fabric pages for My Quilt Journal 

coming soon!

For More Inspiring Words

Please Visit All Of Today's Participating Blogs ...

Thursday, January 10

Life in the Scrapatch (You are here)

Just Sew Sue (Sue B.)

Nati's Little Things (Nati)

Amy's Crafty Shenanigans (Amy)

Pig Tales and Quilts (Thearica)

Scrappy 'n Happy (Jess R.)

Little Mushroom Cap (Amira A.)

Moosestash Quilting (Joan K.)

Sowing Stitches (Beulah aka. Carol)

Just Quilt It (Kathy G.)

To say thanks for visiting my blog I would like to send the the following GIVEAWAY anywhere in the world.

In My Words Giveaway

This Giveaway is Closed

I will send the second copy of my printed word definition still on the freezer paper and four Fat Quarters of the fabrics I am using in my journal quilt, including the McKenna Ryan print and the Moda "Homefront" text print to one follower. As these fat quarters are cut from yardage in my stash and I wash all yardage as if comes into my sewing room, these fabrics are washed and pressed and cut by me.

To be eligible to win, please be a follower and leave me one comment and be sure that I can contact you by email to let you know that you have won and to get your address.

For a second chance to win, leave a second comment telling me you are a follower.

One winner will be chosen at random from all entries by midnight January 16th EST.

The winner will be announced  here on my blog on January 17th.

Thank you for reading My Words.

Have a happy quilty day!

:) Pat