Quilt Block Padded Canvases Headboard

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Twenty-four 12" square pre-stretched canvas frames
• Two colors cotton fabric, about 5 yards of each color
• Triangle Template (optional, provided)
• Pencil
• Ruler
• Cutting Mat and Rotary Cutter
• Sewing Machine
• Matching Thread
• Quilt Batting (5 yards)
• Light Duty Staple Gun
• Light Duty Staples (2 packs of 1,000)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Print out or make a triangle template. You can use one of your canvas squares - place a piece of paper over the canvas. Use your ruler and a pencil to draw a diagonal line from corner to corner across the canvas. Then trace the connecting edges of the canvas to make a triangle that is half of the canvas. Remove the paper, fold that triangle in half, and you have the basic triangle building block that will make up the hourglass design. To finish the template, extend the base an additional 1 1/2 inches, and add 1/2 inch to the other two sides. The additional length at the base is to enable the fabric to wrap all the way around the canvas and be stapled onto the back. The 1/2 inch addition is for the seam - you can trim this down for a smaller seam if you'd like.


2. Use the template to cut out 48 triangles of each color (96 in all). Then, go back through the triangles and mark your 1/2" seam lines and your 1 1/2" base line with a ruler and pencil. This will make it easier to ensure your sewn lines are exactly where they should be.
3. Next, sew together two triangles, one triangle of each color. Pin the triangles right sides together, and sew down one of your seam lines. Stop sewing once you get to the base line. The canvas will be easier to wrap if this section of fabric is not sewn.


4. Open up the triangle, set aside. Take two more triangles, one of each color, and place one triangle, right side up, in the position it ought to be under the triangle you've just sewn. (This process, if followed for all of the hourglass quilt blocks, will help from getting turned around and sewing too many top triangles and too few bottom triangles.) Place the last triangle, face down, on top of the face-up triangle.
5. Take note of which edge of your triangle needs sewn and place your first pin in the fabric with its edge pointing at that side you will be sewing. (Once you pick up the triangle to finish pinning, it can be difficult to remember which side you were supposed to sew. If you sew the other side, you will again have made another top triangle instead of a bottom triangle.)


6. Sew the edge, following the 1/2" seam line, and again stop once you get to the 1 1/2" base line.


7. Press the seams of both triangles open. Then, right sides together, match up the bases of the two large sewn triangles (this will be the other 1/2" seam line you'd drawn), pin together, and sew, starting at one 1 1/2" line to the other 1 1/2" line. Press open. This is the first quilt block!


8. Continue creating quilt blocks in whatever fashion is most enjoyable or efficient. One way is to sew all the top and bottom triangles together, then go back and assemble them all into the square quilt block.


9. Take your quilt batting to your cutting mat, rotary cutter, and ruler to measure and cut twenty-four 14" square of quilt batting.


10. When you're ready to assemble, lay a quilt block square face down, place a quilt batting square centered on top, and place your canvas centered face down on top of that. Measure from any outer edge of a quilt block to the edge of the canvas - it should be 1 1/2" inch. Ensure that your canvas is in the center of your quilt block by scooting the canvas to be 1 1/2" inch from canvas edge to quilt block edge, all the way around.


11. Start at any edge, fold the quilt block edge along with the batting in to the back of the canvas and staple at the center. Then fold in the quilt block and batting at the opposite side of the canvas and staple at the center. Choose another side, fold in, staple at the center. Then fold in its opposite side, and staple at the center. Working equally around the canvas frame helps the quilt block to stay centered.


12. Next, choose any side, fold around to the back, and add a staple on the left of center and then right of center. Repeat on the opposite canvas side. Choose another canvas side, repeat, and finally repeat on the opposite canvas side.


13. Then, fold the corners around and staple. Choose the point of one color to tuck in, then fold the other color over top and staple.


14. Finally, staple all around the rest of the canvas back, pulling the fabric and batting in as you staple.


15. Repeat for the rest of the canvases.