I have an alphabet panel, measures aprox 42"x24" that I want to make in to a quilt for a 3yr old little boy, but I am not sure how to go about it! As the letter boxes are not all the same size and they would become smaller as I joined them I don't think that would work. I thought about cutting the strips, each row would then become smaller with the 1/4 seam on all edges. Should I just keep the panel intact? I really do need some help please! And what about the background colour?!
I though I would back the fabric with cream colour fleece - would I also need wadding? and should I then quilt right through?
All advice most welcome - thanks in advance!
Penelope

What a cute panel!

Here I my thoughts on this...I'd cut them apart, arrange them to my pleasing, and add at least an inch of sashing between, making them into a center panel in the size and shape I wanted. Then I'd add some borders, maybe a solid color one first, and some kind of wonky blocks in matching colors... How many and what kind of borders you add depends on how big you want the finished quilt. But, I'd get the middle section arranged first, and go from there.

If you're using fleece for backing, you probably won't need any wadding (batting) in addition to that. And, yes, I would quilt right through both the fleece and the top after they are together.

If it were me I would have to cut it up because my OCD would not allow for the randomness of the letters. I think if you will not lose any of the lettering cut it up and add different color sashing to each block to make them all the same size. I have 1 of these panels and that is what I will be doing with it.

I'd just do borders...a couple of them...stipple quilting and done

In case you couldn't tell, I'm with cjomomma on this! ;)

I couldn't tell at all! LOL!!

I would separate the rows WOF and add a sashing. I don't think I would want that little of a block to work with by taking each and every letter apart.. Add a border and go from there. To little of a piece between the i and j for instance. JMHO

Personally I think the randomness of the letters is a good learning tool, sort of a "where's waldo" kind of thing; I'd leave it as a panel.

You might make one narrow "stopper" border of white or black, then a border of random lengths of strips of fabric similiar to colors in this panel. A piano key border would work well, too.

Jan in VA

It seems that cutting it up by the letter would break the panel up too much, so I would cut it up by blocks and sash between blocks. For example, "zstlg" would be one block. Using different size blocks would create interest across the entire quilt.

I would just add borders using some fabrics with stars or polka dots; something simple like a checkerboard or pinwheels, even friendships stars would be nice in bright colors. I've seen some nice borders on this board of the piano key design.