How to Make Oriental Quilted Picture Frames

Give your room an exotic flair by creating oriental quilted picture frames. Choose elegant oriental fabric when gathering the materials for this project. When the frame is completed, affix a tape picture hanger on the back for easy hanging. The following pattern is for a rectangular frame that will hold a 5-by-7-inch picture. You can easily alter these instructions to create a frame of a different size or shape.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cardboard 2 pieces of oriental fabric 19 by 21 inch each Box cutter Straightedge White glue 13-by-15-inch piece of quilt Hot glue gun Scissors 56 inches of gold braiding (from the sewing notion department) 2 14-inch strips of Velcro 1 12-inch strip of Velcro

1. 

   Cut a piece of cardboard into a 13-by-15-inch rectangle.

2. 

   Draw a line across the top of the cardboard, 4 inches from the edge. Turn the cardboard and repeat on the next edge. Continue until you have drawn a parallel line along each side of the cardboard, with each line 4 inches from the parallel outer edge. In the center there should be a 5-by-7-inch rectangle that you have drawn.

3. 

   Cut the center rectangle from the cardboard, using a box cutter and a straightedge. The end result will be a 5-by-7-inch cardboard frame with 4-inch borders.

4. 

   Glue the piece of quilt batting onto one side of the cardboard frame. Use white liquid glue and allow to dry before going to the next step.

5. 

   Use the box cutter to cut out the 5-by-7-inch center piece of the quilting batting. After the quilting batting is cut from the center, the piece will look like a cardboard frame, covered in quilt batting.

6. 

   Lay one piece of the oriental fabric, face down, on a table. Place the cardboard frame on the very center of the fabric, batting side down.

7. 

   Put a dot in the center of the fabric, which will be in the middle of the 5-by-7-inch opening in the cardboard frame. Put four other dots on each corner of the 5-by-7-inch opening on the fabric.

8. 

   Cut an X shape in the center of the fabric. The top of the X will begin at the upper corner of the cutout opening, and will cross at the center dot on the fabric.

9. 

   Pull one cut edge of the X up through the hole in the cardboard frame, wrapping the piece of fabric around one side of the 5-by-7-inch opening. Secure the cut piece of fabric to the back side of the cardboard frame. Repeat on all sides of the cut X, wrapping the fabric around the edge of the 5-by-7-inch opening.

10. Pull each side of the fabric up to wrap around a side of the cardboard frame. Pull tight and secure with the glue gun. Repeat on all four sides. When you are finished and the cardboard frame is turned over, it will look like a quilt-covered, 5-by-7-inch picture frame.

11. Cut a second of cardboard into a 13-by-15-inch rectangle. This will be the backing for your frame.

12. Cover the second piece of cardboard with the second piece of fabric, using the similar technique in Step 9.

13. Use the glue gun to secure strips of Velcro to the two sides and bottom of the frame backing. Leave the two sides of the Velcro attached as you secure it to the cardboard. Attach to the side of the backing where cardboard is exposed, not the side that is completely covered with fabric. Keep the Velcro about and inch or so from the edge.

14. Notice that the Velcro strip attached to the cardboard backing has its other side attached, with the backing on top. Use the glue gun to run glue over the Velcro backing, and then affix it to the backing of the cutout portion of the picture frame. When it dries, you should be able to pull apart the two pieces of cardboard and add photograph. The Velcro will keep the back of the frame attached to the cutout portion.

15. Embellish the outer edges of the frame with gold roping, using the glue gun.

Resources

• Oriental Craft Fabric
• Oriental Fabric