Sew and No-Sew Fabric Postcards

My friends are determined to age me, celebrating my birthday a month ahead, in some cases. Alice mailed Quilters Playtime: Games with Fabrics by Dianne S. Hire and I decided to send her a quilted postcard thank-you note. I had bought a used copy of Postcard Quilts by Caroline Reardon at the Quilter's Connection guild meeting and found videos and how-to's by Googling "fabric postcard quilts." I quickly made Alice a soft postcard, 4" x 6" using a pillowcasetechnique and a flannel padding. I was so excited I mailed it off without taking a photo. Truth is, at the time I felt it was sort of pitiful, but it is the thought that counts. The Post Office said it was thin enough and small enough to cost only postcard rates. Everything else I read said that for hand-canceling, one would pay a pinch more than regularpostage. I will post a picture Alice mails if and when the card arrives in Waco TX, so check back. Ahh! Here it is:

Yesterday, I made 5 fabric no-sew postcards, one for each person in our beading group who treated Nita and me to our July 20th birthdays early. All of us summer born know what happens to people in the summer!! This time I use a firmer stiffener, TimTex, in the center, w sticky on both sides. I bound the edges with fused strips of 3/4" x 7" strips cut to fit (do short sides first). Although it doesn't show up well in the photo, I used a non-bleeding gel pen to write with. The PO people liked the second cards better. I preferred the softie. I will attempt both kinds again. All fabric stores can show you the various stiffeners and explain the quilting possibilities and problems. I put self-adhesive first class stamps on these at 4 1/2" x 6 1/2" and rubbed the stamps in. The PO helper put a pretty hand-cancellation stamp on them. She said they would arrive! (and they did...the next day, in great shape)