How to Make a Photo Quilt Wall Hanging
Photo quilts are a wonderful way to display pictures of your family, whether it is your own children or ancestors. They are a great way to display photos without having to frame them. Photo quilts make excellent gifts, especially for weddings, birthdays or anniversaries.
Supplies
- Photos
- Computer Scanner/printer
- Muslin one yard
- Backing fabric one yard
- Craft batting 3/4 yard
- Computer transfer paper
- Sewing machine
- Scissors
- Iron
- Straight pins
- Needle and thread
- Measuring tape
- Dowel
- Cut a piece of muslin 2 ft by 2 1/2 feet. This will serve as the base of your project.
- Put the craft batting on a clean flat table and lay the muslin on top of it. Trim the batting to the same size as your muslin. Lay the backing fabric on the table and place the batting and muslin on top. Cut the backing, making one inch bigger on all sides.
- Select your photos for the project and scan them into your computer. Use your graphic editing software to create a mirror image. Make the photos any size you want. Allow at least two inches between each of the photos. Use the computer transfer paper and print the photos onto it. Cut the photos out.
- Place the muslin on your ironing board. Lay the photos on the transfer paper on to the muslin. Place the photos on the muslin in the arrangement you want them to appear, photo side up. Make sure the photos are straight and not near edges. Iron the photos onto the muslin.
- Lay the backing fabric right side up. Lay the batting on the backing fabric and place the printed muslin on top of the batting.
- Fold over 1/2 inch of the backing material and iron a seam down. Fold over the final 1/2 inch and pin the end over the edge of batting and photo top of the quilt.
- Make four strips from the backing fabric six inches wide and 12 inches long. These will be the hanging loops. Fold one strip in half the entire length with the right sides together and pin. Machine stitch the short ends with a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Now stitch the long side together, leaving a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Leave open two inches on the end so the fabric can be turned right side out. Repeat the process for the other pieces.
- Turn the fabric right side out and iron flat. Sew the opening closed with your needle and thread by hand. Fold the strips in half. Place the strips at even intervals along the top. Stitch the pieces to the quilt neatly on the back and front sides. Insert the dowel into the tabs by hand.