Frame it with a Pop-Out Picture quilt: the perfect Christmas gift

Last month, I introduced you to the Brother Innov-is NQ700 machine as we made a fun Halloween wall quilt.

Finished Halloween quilt

The Brother NQ700, also known as the Sewist, is a small machine, but it’s packed with features that you usually only find on the larger machines. Be sure to check out last month’s blog post to see all these great features.

This week, I’ll be showing you how to sew up some quick Christmas projects that make perfect gifts. We’ll also be using some of the dozens of decorative and character stitches that are available on the Brother NQ700  machine.

The Brother NQ700

Let’s start by making this little Pop-Out Picture quilt. This is a very versatile design because you use a paper photo that can be changed whenever you like. The finished size is 10″ x 12″. It’ll make a great gift for someone special. I’ve designed a series of patterns using this technique, and you can see some of them in the Memory Quilt section of my website PatternsByJeanBoyd.com.

Completed Pop-Out Picture quilt

Here’s what you need:

• 1 photograph 4″ x 6″
• 5 fat eighths in co-ordinating colors (a fat eighth is approximately 10″ x 20″) or a variety of strips 2½” to 3″ wide
• 1 strip of iron-on interfacing 1″ x 24″
• fabric for binding the outside and inside of picture frame: ¼ yd [0.25m]
• fabric for backing and hanging pockets: 1 fat quarter (approximately 18″ x 20″)
• light-weight batting: 1 piece 11″ x 13″
• light-weight stabilizer: 1 piece 11″ x 13″

Colorful Christmas themed fabrics

Let’s get started!

• From one of the fat eighths, cut 1 piece of fabric 4¾” x 6¾” for the picture pocket. This fabric won’t show once the photograph is inserted.
• For the fabric frame around the picture, cut 1 strip 1½” x 24″ from the picture frame fabric. For added stability, cut 1 piece of iron-on interfacing 1″ x 24″. Center the interfacing strip on the wrong side of the fabric strip. Iron the interfacing to the fabric following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Add iron-on interfacing to your strip to add stability.

• Fold the strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press.

Stabilized strip of fabric folded in half lengthwise

• From the folded strip, cut 2 strips 4¾” and 2 strips 6¾”.

Strips cut to size

Please join me again tomorrow on QUILTsocial when I show you how to use the Brother BQ3050 machine to sew all the pieces together to make a Pop-Out Picture quilt.

This is part 1 of 5 in this series

Go to part 2: Sewing the front of the Pop-Out Picture quilt an ‘angle’ at a time

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