I got these two panels from the Scrap Exchange in Durham a couple of months ago for just $3. When I saw them I knew I had to have them. The question now is what to do with them? Any ideas??????

I would but fabric markers and color them and make a wholecloth .

I would have a blast painting that!

I think I would embroider them

If you want heirloom, embroider them, otherwise, fabric paint them. They are gorgeous!

Henry, this is an awesome find!!! Are these all cotton or a blend? If they are all cotton I would use fabric markers to color them in and they would be beautiful wallhangings. If they are a blend, the markers may not work as well, you could do some thread painting on them. Have fun with these treasures :D:D:D

I was looking at them again, and you can also have a lot of fun with the quilting in these...accenting parts, outlining...Woo Hoo....so many possibilities :D:D:D

How big are they?

Henry I love them!! I'm not sure what I'd do but I'd either paint or quilt them and then hang them on the wall. What a great buy-good luck and please show us what you end up doing.

What fun! I'd go mixed media - markers for finest details, and embellish with all sorts of things, like buttons, tiny silk flowers, and such. Look up "Painted Ladies" to get some color suggestions.

I love those!! You have to color them. It will be so beautiful!

They are 45 inches tall and 35 inches wide.

I can't wait to see what you decide to do with them :D:D:D

They are cotton.

Designed by Janet McCafferty for Better Homes and Gardens (c) 1978 Meredith Corp. (this is printed on the first panel)

I would frame it! Make great wall art as is!

Embelish! Make embroidery threads, little buttons, golden floss, pompoms, etc. Make it 3-D.

If I use fabric markers what brand do you suggest?

Hmmm what place could frame them as big as they are????

So many great ideas!

Henry, you can get the basic powdered dyes in the primary colors and mix them with a little bit of aloe vera clear gel. When you paint them on, the gel helps keep the color in place. You can mix your own colors and it will not be as expensive as fabric painting pens. The aloe washes out when you are all done. You would need to use a setting agent on it. If you use acrylic paints which are cheaper, can thin them down with the gel too so the fabric will not be as thick. This will not bleed or cause problems when laundering. I just heat set it when I am done with an iron and a paper bag on top of the fabric.

Does it matter if I cant make really tiny stitches????

If you have a friend with a chop saw they could cut the frame for you. Then take a router and route a little lip in the frame, then get thin plexiglass cut to fit and use window triangles to hold the plexiglass in place :wink:

what about fabric paint one and embroider the other one? Whatever I do i want to make sure that they still look great and retain the charm that drew me to them in the first place.

Thats a good idea cause I want to frame them when i am done with them anyways. I want to put them up in my living room.

You can embroider and paint too :D:D:D
You don't have to do little stitches...many of these can be done with longer stitches side by side

http://www.stitchingcow.com/about/us...n-satin-stitch

there are many tutes out there on how to do a "filled in" stitch for this kind of work

You could paint the flat areas of the design and embroidery the raised objects and the lines on the house's siding, for example, too.

Here are embroidery videos
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...0378710346682#

Wow thanks for the link!

the next link is even better

Awesome Link!

What I started doing on these.... I dont think my stitches are right. :(

and the leaves by the red are fabric paint too.

Henry, you could color them first and then do the embroidery. That way your stitches don't have to completely cover the area :D
I am liking this look :D:D:D

Paint them with COP/c paint pens, they are perm dyes for fabrics and they are blendable... they are wonderfull.
They hot ribbon art ladt selles them or you can order on the internet.... theyare the best painting on fabric pens I have ever seen and they are refillable... you can buy in different sets and refill the ones you use the most.... and even after they dry you can come back with the blender and they reactivate....Lennie is her name and she is called The Dutch Quilter... she is a most wonderful person. Connie

Hmmm color them and stitch them, that sounds like a good idea.
Thanks Amma!

Thanks Connie

reading through the sub's for you I see ammm? said usr the aloa vera, great idea tooooo. It works great....
Connie

thats why I love this board. Everyone has such great ideas!

more pics

Me too.