With color ink in my printer, the next step is to transfer the image of the cowboy from the birthday card to fabric. I use June Tailor Sew-In Colorfast Fabric Sheets. I buy them at Joann's at $9.99 for three 8.5" x 11" sheets. I use my 40% off coupons whenever possible, which brings them to about $6 per package.
The sheets are pretty easy to use. I chose the sew-in type so I can cut it up and use like regular fabric.
June Tailor Inkjet Fabric Sheets
Before I printed on the sheet, I experimented with different sized images and cropping, printing on regular paper as a preview. My final choice was a size that was just a little larger than the original. Below you can see the image printed on the white fabric sheet.
Cowboy image printed on June Tailor fabric sheet
After printing, you wait at least 10 minutes for the ink to dry. Peel off the backing paper, rinse in cold water, then lay flat to dry, wiping off excess water. Press with a dry iron to set the ink. Once you've printed, the process takes less than an hour. Not bad. The fabric is a bit stiff, almost plastic-feeling. Kind of like canvas. But I love having the ability to make my own fabric.
While I waited for the cowboy fabric to dry, I experimented to see where to make the vertical and horizontal cuts. Chili fabric is standing in for the cowboy. I want to make sure I don't cut into the cowboy. I considered bringing a new fabric to fill a gap over the cowboy, but a small jungle piece worked great.
Trimmed cowboy fabric, leaving a 1/4" border around the dark green background.
Adding fabric to sides
Trimmed top and bottom even with cowboy border
Added top and bottom fabrics. Oversized on purpose, which leaves plenty of room for chopping.
Three fruit fabrics on bottom, one of smallest 4/5 blocks on top
Jungle and cowboy placed on the stack, made wonky vertical cut
Wonky horizontal cut made
Jungle pieces are too short--hairclips mark the spots.
Took scrap pieces of jungle fabric, added to fill up the spaces.
Re-trimmed--see hairclip in center, where you can barely tell.
Handled other piece differently; was wide enough to scoot over and trim, avoiding new seam. See hairclip on oranges fabric, showing difference in width of jungle pieces.
Trimming from piece that was scooted over
Mixing stacks. Alternating blocks with 4 and 5 pieces on top row.
Lemon fabric used as pattern for vertical cut
Two upper fruit fabrics (not shown) were used to create pattern for horizontal cut.
Fruit, cowboy and jungle pieces (medley) mixed Stack the Deck style to create variety.
Working with stacks of eight 4/5 blocks. Medley fabric inserted into each 4/5 stack: 1, 2, Medley, 3, 4, 5, 6, Medley, 7, 8. Then mixed Stack the Deck style.
Upper halves sewn together, then lower halves sewn together. Next sew upper to lower to form block.
First few blocks, ready to trim to size.
About 16" square, which is good for the 15.5" unfinished size I wanted.
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