I was inspired to create a memory hot pad by Nanette Merrill’s Doll House Hot Pad Tutorial.
The following tutorial is made using a photo my husband took while we were in Hyder, Alaska in 2008.
Materials:
Digital photo (or scan a photo into your computer) – with a fairly large central object.
Photo fabric sheets (I used Miracle Fabric Sheets ™)
Thermo or Insulbright or cotton batting – NOT POLYESTER
Fabric for “frame” – as wide as the white area (two pieces 2 x 11 1/4 and two pieces 2” x 8 3/4).
Fabric for backing and edges – 13” by 11”.
Matching Thread
Contrasting Thread
WALKING FOOT for your sewing machine
Iron and Ironing board
Instructions:
Select a digital photo with a central subject.
Print the digital photo on fabric sheets capable of being printed on an inkjet printer – I used Miracle Fabric Sheets TM – follow manufacturer’s instructions.
Choose coordinating fabrics – I chose colors/patterns that compliment the side and bottom edges:
Cut your fabric – Measure the WHITE space around your photo – for each side add ¼ inch for the seam allow. (If the side is 1 ¾ inches wide your “frame” strips will be 2 inches by the length of the white area.)
Place the pieces on the photo fabric to check for placement:
After checking placement I decide that the black fabric needed to extend wider on the short end. For this photo I ended up with two pieces 2 inches by 11 inches – one in black and one in light blue. For the short ends I chose to use BOTH the black and the light blue to make up the width because of the objects within the photo.
Sew the long edges first. Place the fabric face down along the outside edge of the photo area. Press seam so that the fabric photo now has no white showing on the long sides.
Because my short ends have two fabric colors I have sewn the two together to create a single piece of fabric.
Now sew the ends on the photo fabric and PRESS:
Trim up your edges to create your final size.
Add the batting – I use the spray adhesive to hold the layers of batting and fabric together:
Center the batting and photo fabric on top of the backing fabric – wrong sides together. Measure around to make sure all sides are equal:
Fold the edge of the backing fabric toward the outer edge of the batting/photo fabric pieces and pin in place.
Do this on all four sides.
Miter the four corners – choose your own method. I’m not good at this and usually fall back on simply neatly fold the corners in place. Check the internet and someone will have a great way to miter a corner.
Fold the backing edge over the edge of the batting/photo fabric and pin in place. (This is why you made sure the fabrics were squarely centered on the backing fabric. This is your edging.
Sew around the inner edge of the recently folded edge.
Last step:
Stitch around the elements of the photo – in the gutter of each seam is a start. Next you decide what you want “quilted” – for this photo the pier braces and the perch for the eagle are stitched all the way around—where it is black I used black thread, where it is blue or white I used light blue thread. The eagle is stitched with gold embroidery thread.
