By Laura Loewen
This year the BoulderMQG is participating in a quilted postcard swap. We will be sending quilted postcards through the mail to some new pen pals in another modern guild. Below we are providing a simple tutorial on how to make a quilted postcard that should travel safely through the mail.
First, a few notes on mailing postcards. According to the USPS minimum postcard size is 5”x3.5”, and should not exceed 6”x4.25”. With these measurements you will be able to use the postcard postage rate. You will also need to keep the thickness less than .016”. Your postcard needs to be rigid in order to feed through the postal machine. In our tutorial we will be using cardstock as backing. We are providing instructions to make a 6”x4” postcard.
Step 1
Piece a “quilt top” at the finished size 6”x4”. Please make sure to create a modern style quilt using modern quilt shop quality fabrics.
Step 2
Cut one each at 6”x4” of white cardstock, double sided fusible web (like Wonder-Under or Steam-a-Seam), lightweight fusible interfacing, and your pieced “quilt top”
Step 3
Press the lightweight fusible interfacing to the “quilt top” – wrong side to fusible side.
Step 4
Quilt the layered quilt top + interfacing that have been fused together. Use any type of modern quilting style. Note that more dense quilting may shrink the size of the top. To avoid this you can make your top slightly big and trim it to the correct size after quilting.
Step 5
Peel off one side of the paper on the fusible web. Press onto the back of the quilted top – back side to exposed fusible.
Step 6
On one side of the cardstock draw a center line. Write “postcard” across the top. Make sure to leave room for a stamp and address.
Step 7
Peel the paper off the back of the fusible on the quilted top. Align the back of the cardstock with the fusible side of the quilted top.
Step 8
Press to fuse the cardstock and the quilted top together.
Step 9
Zig-Zag stitch around all edges twice.
Step 10
Write a message to your swap partner and address your postcard. Your postcard is ready to mail! BoulderMQG will be providing postcard stamps for our 2019 swap. If your postcard is too large or too thick, you will need to provide your own envelope and standard postage.
Make sure you show off your quilted postcards using #mqgpostcardswap Swap sign ups are being accepted through June 30, 2019.
