Yes, you can make a tiny quilt, put a postage stamp on it and send it through the mail. It's a quilted postcard and has captured the passion of many quilters and crafters alike. In this workshop we will explore various techniques for creating these mini fiberart beauties and the multitude of ways to embellish and decorate the small surface. We look at paper piecing, crazy patch piecing, appliqué, embellishments using doo-dads and trims, rick-rack, buttons and anything else you can attach to the front!

Students provide

• their own fabric, particularly novelty prints of scenery, animals, etc (in small amounts - afterall, these finish to 4" x 6")
• small amounts of laces, trims, doodads
• paper and pencil
• machine embroidery-type thread (ie, Rayon, 40wt) in one or more colors
• decorative edge scissors or rotary cutter blade
• sewing machines and supporting sewing supplies

For a $5 kit fee I supply:

• postcard stock and batting for 3-5 postcards (depending on half or all-day workshop)
• fusible web
• freezer paper (for tracing templates)
• patterns for several variations
• a huge box of "doo-dads" for embellishment. Students are encouraged to bring their own buttons, laces, trims, rosettes, etc for further inspiration.

• Postcard #1 - Wish You Were Here -- Small paper pieced sailboat with sewing machine alphabet super-inscribed at the top. Very basic treatment.
• Postcard #2 - Tiny Pine Tree- Again, another 3" paper pieced pattern with simple finishing treatment.
• Postcard #3 - Tribute to Free Spirit Fabrics - My first free-form sewing of strips for a small size quilt. This uses scraps leftover from a quilt I sewed for Free Spirit.
• Postcard #4 - Tribute to Westminster Fabrics 1 - I went wild with leftover scraps. Having taught a Kaffee Fassett Club for the past year, I have a LOT of quilts and a lot of leftover fabrics.
• Postcard #5 - Tribute to Westminster Fabrics 2 - See note above
• Postcard #6 - Tribute to Westminster Fabrics 3 - See note above again
• Postcard #7 - I Miss You - Simple sliced heart created with batiks. On the way to the post office I dropped this card (and others) in a puddle of water - GASP! - and it warped.
• Postcard #8 - Batik Crazy Patch - Just the tiniest of batik scraps (don't toss your scraps!) were used to make this. Yes - this landed in the same puddle!
• Postcard #9 - Green Sneakers Thank You - My daughter Audrey gave me a pair of green sneakers and I laughed because I DON'T wear sneakers. But I tried them and can't go back to regular shoes. I had to send her a thank you note - and wouldn't you know it? I had some novelty print with green sneakers on it. Yes, those shoelaces are little ribbons.
• Postcard #10 - You Are My Sunshine - Just fun with sunflower fabric, some grass and a sun made with a tiny yellow yo-yo.
• Postcard #11 - Gifts - Some scraps leftover from sewing for RJR. Tiny felt squares called to me to be little packages. Wrapped them up and let them dance on the face of the postcard.
• Postcard #12 - All We Need Is Love - A happy, tiny scrap from many years ago! Don't you just love this happy dancing beaver, obviously smitten with love for someone?!
• Postcard #13 - Audrey's ESOL Classroom - My daughter will be a certified ESL (English As a Second Language) teacher this spring and I found a small fabric scrap with kids of the world on it. This will be her experience up in the Washington, DC area (Arlington and Montgomery counties)
• Postcard #14 - Kaffe Fassett Diamonds - A larger quilt (I call it Cloissone Diamonds) with 4 Patch 60 degree diamonds reminded me of a 6-Pointed star. So, I made a tiny one with the scraps.
• Postcard #15 - Kimono - A larger quilt made for my Asian Club class (taught at Intown Quilters in Atlanta) is made of 6 kimono. I miniaturized it and added a set of Japanese shoes. Has anyone seen the new Memoirs of a Geisha movie? I loved the book so much, I'm afraid to go see it!
• Postcard #16 - Happy New Year #1 - Yes, 2006 is the Year of The Dog, but I can't find any dog fabric in my stash. I decided to just create a simple lantern. I have hundreds of these little tassles.
• Postcard #17 - Happy New Year #2 - My stitching is a little better on this one. Don't you just love the curved edges? The Olfa specialty blades are wonderful!