A few years ago I became obsessed with an idea: quilts hung on the wall, framed as art. So I figured out a method to make framed quilt blocks. I've made quite a few of these over the years, and sold many of them. Here's all the details on how I make them, including the exact supplies I purchased. FYI, links in this post are affiliate links. First, a few beauty shots:
How the back is finished:
A video summarizing the process:
Detailed steps:
1. I attach the block to a plain art canvas. I just use regular hot glue for this, you could also use basting spray on the front so that it's repositionable, then fabric glue on the edges.
2. Cutting your trim - this is 3/4" hemlock square trim. I use a chop saw to cut mine at 45 degree angles, but you could also use a hand saw with a miter box. Remember the measurement around your canvas will be the INSIDE measurement for the angle. I also add about 1/8" to my measurements to account for any fabric bulge.
3. V nailing! I went ahead and purchased a V-nailer to make these. They aren't too costly and I plan on framing lots of oddly sized art in the future. Here's the one I use, but you could also use a staple gun with a shorter staple. Here are the V-nails for hardwood.
4. My joins are never perfect so I fill in any gaps with wood filler, then oil the frame with tung oil.
5. Next, I place a dust cover. I used this tool to apply adhesive, and this tool to cut the edges of the cover. You could also just do this with double sided tape and a razor blade.
6. Finally, I use hardware to secure the frame to the canvas. This is the hardware I use, and I find it's easiest to attach using a little hand drill like this one.
7. I add a little triangle hanger for easy hanging, I like these ones.
That's it! What kind of block would you frame?