Treasured Memories Photo Quilt

Materials:

When selecting fabrics, note that non-directional fabrics work best
3-1/2 yards (main) fabric for quilt back, wide outer border and quilt blocks (Fabric A)
1-1/2 yards fabric B (inner border, binding and quilt blocks)
1/2 yard each of three other complimentary fabrics (Fabrics C, D and E)
12 Sheets June Tailor® Colorfast Printer Fabric™ Sheets
Thread to match

Finished quilt size appx. 40" x 50"

Optional items:

Binding Buddy 2-1/2" Ruler for cutting perfect binding
Quilter's Storage Tissue to preserve your quilt
1/3 yard sheer fabric for overlays on text if desired
1 skein embroidery floss to compliment quilt colors
matching ribbons, charms, buttons, metal frames and metal washers, wire words

Cutting:

Begin by cutting a 56” length of the main fabric, (Fabric A) to be used for the quilt backing. This will be cut lengthwise (parallel to selvage). Set aside for later. From the same fabric, cut 4 border pieces, each 56” long x 5” wide, lengthwise again. Set aside.

From fabric B, cut 10 x 2-1/2” strips, widthwise. Four of these strips will be used for the inner border and six strips for binding.

Next, refer to the piecing diagram. All measurements on the piecing diagram include a ½” seam allowance. (Although a ¼” seam allowance is typically used in quilting, we have used a wider seam allowance to facilitate the addition of trims and embellishments if so desired.) Cut quilting fabrics and printed fabric sheets as per the piecing diagram. You can use our suggestions in the quilt piecing diagram, where we refer to the fabrics as “A”, “B”, “C”, “D” and “E” or mix and match as you wish.

See information below on working with Colorfast Printer Fabric Sheets for the photo and text boxes and then cut your printed photos and text boxes per the piecing diagram.

Assembly:

Although the design of this quilt looks complicated, it may be assembled easily if taken by sections. The quilt is divided into three sections on the piecing diagram (orange, blue and yellow). The orange and blue sections are each made up of three rows. Follow the piecing diagram to put together each row before joining the rows to form the section. Press each section as you assemble the quilt.

Start with the light orange section, piecing it together using a ½” seam allowance. Then piece the medium orange section and finally the dark orange section. Sew those three sections together.

Next, piece the light blue section followed by the medium blue and dark blue sections. Sew those three sections together. After assembling the orange and blue sections, join them side-by-side to form the top half of the quilt. The yellow section is the lower half of the quilt top and is made up of two parts. After assembling each part, light yellow and then medium yellow, join the parts side by side. The final step is to sew the yellow section to the joined orange/blue top half of the quilt.

Embellishments:

Embellishments can be added to the quilt if you so desire and can be seen on the photograph of the quilt. If you choose to add ribbons and trim, do this as you sew the sections together. By doing this, raw edges will be enclosed in the seam allowance. Ribbon strips are sewn directly onto the surface of the quilt by stitching as close to the edge as possible. Trims may be added by using a narrow, loose zig-zag stitch. Metal embellishments and buttons are best added after the quilt has been assembled and quilted. The metal frame is “tied on” the quilt with four short pieces of ribbon that have been stitched to the quilt top

Please note: Some ribbons and trims are sensitive to the heat of an iron. Use the silk setting while pressing your quilt or pre-test the iron heat on your ribbons and trims.

Working with Colorfast Printer Fabric™ Sheets:

We have included several photos, text blocks and labels on this quilt where we utilized Colorfast Printer Fabric™ Sheets. For photos, follow the instructions on the packaging to print out your photos onto fabric. Plan ahead to combine several small images on one sheet of Colorfast. Keep in mind that you will lose the outer ½” of any image in the seam allowance. We suggest you print each image onto paper first before printing onto Colorfast to ensure that your print is the correct size and that there is enough room around it to include the ½” seam allowance.

For the text boxes, you can vary the font of the text to further enhance your creation. We have included the following text boxes on this quilt. Note how we have given proper credit to the author of each quote.

Text box 1 in orange section: “Memories are forget-me-nots gathered along life’s way…pressed close to the heart in a perennial bouquet” – Clara Smith Reber

Text box 2 in blue section: “Bloom where you’re planted”

Text box 3 in yellow section: “I Will be the Gladdest Thing Under the Sun…I will Touch A Hundred Flowers and not Pick One” –Edna St. Vincent Millay

If you plan to wash this heirloom quilt, please follow the “colorfast treatment” as highlighted on the packaging instructions. If you plan to hang this quilt for display only, you can remove the paper backing off the fabric sheets and begin sewing.

Because Colorfast Printer Fabric Sheets have been treated with a special coating, holes will remain when it is sewn and pinned. Always pin within the seam allowance to avoid visible holes in the finished project.

Sheer Overlays:

To simulate the soft look of vellum, we have used sheer fabrics over the text boxes and labels on the quilt. You can see from the photo that we have used little metal frames with names and dates inside them sprinkled on the quilt. You can do this easily by cutting the background to the size specified on the piecing diagram. Cut a piece of sheer fabric a bit larger, and lay it over the printed background. Stitch the sheer onto the background using a ¼” seam allowance. Trim the sheer fabric to even it up with the quilt piece and sew the doubled piece into the block.

Labels and Framed Captions:

After printing the text on Colorfast, center the frame or label holder over it. Trace around the metal embellishment. Cut just inside your traced line (so that no tracing shows on the final project). Stitch in position on the quilt using a scant 1/8” seam allowance. A sheer overlay may be added. Stitch the metal embellishment in place over this after the quilting is completed. You may “tie on” embellishments with short strands of embroidery floss for a textured look.

Assembling the Patchwork Heart (orange section):

Sew small scraps of several fabrics randomly together to make a 5” x 6” rectangle. Cut in the shape of a slightly elongated heart. Add a scrap of ribbon along one of the seams, if so desired. Stitch to the background square using a ¼” seam allowance. Zig-zag around the edge.

Assembling the Memory Pocket (blue section):

Begin by cutting a 7” x 7” background piece as indicated on the piecing diagram. For the pocket, cut a 7” x 12” rectangle of sheer fabric. (You may also use any one of your fabrics (A-E) if you choose not to have a sheer, see-through pocket.) Fold in half crosswise to double. Place over the 7” x 7” base square so that the fold is 1” down from the top edge and the side and bottom edges are aligned with the background fabric. Stitch in place onto the background using a ¼” seam.

To make the flap, cut an 8” x 8” square of sheer fabric. Fold this along the diagonal to make a triangle. Using a ½” seam allowance, sew together the unfolded edges. Trim seams to 1/8”. Carefully cut off the fold and turn the triangle right side out. Press. Line up the top (unsewn) edge of the triangle with the top of the background square. The flap will overlap slightly with the bottom sheer. Stitch in place using a ¼” seam and trim off the “dog ears” of the triangle. Sew the entire piece into the block as specified in the piecing diagram.

Finishing the Quilt:

Trim edges to square up quilt top. Using a ½” seam allowance, stitch inner borders to quilt top on the sides first, then the top and bottom.

Sew wide outer borders on next, attaching to the top and bottom first, then the sides.

Layer quilt back, batting and quilt top. Quilt as desired. We used “stitch in the ditch” method. After quilting, add buttons and metal embellishments. Bind.

For more detailed binding instructions, go to our website, www.junetailor.com and click on “Creativity Center”, then Quilt Making Basics. Binding instructions are toward the end.