The Edmonton and District Quilt Guild is having what we call a brown bag raffle to raise money for the scholarships we endow at the University of Alberta's School of Human Ecology.  For anyone asking what a brown bag raffle is, it is one of those raffles where one puts the ticket one has bought in the "brown bag" next to the prize one wants to win
This years raffle is asking members to make a set of 3 fabric post cards to be used as the prizes.  To help in this effort I have written up the way I make postcards and here it is.

Postcards and some thoughts on how to make them.

Post cards are fun to make and a great place to try new things, use up little bits of left over fabric that are too pretty to throw away and to add embellishments.

This is how I make post cards and why I do it my way. Search fabric post cards on line to find lots of tutorials, other advice and to see some interesting post cards.

1.  To send a post card through the mail it must be what Canada Post calls a post card.

Canada Post says postcards are a minimum dimension of  140mm x 90mm (5.6 x 3.6 inches) with a thickness no less than 18 mm (0.007inches).  The maximum thickness in 20 mm or (0.8 inches)  According to my notes from a couple of years ago Canada Post gave 0.2 inches as the standard acceptable thickness.  The 0.8 inches is from the table where it says maximum acceptable and I would guess the extra postage might apply so lets stick to 0.2 inches.  It needs to be stiff enough to withstand processing without difficulty.  That is actually been given a limit to the amount of sag.  So “The Great Canadian Snapshot” size of 4 X 6 inches meets the post office requirement .  It requires the same stamp as a letter.  To look at the regulation yourself go here https://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/manual/PGletterml-e.asp#1392028


Most books and tutorials about postcards recommend a heavy interfacing  e..g. Pelltex, Timtex etc.  I am not fond of them because they are hard to hand embellish and I find they can be expensive especially if you get the ones with glue on both sides.  So what do I use.
Top layer  Fabric of whatever suits my intended design or happens to be falling out of a box or needs a new home.  This is a good place to use things that can't go in a functional quilt that will require washing.  Who washes postcards?

Middle layer.  As likely as not I will use a scrap of batting.  It is often right there as it has been trimmed of something else.  It stitches nicely.  It allows your quilting to show.

Backing.  Now we have to think a bit about our choices.  It needs to be pale so it can be written on, and fairly sturdy.  I often use couple of layers of interfacing.  I buy it at a regular fabric store and choose the stiffest non woven available.  I use both iron on and non iron on or sew in.  Deco bond is one brand that is available.

I think of postcards as fabric or mixed media art and if I use these terms I don’t have to quilt it. Quilts are considered a 3 layer sandwich held together by stitching.  Timtex or other stiff material is often used as batting.

Ideas for the quilt top:
1. Applique: Machine applique using fusible web
Machine applique without fusible web
Other favourite applique method
2. Piecing. Any block that you like can be used.  The finished block has to be 6 inches or less x 4 or less.  A block that finishes at 4 inches square will require sashing on 2 edges.
3. Thread play, painting foiling, embellishment but watch the thickness.
4. Any other technique you want to try.
Search the internet for Fabric Post cards for tutorials.  Here are a couple of addresses to get you started.
http://killerbeedesigns.com/blog1/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/general-fabric-postcard-killer-bee-designs.pdf
http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltpatternsprojects/ss/fabric_postcard.htm