by Shari V.
Member since:
August 4, 2006

My First Fabric Postcard

October 10, 2006 09:31 PM EDT (Updated: October 22, 2006 01:08 PM EDT)
views: 19 | rating: 10/10 (2 votes) | comments: 18
I have been intrigued by fabric colors, designs, textures. I've tried sewing, but I've never been very successful. I tried quilt patches and that was ok, but it's still a long way to becoming a quilt.

Recently I was introduced to Fabric Postcards. Wow! So much color and fun in one little piece. It's something that seems manageable -- a place to start over again with fabric. Starting here, I may build back up to a quilt at some time, but, in the mean time, I'll use scraps to make little pieces of joy.

To help me get into Fabric Postcards, I found a How-To article online. It provides easy to understand steps and photos to go along with them.

Last night I made my first Fabric Postcard. I wasn't even trying to make a postcard. I was playing around with combining fabrics and fibers and it ended up that the finished piece just happened to be the size of two postcards.  Here's one.
fileId:3096224743930282;size:full;

I had a great time making this and love the colors/textures. I can't wait to make some more.

I created a Fabric Postcard swap on Swap-Bot. You are more than welcome to join in on the fun.
link to this page
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Comments: 18

Leah Christensen Oct 10, 2006, 10:06pm EDT
That's absolutely awsome!!!
Sandra L. Oct 10, 2006, 10:31pm EDT
This sounds like fun. Do you really mail them "post" cards, or do you just kind of keep them around for when you need a gift card? I wonder how well this would work for making your own decorated gift bags too.
Shari V. Oct 10, 2006, 11:05pm EDT
You do mail them as postcards. This card will be mailed to someone in the Swap-Bot swap I set up. I'm hoping the glue I used for the fibers will hold up to the dents and dings the post office will send it through. I will likely have to pay a surcharge to have the postage hand canceled.

You can make decorated gift bags this way, too. You can take any paper bag and adhere fabric to it to make it into a gift bag.

The how-to article I linked to shows how to use fusable webbing. You could also use a Xyron if you have one. I think that adhesive will hold up to anything!
Bijou *~MotherGrizzly~* M. Oct 11, 2006, 4:08pm EDT
This looks like so much fun. I'm a clutz with fabric but I can appreciate good work like yours! :)
Shari V. Oct 11, 2006, 8:35pm EDT
Thanks, Bijou! Making this was really easy, especially since I didn't have to sew anything. It's all glue. You might want to give it a shot.
Diana Raabe Oct 11, 2006, 8:42pm EDT
I'd like to see it after it goes through the P.O. It's very original, Shari.
Shari V. Oct 11, 2006, 8:50pm EDT
Thanks, Diana! I'll have to see if I can get the receiver to take a picture of it after it arrives. If she will, I will certainly post it.
Diana Raabe Oct 11, 2006, 8:51pm EDT
It looks like you didn't quilt it, as the instructor did. That means you don't necessarily need a sewing machine, right? (Who has a sewing machine anymore?)
Shari V. Oct 11, 2006, 9:00pm EDT
That's right, Diana. I didn't quilt it. I might sew decorative threads, fibers, or beads on cards sometimes, but not this time.
Travis B. Oct 11, 2006, 9:02pm EDT
This reminded me of my visit to the fair this year. I saw some of those in the Arts & Crafts building. Very cool. I also got a couple of postcards that had wildflower seeds embedded in it. Some kind of biodregradeable paper. That was from the Burt's Bees people.
Diana Raabe Oct 11, 2006, 9:30pm EDT
This is so cool. I write many letters, notes and postcards but have never seen one of these before today. This is giving me lots of ideas!
Shari V. Oct 11, 2006, 9:41pm EDT
That's exactly what I said, Diana, when I first saw a fabric postcard. I have seen so many fabrics with fun prints that I want to play with. Then there's the stamps I have that I can use on fabric, too. Oh...so much to think about and play with!
Clare Stella Oct 11, 2006, 11:33pm EDT
I love new ideas and this one is great. You did a very nice job with your postcard. Could you mail it in a protected envelope? It's so pretty and I'd hate to see it get smooshed in the mail.
Shari V. Oct 11, 2006, 11:51pm EDT
If my postcard gets smooshed in the mail, then I have done something wrong. One of the challenges of fabric postcards is to make something beautiful that will also travel well. After making it, I realized that the fibers may get me into trouble. But if I have the post office hand cancel the stamp, I think I'll be ok. I've found that most postal employees love seeing art like this come through the mail. It's something different. So they, sometimes, will treat it more carefully.
Travis B. Oct 11, 2006, 11:54pm EDT
"After making it, I realized that the fibers may get me into trouble"

How about something like Scotch Guard?
Shari V. Oct 12, 2006, 12:49am EDT
Scotch Guard will protect it from water, but it won't keep the fibers from catching on postal machinery.
Travis B. Oct 12, 2006, 12:50am EDT
How about a bit of candle wax or hot glue on the frazzled ends?
Shari V. Oct 12, 2006, 1:33am EDT
I've put some hot glue on the ends of the bigger fibers -- the two varigated pieces that run horizontally above and below the flowers. It's the other fiber I worry about most. It's an "eyelash" fiber, with very long eyelashes. I could wax them, but it would ruin the affect.

This is an experiment. I'm willing to let it go through the postal system as is. I'm curious how intact it will be when it arrives.

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