FABRIC PANELS.
Fabric panels are great because they come in a variety of designs. These can range from a single image to multiple image panels or, a mixture of both, for example, The World of Susy Bee. Even for Christmas, there are ready-made stocking panels to cut out and sew or advent calendars, placemats, or even Christmas Tree ornaments, table runners, and more.
These are great for beginners and advanced alike. For a beginner, using a large panel as a centerpiece, for example, Baby Safari panel which depicts Noah’s Ark can easily make a quilt in a day.
Some fabric panels are really great for making baby playmats or quilts, others cushion covers. While others make nice wall-hangings as they are or, by adding a border and some very simple and judicious cutting of the panel, can make an attic window.
Applique is another way to use the fabric panels by cutting out some of the designs, for example with the Luminosity panel the butterflies could be cut out and appliqued onto cushion covers. As well as cutting out the butterflies the border could also be used to form part of the cushion.
Amanda made a Halloween quilt out of two panels sewn together Dashwood Full Moon. The idea came about because when we took delivery of the fabric panels our lovely workshop leader, Katherine happened to be in our shop. When she saw them she said that these would be great for a beginner such as Amanda, sewn together to make a quilt. From then on Amanda, though even I can do that. So she added a border using 45-degree mitered joints, a binding and backing. This was then long armed by Alan.
Some good examples of fabric panels such as these are Gustav Klimt, and Little Darling Safari.
Some panels are already designed to make cushions, such as Jewel Tone which would make really colourful cushions to brighten up your seating area. Tomten is a great Christmas cushion panel which make cushions of a size approximately 16″, why not a Tomten table runner or place mats?
A very good panel for applique would be Bramble Patch as there are plenty of things to cut out or make cushions from.
As you can see from this blog, panels are so versatile. Take a look at what we have got from The Mona Lisa to The Very Hungry Caterpillar and more in between.