Enjoying the Ghastlies Blog Hop? Isn’t it fascinating to see how the same fabrics can look so different when placed in the hands of 54 different creators?!?
As promised, here is my tutorial for making the Ghastlie Family Portrait Placemats… (or maybe frame up a fun scenic Christmas fabric for your holiday table?) Oh, the ideas…
Step 1: I started by fussy cutting my two “portraits” 12.5″ tall x 14.5″ wide (If using something other than A Ghastlie Night print by Alexander Henry, adjust your size accordingly). I cut two pieces of “frame” fabric (Haunted Mansion by Sanae for Moda) 18″ x 20″.
Step 2: I made a paper template for my “picture frame”. I cut a rectangular “frame” with a 12″ x 14″ opening, and an outer measurement of 17″ x 19″. (See Photo Above).
Step 3: Fold your paper frame in half twice, until you have an L-shaped template (four layers of paper).
Step 4: Draw and cut a decorative frame outline onto your template. Set your template aside.(NOTE: If you would like a PDF of the frame I drew, leave me an email address in the comments–I am unable to load PDFs in blogger).
Step 5: On the reverse side of your “frame” fabric, center your “portrait” (the 12.5″ x 14.5″ Ghastlies Fabric) and make regsitraton marks at the four corners (it’s hard to see, but I used blue pencil for my registration marks in the photo above–double click to enlarge). Then using these registration marks, draw lines 1/4″ in from blue mark, creating a 12″ x 14″ rectangle centered on your fabric.
Step 6: BEFORE YOU CUT YOUR CENTER OPENING: Press a strip of 1/2″ wide Steam-a-Seam 2 (SaS2) along all four lines, aligning one edge of your SaS2 with the blue registration marks. Make sure your CUTTING LINES are dark enough to see through the paper of the SaS2.
Step 7: Cut your center opening out, being careful not to cut PAST the intersection of your two lines at the corners. I used my 18mm rotary cutter, you may even want to use a scissors to cut into the corners for more control. As you can see in the above photo, you are cutting away some of your SaS2, the reason you cut through it is to stabilize the raw edge of your “frame” so there is minimal fraying.
Step 8: Peel the paper from the remaining SaS2 off, and carefully place your “portrait” face down, aligning it with your original blue registration marks in all four corners. Ensure that both fabrics are laying flat and are lined up correctly, and then press, affixing your “portrait” to the reverse side of your frame.
Step 9: (NO PHOTO INCLUDED, BUT IMPORTANT STEP!!) Use a fusible stabilizer, thick enough to give your “photo” an opaque backing, to cover both the reverse side of both your “portrait” and your “frame”. I use Shape-Flex by Pellon, the same stabilizer I use for quilts made of fabrics other than 100% quilting cotton (like t-shirt quilts or my men’s suit quilt).
Step 9: Turn your portrait over, and retrieve the paper template you made in Step 4. Lay your template atop your frame, lining up the 12″ x 14″ opening with the fabric frame opening. Using either pattern weights or pins, secure your paper pattern so it will not shift. (TIP: I save rotary cutter cases–the yellow things in photo below–and weight them to use as pattern weights-fill with sand, plaster, or anything to give them weight) Trace your pattern with a marking pencil or white colored pencil.
Step 10: Carefully cut along your traced line, creating your fancy frame.
Step 11: Lay your framed portrait on top of your backing fabric (wrong sides together) and satin-stitch in black thread (I used Aurifil 50wt Mako). If your machine does not have a satin-stitch, zig-zag stitch with the densest zig-zag you can get. I did not use any batting, or padding, which is why the Shape-Flex Stabilizer I added in Step 9 is so important, it acts as a stabilizer, and a lining between the backing and your “portrait”, as well as stabilizing the fancy cut edge of your “frame” from raveling as your handle it.
Step 12: Final Step–carefully cut away your excess backing fabric, using a scissors and cutting along the outer edge of stitching, being careful not to cut any stitches…
Et Voila! Two Portrait Placemats, elegantly framed… (You could easily add a sleeve to the back for hanging on the wall, or try Alidzia’s method of slipcovered picture frames. Genius!)
We are only one day away from this week’s Halloween Party giveaway! Remember to comment on any of this week’s posts, and become a follower of my blog, for a chance to qualify to win:
- ONE Scrappy Charm Pincushion
- TWO treats of the s*w*e*e*t variety
- THREE Holiday Fat Quarters
- FOUR Awesome Notions (Aurifil threads, etc.)
- FIVE…. I’m trying to decide, but a surprise is always a good thing, isn’t it?
Thanks for reading, thanks for visiting, have an Awesome October and a Happy Halloween!!!!!
Oh, and go visit these gals today–on the Ghastlie Blog Hop–for chances to win more great prizes!!!!
made by a brunnette 
Ingenious. I am so glad you posted this tutorial. Never would I have thought to SAS2 the inside before I cut or to use the flex liner. These are great!
Great tutorial 🙂
Thanks, I'm glad I stopped back to read you tutorial, nice job.
Awesome tutorial!!! So many great ideas all in one spot. Pinning for sure!
Thanks for the great tutorial and the link!
Very cool – thank you for the tutorial and I would like the pdf file for the frame.
I am now a loyal follower.
Different technique. I'm glad to have this info.
These are great! You are so creative and talented. Thank you for sharing!
New follower 🙂
An awesome tutorial. You are a very creative woman
And the ghastly fabric I love it
Thanks for the tutorial for using the SAS2 and flex liner as have never used those products before. I see how they would really help.
Please also enter me into your Halloween giveaway.
thanks for a great tutorial! Will definitely try this one!
Forgot to say I'd like a PDF for the frame please!
Thanks!!
Wow. Amazing tutorial. Thank you very much for taking the time to do this. I love it.
Great tutorial! They look so great!
Yes-the fabric looks so different on all the different projects. Makes me love it even more. Thanks for the tute. I am going to file this away for next year.
thanks for the instructions. I am really liking these projects.
Amazing tutorial!
hi
thanks for posting the tutorial, im following you now and can u please email the pdf
thanks
Thanks! This is very cool. I am still learning.. thanks to great tutorials like this 🙂
Thank you for the great tut!
Love it! I can't wait to try it, your instructions are really easy to follow. thanks.
I am now following your blog!
Great tute! Thank you!! And… please enter me in the giveaway!
What a great project tutorial. Love those frames. I had never heard about Shape-Flex Stabilizer. I definitely want to try to find some and give it a try.
Thank you.
SewCalGal
http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com
Fantastic!! Thanks for sharing your process and for emailing me to make sure I wouldn't miss it. Great tutorial – wouldn't have thought about the steam-a-seam on the inner edge. (Oh, and I'm a follower now, too.) ;D
Great idea!
Thanks for the awesome tutorial. I just became a follower. :o)
Would love to have the pdf of the frame. Thank you so much for sharing this tutorial with us. What a great way to frame them or any perfect fabric.
Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing!
Love the tutorial!
These mats are wonderful. Thank you for the chance to win.
you made that look SO easy. The last bit about cutting away the backing would be the scariest part for me.
Love SAS for machine binding–makes it so fast and perfect! Your framed placemats is another great use!
thanks for the email!!♥
Thanks for posting this tutorial i think i have some Christmas fabric that would love to turn into these placemats! I am a new follower too..totally forgot to yesterday..lol
Fantastic! Great tutorial, I'd be afraid to use them as place mats. They would look Ghastlie hanging on the wall. Thank you for all your creative ideas. ;->
Thanks so much for the great tutorial. I would like the pdf file for the frame please.
lsandes@comcast.net
This is great!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for showing us how to do that. I love it.
thank you so much for sharing your placemat know-how! These are just too cute!
such a good toot! thanx for reminding me to come back for it – i've enjoyed your post SEW much, i'm one of your new followers.
Thanks for posting the great tutorial!
Thanks for tutorial. This will come in very handy with Christmas coming up.
Ursula
Amazing! And I love your family introductions in the last post. Makes me feel like I really know them. What a great idea.
Thank you for the great tutorial. I do love those placemats!
Great tutorial! Makes me believe I, too, can try this. Thanks.
Wow! I can see why these are so fabulous…you really took a lot of time and labor to make them. Doing it right always pays off. Thank you for sharing your techniques. Ghastlie adoration…
Thanks for sharing the tut. Now I need to make one. Thanks
awesome tut ghastlie too it looks to me like you still have the flu x
Very nice tutorial. I think I can do that. Thank you for the email letting me know it is up. I really enjoyed it and will be using it.
I would love your template. Here is my email mamaspark@gmail.com
Just an FYI you can put pdf's up on a Google site that hosts them for free. I have seen many others do it that way.
Thank you for the tutorial. I'm going to put that on my project list.
Great idea for the rotary cutter case. I have some round weights that I wrapped ribbon around to use on patterns so will see if one will fit in the case.
Enjoy your day!
What a great frame for the Ghastlies! I'd love the template for the frame please. Thanks!
thank you for the tutorial on the portraits. Now if I can just find time to actually do it.
What a great tutorial, thanks! I would love a pdf copy, so will email 🙂
The spider web quilt and the Ghastlies placemats are great. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the tut! Would love the pdf. Krenickersr@yahoo.com
Thanks for the chance to win your giveaway.
Thanks for the tut. I've got it saved for when my Ghastly fabric arrives. Mine will be destined to decorate my new craft studio.
I really like the idea of picture framed placemats. Please send me the picture frame pdf janiceeileen22@gmail.com
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I would like to find out if I could still get the picture frame pdf: blackhorse8@inbox.com ….. your stuff is amazing!! 🙂