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Fabric Postcards – 4 x 6 Works of Art
Fun to Make and Mail!
Have you made your own postcards yet? It’s a super way to express your creativity and, yes, they can be mailed! Get out your scraps, specialty fabrics, and embellishments, and challenge yourself to explore new techniques in creating 4″ x 6″ works of art. Then join a swap and prepare to be amazed at the appliquéd, beaded, embossed, embroidered, painted, pieced, quilted, stitched, thread painted, and just plain embellished cards you receive in the mail.
Yes, these postcards can be mailed as long as they are regulation size (4″ x 6″), no more than 1/8″ thick, and have the word postcard on the back at the top. Postage is generally 40 cents in the USA. Use the self-stick-on kind of stamps as they adhere to fabric better, and request hand cancellation.
How to make a fabric postcard
Start with something firm, like Timtex, Peltex, Fast2Fuse regular weight, or Sew2Fuse. You can write the address on the undecorated side of this with a Pigma Pen. If you would prefer, you can also fuse muslin to the undecorated side and write on that. Use Steam a seam II for fusing if you are using Timtex. Fast2Fuse and Sew2Fuse already have fusible in them. Peltex #71 is fusible on one side. Peltex #72 is fusible on both sides.
The decorated side is the most fun, of course. First, create the background directly on the middle layer by fusing your background fabric to it. This can be hand-dyed fabric, a specialty fabric like velvet or wool, or just muslin depending on what you plan to do with it. If you are in a swap, don’t cut your cards apart first – you can create the background on one large piece and then cut it apart. After you have cut your postcards into the 4″ x 6″ size, then you can embellish them to your heart’s content. When you are done, finish the edges of your postcards using satin stitch, zig-zag, or blanket stitch.
The fabric postcards you create are actually miniature works of art.
Let your imagination go! Consider using:
- applique
- fabric paint or crayons
- small sequins
- couched yarn
- seed beads
- feathers
- fibers like angelina
- stamps
- specialty threads
- photo transfers (change the hue in Irfanview)
- copper or silver foil
- confetti held in by tulle or any other embellishments that come to mind.
Have another tip to offer? Send it me, and I will add it here.
