Designer Album Covers

Project designer: Charlie Reeves

From American Patchwork & Quilting, December 2006

Materials

• Soft-cover album for 4x6" photos
• 7-3/4x14" piece moss green felted wool (cover)
• Felted wool scraps: brown plaid, gray, dark green, red, and gold (appliqués)
• Embroidery floss: brown, gray, black, red, gold
• Freezer paper

Finished cover: 6-3/4x5"

Cut Fabrics

Click on "Download This Project" for the full-size patterns. Trace patterns on freezer paper's dull side the number of times indicated below; cut out. With dry iron, press freezer-paper shapes onto right side of wool scraps. Cut along freezer paper edges; peel off paper.

From brown plaid wool, cut:

• 1 of Pattern A

From gray wool, cut:

• 1 of Pattern B

From dark green wool, cut:

• 1 each of patterns C and D

From red wool, cut:

• 1 of Pattern E

From gold wool, cut:

• 1 of Pattern F

Assembly Instructions

1. Lay wool rectangle right side up. Fold short ends in 2" to make flaps. Machine-stitch along long raw edges with 1/2" seam allowance. Turn flaps right side out and press, making a 1/2" hem at top and bottom, to make cover.

2. Referring to Appliqué Placement Diagram, place brown plaid A grass and gray wool B sheep on cover. Without sewing through flap, whipstitch in place with one strand of matching floss.

3. With two strands of brown floss, backstitch sheep's swirls and ear, and add a French knot for eye. Satin-stitch legs with six strands of brown floss; add black French knot hooves.

4. Place dark green wool C and D leaves and red wool E flower on cover. With three strands of brown floss, backstitch stem and stitch through center of leaves. With two strands of red floss, backstitch loop in each flower petal. With two strands of gold floss, add a French knot to secure the gold wool F flower center and backstitch initials and year.

5. Slide photo album into appliquéd cover.

Project designer: Renée Plains

Materials

• Soft-cover album for 4x6" photos
• 8x14-1/2" piece tan check (cover)
• 8x9" piece tan floral (lining)
• 7x10" piece thin cotton batting
• Felted wool scraps: green and tan (appliqués)
• Moss green wool yarn (stems)
• Embroidery floss: green, red, tan, coral
• Freezer paper

Finished cover: 7x5"

Cut Fabrics

Click on "Download This Project" for the full-size patterns. Trace patterns on freezer paper's dull side the number of times indicated below; cut out. With dry iron, press freezer-paper shapes onto right side of wool scraps. Cut along freezer paper edges; peel off paper.

From green wool, cut:

• 7 of Pattern A

From red wool, cut:

• 1 each of patterns B, C, and D

From tan wool, cut:

• 3 of Pattern E

From coral wool, cut:

• 3 of Pattern F

From gold wool, cut:

• 1--5/8x2" rectangle

From moss green yarn, cut:

• 2--4-3/4" lengths
• 1--2-3/4" lengths

Assembly Instructions

1. Center batting 7x10" rectangle on wrong side of tan check 8x14-1/2" rectangle; pin or baste in place. Referring to Appliqué Placement Diagram, position all appliqués and moss green wool yarn pieces on cover. Baste in place.

2. With two strands of green floss, tack-stitch leaves in place. With two strands of brown floss, tack-stitch remaining appliqué shapes in place. With two strands of green floss, whipstitch over moss green yarn stems to secure. With three strands of tan floss, use a cross stitch and a backstitch to embroider "XOXX" on the gold wool rectangle.

3. Press short ends of appliquéd tan check rectangle 1/4" to the wrong side; stitch in place. Lay the appliquéd tan check rectangle right side up and press short ends 2" to the right side to create flaps. With right sides together, center the lining 8x9" rectangle atop the tan check rectangle (Assembly Diagram). Machine-stitch top and bottom edges with 1/2" seam allowance to make cover. Turn cover right side out, then turn flaps right side out; press flat.

4. Slide photo album into cover.

Project designer: Pat Sloan

Materials

• Soft-cover album for 4x6" photos
• 8x14-1/2" piece tan floral (cover)
• 8x9" piece tan print (lining)
• Assorted scraps: black polka dot, blue print, and black print (appliqués)
• 7x10" piece thin cotton batting
• Perle cotton No. 12: variegated purple
• Lightweight fusible web

Finished cover: 7x5"

Cut Fabrics

Click on "Download This Project" for the full-size patterns. Lay fusible web, paper side up, over patterns. Trace patterns number of times indicated below. Cut out each fusible-web shape roughly 1/4" outside traced lines. Following manufacturer's instructions, press shapes onto backs of fabrics. Let cool. Cut out appliqués on drawn lines; peel off paper backings.

From black polka dot, cut:

• 1 each of patterns A, A reversed, B, and B reversed

From blue print, cut:

• 1 each of patterns C, C reversed, D, and D reversed

From black print, cut:

• 1 of Pattern E

Assembly Instructions

1. Referring to Appliqué Placement Diagram, arrange appliqués on tan floral 8x14-1/2" rectangle; fuse in place.

2. Using matching threads, machine-blanket-stitch around all appliqués. With variegated perle cotton, stem-stitch antennae and grass blades, add a French knot to the top of each grass blade, and use a running stitch to embroider a line under the butterfly.

3. Center batting 7x10" rectangle on wrong side of appliquéd tan check rectangle; pin or baste in place.

4. Press short ends of appliquéd tan check rectangle 1/4" to the wrong side; stitch in place. Lay the appliquéd tan check rectangle right side up and press short ends 2" to the right side to create flaps. With right sides together, center the lining 8x9" rectangle atop the tan check rectangle (Assembly Diagram). Machine-stitch top and bottom edges with 1/2" seam allowance to make cover. Turn cover right side out, then turn flaps right side out; press flat.

5. Slide photo album into cover.

Project designer: Janet Brandt

Materials

• Soft-cover album for 4x6" photos
• 8x14" piece blue felted wool (cover)
• Felted wool scraps: pink and green (appliqués)
• Freezer paper

Finished cover: 6-3/4x5"

Cut Fabrics

Click on "Download This Project" for the full-size patterns. Trace patterns on freezer paper's dull side the number of times indicated below; cut out. With dry iron, press freezer-paper shapes onto right side of wool scraps. Cut along freezer paper edges; peel off paper.

From green wool, cut:

• 2 -- 1/4x6-1/2" strips
• 5 of Pattern A

From pink wool, cut:

• 15 of Pattern B

Assembly Instructions

1. Fold each pink wool B bud in uneven quarters and machine-stitch corner to secure the fold.

2. Referring to Appliqué Placement Diagram, arrange prepared buds and green wool A leaves on blue wool rectangle; baste in place. Center green wool 1/4x6-1/2" stem strips over ends of buds and leaves; machine-stitch in place with a decorative stitch.

3. Lay appliquéd wool rectangle wrong side up. Fold short ends in 2" to make flaps. Machine-stitch along long raw edges with 1/2" seam allowance. Turn flaps right side out and press, making a 1/2" hem at top and bottom, to make cover.

4. Slide photo album into cover.

Back Stitch

To back-stitch, pull needle up at A (Back Stitch Diagram). Insert it back into fabric at B, and bring it up at C. Push needle down again at D, and bring it up at E. Continue in same manner.

Cross Stitch

To cross-stitch, pull your needle up at A (Cross Stitch Diagram), then push it down at B. Bring needle up at C, then push it down at D. Repeat for as many cross-stitches as desired.

French Knot

To make a French knot, pull needle and floss through at the point where the knot is desired (A on French Knot Diagram). Wrap floss around needle twice without twisting the floss. Insert tip of needle into fabric at B, 1/16" away from A. Gently push wraps down needle to meet fabric. Pull needle and trailing floss through fabric slowly and smoothly.

Running Stitch

To make a running stitch, pull needle up at A (Running Stitch Diagram), and insert it back into fabric at B, 1/8" away from A. Pull needle up at C, 1/8" away from B, and continue in same manner.

Satin Stitch

To satin-stitch (Satin Stitch Diagram), fill in the desired area with straight stitches, stitching from edge to edge and placing the stitches side by side.

Stem Stitch

To stem-stitch, pull needle up at A (Stem Stitch Diagram). Insert it back into fabric at B, about 1/4" away from A. Holding floss out of the way, bring needle back up at C and pull floss through so it lies flat against fabric. The distances between points A, B, and C should be equal. Pull gently and with equal tautness after each stitch.

Tack StitchTo tack-stitch, pull needle up at A (Tack Stitch Diagram) and push it down at B. Come up at C and go down at D. Make several stitches to secure stems.