Once you find the right Christmas art, quilt patterns to showcase it generally fall right into place. If this is your first attempt to use art to appliqué a Christmas art quilt pattern, getting started may seem a little overwhelming. It’s really easy when you keep these tips in mind.
First, select simple art. Maybe your first Christmas art quilt pattern design shouldn’t be an intricate scene. Try starting first with a Christmas tree.
A Christmas art quilt pattern that centers on a Christmas tree can be very simple or more intricate, depending on your skill level. It could be as easy as stitching a large green print triangle for the evergreen and a small rectangle for the trunk.
Use your computer’s clip art collection – or your favorite online clip art – for design inspiration. Once you find the Christmas art you want to use for your quilt pattern, print it out and you’ll have your Christmas art.
Once you’ve selected your Christmas art, quilt pattern selection is next. Will you appliqué your Christmas art one large 12-inch squares or incorporate it into another pattern, like a nine patch? Maybe you’ll choose to appliqué your Christmas art onto a large panel in the center of your quilt and border with several blocks of your favorite quilt pattern. It’s up to you!
Maybe the Christmas art you want to incorporate into your quilt pattern is a favorite family Christmas photo. What an exciting way to create a family favorite!
There are a couple of ways to get your photo onto the quilt. I recommend putting the photo on a quilt block prior to piecing. In case something goes awry in the transfer process, it’s much easier to cut another block than to create a whole other quilt!
Photo transferring is easy. The transfer paper is available at most craft stores. If you’ll be printing the photo on darker fabric, make sure to get transfer paper especially formulated for dark fabric. Follow the directions included to create your photo Christmas art quilt pattern.
Another method of transferring photos is through direct to fabric digital printing. It will cost a little more than doing the transfer yourself, but the water-based ink goes straight into the fibers of your cotton fabric. The photo will be soft to the touch because it actually becomes part of the fabric.
Digital printing has long life, which is important if you plan to use the quilt and will need to wash it frequently. Some photo transfers do not last through multiple washings. Call area t-shirt printers to ask if they offer digital garment printing services. Most are screen printers so you’ll have to ask for a digital direct to garment printer that does not use sublimation. Wording your question that way should help you weed through to find a good photo printer for your Christmas art quilt pattern.
If you’re not interested in appliqué, there are several quilt patterns that have Christmas trees, bells, or wreaths pieced into the design. Choosing one of these traditional Christmas quilt patterns would be an easy way to create a holiday family heirloom.
If you chose to piece a Christmas art quilt pattern like that, appliqué wouldn’t be necessary. To add your own flair to the traditional pieced tree pattern, you could embellish the trees with buttons, iron on rhinestones, rick-rack garland, etc.
Once you have completed your Christmas art quilt pattern, don’t forget to sign and date the quilt. Use a fabric marker to sign your name and date the quilt. You may also choose to use simple embroidery to stitch your name and date into the quilt. Remember, your creation won’t be complete without your name and the date on which it was completed!
By: Penny Halgren
Archive for the ‘Home And Family’ category
Christmas Art Quilt Patterns
October 27th, 2009Kids’ Art – Making Halloween Spider Webs
October 25th, 2009
Here’s a Halloween art project to do with your toddler or preschooler. It’s very easy and it looks great around the house.
Here’s what you need:
-8.5″ x 11″ black construction paper
-white tempera or kids’ washable paint
-a plastic bin
-4 marbles
-scissors
-stapler
Your child can help with cutting and gluing, depending on her skill level.
Here’s what to do:
Using a sheet of black construction paper, cut out the shape of a spider web. An easy way to do this is to cut out a large circle, then put a dot in the N, S, E, and W positions. Put one more dot between each of these dots so that you end up with eight equally spaced marks along the border. Now cut sagging loops between each of the marks and you have the basic shape of a spider web
Now, place your construction paper cut-out in the bin. Put a small line of white tempera paint at various places within the bin.
Place the 4 marbles in the bin.
Allow your child to tilt the bin in different directions. This will cause the marbles to roll through the paint and make white lines across the black construction paper. Now you have a spider web with white silky lines.
Allow the spider web to dry for at least 30 minutes.
For a spider, simply cut a small circle out of the black construction paper. Cut the legs out and staple or glue them on. For eyes, glue on white circles with a black dot not exactly in the middle. The off center pupil gives the spider a kid-friendly silly look. Glue or staple the spider to the spider web.
Repeat the steps for more spider webs to decorate the house!
By: Anthony Vecchioni
Canvas Art Project Ideas For Kids
October 8th, 2009
Ah, the lazy days of summer. A time to relax, rejuvenate and unwind before the craziness of another school year descends upon us. Unfortunately, the peace and quiet that summer offers is often short-lived, soon to be replaced with the all-too-familiar, “I’m boooorreeed…I don’t have ANYTHING to dooooo!” What’s a mom to do in order to keep that battle cry to a minimum? The answer comes in two simple words that offer a multitude of options – canvas art. With a quick trip to your local craft store you will have everything you need to keep busy minds occupied.
All large craft stores – and some of the discount department stores – sell pre-stretched canvas in a variety of sizes and shapes. The easiest one for little hands to manage is a square piece, usually 12 x 12″. Pick up a few of those, and some of the individual supplies listed below, and you are well on your way to a plethora of projects.
Scrapbook on Your Wall
Before you head to the craft store, allow your child to look through some of your old photographs and choose a few to turn into a scrapbook wall hanging (a possible theme could be a family vacation or special holiday). Paint the canvas in a favorite color of acrylic craft paint and allow it to dry for a few hours. From there you can make it as simple or ornate as you (and your budding artist) wish, adding scrapbook embellishments to their hearts desire. You can even try stenciling, stamping, or hand lettering a title. Glue all the pieces in place with craft clue and viola! A scrapbook page your child can hang on his or her bedroom wall!
Celebrity Collage
If you are the lucky parent of a “tween age” girl you are most likely very familiar with the fan magazines filled with pictures and articles of her favorite stars. When the piles of magazines begin to take over the house, this project offers a great way to eliminate the clutter while allowing your daughter to save pictures of her “faves”. Again, paint the canvas with acrylic paint and allow it to dry. In the mean time, have your daughter cut out pictures of her favorite stars. Use decorative-edged scissors if you have them; if not, a twist of the wrist does nicely! The pictures are then glued onto the canvas, overlapping each other as the artist chooses. Embellish with glitter, jewels, stickers – the possibilities are endless! Finish with decoupage glue in order to seal the project. Your daughter can create a collage of all her “faves”, or individual tributes for each one. They will last a lot longer than individually cut out pictures, and will look much nicer on her wall!
Bas Relief Painting
Ancient Greeks, Romans and Egyptians were just a few societies to experiment with this “low relief” form of 3-D painting, and now your budding artist may too! Simply paint the canvas in a favorite color, and then glue lightweight 3-Dimensional objects on the canvas. One option that lends itself easily to this project is a bas relief solar system. Using a sponge, “stamp” paint on the canvas in different shades of blue, and allow it to dry. Cut foam balls of various sizes in half, and paint them to look like planets and moons. When they dry, glue them to your canvas. Your child will have the universe on his wall. Other objects work well with this type of project, including letters (for a monogram piece of art) and small wooden cut outs. Allow your child to create a bas relief masterpiece that is a reflection of him!
Just Paint It
Of course, there’s nothing wrong with just grabbing a canvas and some craft paint (or even finger paint) and going for it! With this option your child can be as abstract as Picasso or as deliberate as Seurat! For the smaller artists in your family, finger paints also work well. Add some sponge shapes for extra, easy, fun. The resulting masterpieces from this option can be a wonderful memory for you to hang on your own wall!
The options mentioned here are just the beginnings of all the possibilities that bloom from a simple, stretched canvas. Try these or create your own, and you’re sure to keep the “nothing to do” battle cry at a minimum this summer!
By: JS Fox
