Are you a quilter who enjoys paper crafts? Or a paper crafter who quilts? We’ve been watching a number of designers who have both paper and fabric and thought it would be fun to see what we could come up with. For example,
- BasicGrey designs fabric for Moda
- SEI designs fabric for Robert Kaufman
- Cosmo Cricket designs fabric for Andover
We shared our plans with Paper Crafts magazine, one of our sister publications, and invited them to see what they could come up with to coordinate with our quilt. Jennifer Schaerer, Editor-in-Chief of Paper Crafts says, “It’s a natural combination – whether you stitch on paper or make embellishments out of fabric, you’ll find that these two friends of a different fiber go together like Fred and Ginger, salt and pepper, or bees and honey.”
We used Girl Friday by Cosmo Cricket for Andover Fabrics to make the Butterfliers crib quilt in Quiltmaker’s Small Quilts newsstand special issue.
Butterfliers, designed by Mary Cain. Most fabrics: Girl Friday by Cosmo Cricket for Andover Fabrics.
Kim Kesti, a Paper Crafts Go-to Gal, designed this delightful mobile, made with Girl Friday paper by Cosmo Cricket.
Butterfly Mobile by Kim Kesti with Girl Friday paper by Cosmo Cricket
If you’re a quiltmaker who’s never dabbled in paper crafts before, this sure looks worth giving it a try! Kim did a great job and, besides the paper butterflies, her mobile’s got lots of fun buttons and it all hangs from an embroidery hoop–so it’s not too far removed from a quilter’s stash.
If you’re a paper crafter who’s been thinking about making a quilt, Butterfliers is easy for beginners to make–all straight line seams. The triangles of fabric are folded, so they are very simple to fit into the seams.
Make the Butterfly mobile with this supply list and free instructions.
Buy the Butterfliers crib kit to make the quilt.
Buy the Butterfly Mobile paper kit to start the mobile.
Tell me what you think of this idea–coordinating paper projects with a quilted project. Leave your comment by Monday, June 14 for a chance to win a copy of Quiltmaker’s Small Quilts. [6/17 update: Esther, comment #3, won the copy of Small Quilts. Congrats!]
What fun it is to cross over. It looks like an interesting concept to use coordinating paper with quilted projects. I am a quilter, but love to do paper crafts too. I’ve made cards using scraps of fabric in the shape of hearts. Wouldn’t it be fun to make a matching card when making a quilt for a gift??
I do scrapbook, but have never mentally associated the two. It is a natural progression!
I started out as a scrapbooker (and still enjoy it) and moved into quilting. I love how the two crafts compliment each other and allow for so much creativity!
I’ve always been a big Basic Grey fan for making cards. I was ecstatic to see them come out with fabric. I think I have some of every line they’ve done.
I love the idea! For those who do both scrapbooking and quilting, it would be meat to use the paper in a book showing your progress of your quilt!
Awww-this is so fun! I had a blast making the mobile – hope everyone enjoys the inspiration. Thanks!
Kimmers
Although I haven’t gotten into paper crafts, I can see how quilters might have a talent for that too. And for decorating, quilts and papercraft items could really work together to personalize a room.