Valentine’s Day Quilted Postcards- a Tutorial

I’m super excited about this project! Our Seattle Modern Quilt Guild is doing a Valentine Postcard swap. When we first heard about it, I decided I was in, but I wasn’t super excited. Then I started making mine and got hooked!!! Obsessed!

I came home and started looking around online for instructions and sizes so I could make some and mail them. I couldn’t find a tutorial that didn’t include an applique type edge. I wanted a more quilted look….

The first one I made was this one. I used a bunch of 1 inch squares, but then couldn’t quite get the back to work. It’s also super thick for mailing with all the seams! So as much as I love this one, it’s not what I wanted for a quilted postcard valentine up taking the plunge into the mailbox!

So I made some more! But this time I made patterns! More paper piecing for me! I couldn’t decide on just one, so the pattern actually has 3 patterns in it! I have the set of patterns in my Craftsy store, for $5.00. But the tutorial is free! So let’s get to it!

You’ll need a little bit of fabric, a 4×6 piece of batting, a 4×6 piece of cardstock, patterns and I use basting spray. I used mostly scraps, so needless to say, you don’t need much fabric!

Print and pick your favorite pattern. Each pattern has two outside lines. One for making a 4.5 x 6.5 inch block. The second is larger for making the postcards.

Paper piece your hearts! If you’re new to paper piecing, my tutorial on that should help! Sew together and then tear off the paper.

Center the batting on the quilt block. I use basting spray, but you can pin too. Spray the spray on the batting, not on the quilt block. You’ll have a little more than a half inch on each side.

Quilt the block and the batting together.

Iron the edges in half and over again.

Spray baste the cardstock onto the batting.

Time to do the ‘binding’! Fold the block over the edge of the card stock and start sewing. The corners are a bit tricky. Especially if you have a bunch of seams like I did in my first postcard. So following the pictures, fold, fold, fold and fold one last time. Then continue sewing!

And you’re done! Ready for mailing!

 

And just in case, I mailed one to myself, just to check… I did use a regular letter stamp instead of a postcard stamp. One, because I had it and I didn’t have a postcard stamp. And two, I though they might need extra postage since they are thicker than a plain postcard…..

These are so fun! Pretty quick, too! Now I have to make more. I need some for the swap and now I want to send them on to family!

Which one is your favorite!