Travel & Leisure: Hand Turkey Fabric Picture

This miniature quilt is an update of an old childhood classic, the hand turkey. When rendered in in kindergarten-bright fabrics, it makes a cheerful accent for one's home or an unconventional Thanksgiving decoration.

The project goes together quickly using fusible webbing and scrap fabric. (Of course, if you prefer a different applique technique you should use it.)

If time is of the essence, the edges of the appliques can be left raw and the picture framed as is. Otherwise, the edges can be satin-stitched and the scene can be quilted for a more finished appearance.

We've provided instructions for the simple scene at right. You may find that once you've created one, ideas for different scenes pop into your brain. Before you know it, you'll have enough to piece together and make a wall or bed quilt. When that happens you'd better email us a photo for our reader project gallery!

Materials

• Fabric - this is a great use for scraps or those "fat quarters" that may have followed you home from the fabric store.
  • "Sky" and "ground" fabrics which, when butted up against each other, make a 9x11" rectangle
  • "Hand" fabric - a piece about 8x8"
    
  • "Sun" fabric - a piece about 4x4"
    
• Picture frame to hold an 8x10" print.
  
• Double stick fusible webbing such as Steam-A-Seam 2
  
• Thread - We used yellow for beak and legs, red or orange for the "gobble", black for eyes, matching or contrasting threads for the satin stitching.
  
• Piece of backing fabric approx 9x11"
  
• Small amount of quilt batting approx 9x11"

Instructions:

Making the sun

1. Using a pen or a sharp pencil, trace around a bowl or roll of masking tape on the paper side of the fusible webbing to make a quarter circle shape.
2. Cut out the shape with a pair of scissors, leaving about 1/4" margin around the outline.
   
3. Following the instructions on the webbing package, press the quarter-circle shape onto the wrong side of your sun fabric.
   
4. Cut out the quarter circle along the pencil outline.
   
5. Set the sun aside.

Making the hand

1. Trace around your hand on the paper side of the fusible webbing.
   
2. Cut out the shape with a pair of scissors, leaving about a 1/4" margin around the entire outline. Don't cut between the fingers at this time.
   
3. Following the instructions on the webbing package, press the hand shape onto the wrong side of your hand fabric.
   
4. Cut out the hand along the pencil outline, this time being sure to remove the excess webbing and fabric from between the fingers.
   
5. Set the hand aside.

Making the background

1. Place the right sides of your sky and ground fabrics together, matching one edge so that a 9x11" rectangle will be formed after sewing.
   
2. Sew the pieces together in a 1/4" seam.
   
3. Press the seam to one side.

Creating the scene

1. Arrange the hand and sun shapes on the background. You may wish to place the picture frame over the scene to test the placement of the shapes.
   
2. When you're happy with the placement, peel the paper backing off the hand and the sun and fuse them to the background.

Add finishing touches

1. Optional: Satin stitch around the edges of the hand and the sun
   
2. Create the beak and legs with a satin stitch, and the eyes by scribbling the thread around in circles. You may find it helpful to sew slowly or turn the speed of your sewing machine down so you can adjust the width of the satin stitch as you go.
   
3. Optional: sandwich the picture with batting and backing and embellish it with quilting.
   
4. With scissors or a straight edge and rotary cutter, trim the finished picture to fit in your picture frame.
5. Place the picture in your frame, and admire your hard work!