World's Most Adorable Picture Frames
Just how adorable can you get with gorgeous children's pictures and machine embroidery
on a gingham wall hanging? Using the "Martha's Picture Frames" machine embroidery
CD, this wall hanging with ecru muslin pockets for three beautiful pictures is stitched
onto a wonderfully padded and quilted blue gingham rectangular piece. On our ecru
muslin frames we used a rectangular cutout in the center of each pocket. It would be just
as precious to space the embroidery motifs a little bit differently and make an oval cutout
in the center of each pocket. Each muslin picture frame is lined and padded.
Little soldiers, dolls, ribbons, boats, skates, teddy bears, tea sets, blocks, books and
ribbons (and much more) surround each picture frame. One pocket is machine
embroidered with "Once Upon a Time" designs. Around the others are the machine
embroidery designs "Victorian Nursery" and "Play Day." All of the machine-embroidered
figures are reproductions of antique toys or other children's things.
"Ribbon and Roses" machine embroidery from the same CD is used at the top, bottom
and on all four corners surrounding the three pictures frames. Ecru ribbon has been
looped and stitched into the machine embroidery. The floral machine embroidery
designs, which were stitched on ecru muslin matching the picture frames, cut out and
appliquéd onto the gingham wall hanging, just catch the swirls of ribbon. Each of the
picture frames is stitched down on three sides with the top being open to insert the picture
of your choice. The pictures used to slip down into these frames are the 5" by 5" size. The
total size of the wall hanging is 29" by 15". There is 3/4" of space between the outer two
frames and the inner one. Each pocket measures 7 by 7-1/2 inches, with a 2-1/2- by 3inch picture window.
1
Materials
Finished size 29" x 15"; pocket size 7" x 7-1/2" with 2-1/2" x 3" window
• 1/2 yd muslin for frames and backing
• 1 yd gingham for background and backing
• 36-inch square of 1/8-inch batting for frames and background
• Cotton or rayon machine embroidery threads as required for chosen embroidery motifs
• 2-1/2 yds of 1/8-inch double-faced satin ribbon
• Clear invisible thread
• Sewing thread for construction
Cutting
1. Muslin
a. Three 8-1/2" x 9" (outer frames)
b. Three 7" x 7-1/2" (frame linings)
2. Gingham
a. Two 30" x 16" (wall hanging front and back)
b. Optional: One 29" x 2-1/2" (rod pocket)
3. Batting
a. Three 7" x 7-1/2" (frames)
b. One 30" x 16"
General Supplies (These are basic sewing room supplies that will be needed during
construction.)
• Stabilizer suitable for embroidery
• #75/11 or #90/14 machine embroidery needles
• #80/12 or #90/14 universal needle
• Fabric glue
• Water-soluble fabric pen or pencil
• Optional: rotary cutter, ruler, and mat
• Optional: basting glue or temporary spray adhesive
General Instructions
1. Several different seam allowances are used for different areas; refer to the instructions
for specific allowances for each seam.
2. Small embroidered motifs and batting for the frames can be pinned, glue-basted, or
fused in place, according to your personal preference.
Frames
1. Cut a paper rectangle 2-1/2" wide and 3" high. Center and trace the rectangle shape
onto each outer frame block. Stay stitch along the traced lines; refer to figure 1. Mark
embroidery placement using templates or placement instructions with the embroidery
motifs.
2. Using a machine embroidery needle, embroidery threads, and stabilizer, stitch the
embroidery and then remove the stabilizer. Rinse to remove any placement marks. Dry
and press well with the wrong side up on a padded surface.
2
3. Place one embroidered muslin piece and a muslin lining with right sides together, and
place one frame batting to the wrong side of the lining. Center the lining and batting on
the embroidered piece; refer to figure 1.
4. Stitch along the stay-stitch lines of the center cut-out using a shortened stitch length
(L=2.0). Cut out the center section, leaving 1/4" seam allowances. Clip the corners (fig.
1).
5. Flip the backing and batting through the hole to the back side. Press the turned seam
well and glue-baste or fuse the batting to the embroidered piece. Topstitch 1/8" from the
finished edges of the cut-out (fig. 2).
6. Turn the excess border fabric of the embroidered piece to the back side, covering the
raw edges of the backing. Turn the sides in first, then the top and bottom. Hand whip,
glue, or fuse the edges in place (fig. 3). Topstitch 1/8" from the upper edge; refer to the
photo and finished drawing.
3
7. Embroider floral sprays on scraps of muslin. Cut out around the motifs, leaving 1/8- to
1/4-inch seam allowances.
Construction
1. Place the frames onto the wall hanging front. One frame is centered, with the others
placed 3/4" to either side; all are centered from top to bottom. Stitch in place along three
sides with a tiny blind-stitch using invisible thread.
2. Pin or glue-baste the embroidered motif patches in place onto the background fabric,
carefully turning under seam allowances. Slip the ends of the 1/8" ribbon underneath the
patches. Loosely shape the ribbon between the patches and attach with fabric glue as
needed to hold in place. Attach the patches with a tiny pinstitch using invisible thread,
catching the ends of the ribbons. Do not stitch along the length of the ribbons (fig. 4).
3. To assemble the wall hanging, place the gingham front and back pieces right sides
together with batting behind the front piece. Stitch all layers together with a 1/2" seam
along the outer edges, leaving 4" open along one edge for turning. Clip the corners and
turn the wall hanging right side out. Whip the opening closed by hand.
4. Quilt with invisible thread in the needle and thread to match the gingham in the
bobbin. Quilting can be done free-motion or with the feed teeth up. Outline "in the ditch"
4
around the three stitched sides of the frames and around the embroidered motifs, traveling
between motifs with a wandering line of quilting. Add a second line of quilting that
echoes around the embroidered motifs and ribbons (fig. 5).
5. Optional: Make a rod pocket. Press the short ends under 1/2" and stitch. Fold the strip
lengthwise with right sides together and stitch the long edges in a 1/4" seam. Press the
seam allowance open and turn the tube to the right side; press with the seam centered
along the back side of the tube.
6. Pin the rod pocket to the back of the wall hanging with the top edge 1/2" below the
upper edge of the wall hanging. Whip the upper and lower edges of the rod pocket to the
wall hanging by hand; leave the ends open for inserting the rod (fig. 6).
5