DIY Fabric Photo Frame using a Fat Quarter

This DIY fabric photo frame is a perfect accent for a bedroom or a nursery. It is soft and provides another great source for an accent fabric in your decor scheme. It’s also a great handmade gift idea for Christmas, Mother’s Day, or any occasion when a family picture is appropriate.

The frame is made using a ‘fat quarter’ of fabric (thanks to Little House on the Prairie fabrics for sending me some sample fat quarters to play with!).

Though I’ve been a seamstress most of my life, and I had a general idea, I didn’t know precisely what a ‘fat quarter’ really was! For all I knew, it was some kind of bistro in New Orleans where ‘pleasantly plump’ folks went to enjoy a beignet and coffee! Yep, I had to do some research.

What I found is that fat quarters are commonly used for quilting purposes. I knew that already, too. But I didn’t know the precise measurements, or why they were called ‘fat quarters’.

A ‘fat quarter’ of fabric is 1/2 the width of the fabric (usually about 22 inches) by a 1/2 yard of length or 18 inches. A piece of cotton measuring 18″ x 22″ inches is what is generally referred to by the term Fat Quarter. This means that a fat quarter is essentially 1/4 of a square yard of fabric, 18″ being half the yard, 22″ being 1/2 the width (if the fabric is 44-48″ wide). Bundles of ‘fat quarters’, pre-selected for their color and pattern coordination, may be purchased for quiltmaking. Or quilters might purchase individual Fat Quarters to have on hand. Fat quarters are a great way for a beginning quilter to accumulate a fabric stash with great variety at a reasonable cost. This link offers a great explanation and diagram as to what a fat quarter is.

In this case, I’ll be using a fat quarter for crafting. What a great way to purchase a small amount of fabric for a singular purpose!

DIY Fabric Photo Frame

Here’s what you’ll need to make the photo frame:

1/2 yard or fat quarter of fabric
1/2 yard quit batting
unfinished wooden photo frame
scissors
stapler
ruler

Honestly, this project is so quick and easy: it belies how pretty it is!

Begin by cutting a square of your batting about 1-1/2 inch larger than your frame, all the way around. Then place the batting over the fabric, centering however you want your fabric to show on the frame, and cut fabric 1-1/2 inch larger than the batting, all the way around.

Next, find the center of both the batting piece and the fabric. center the frame over each and mark an X through the center to the inside corners of the frame, stopping just short of the very edge (you don’t want frayed edges to show if you can help it). Cut along your X lines, again stopping just short of reaching the inside corner of your frame size.

Next you want to staple the inside flaps around to the backside of the frame, pulling slightly as you bring to back, then you will start to bring the outside edges around and staple them as well:

You will clip the corners, mitering them, in a way, as you bring the remaining 2 sides toward the back, just to avoid extra bulk.

Then I just kind of gathered the corners as I went and made the corners of the fabric follow the rounded corners of the wooden frame:

I added my photo, and with another square of fabric, I tucked in the edges all the way around and stapled onto the back to finish it off!

And here it is… my DIY Fabric Photo Frame! This will look great in my new granddaughter’s nursery. And with limitless possibilities for any use or any fabric, this is a great gift idea!