"NO-SEW" APPLIQUÉ WALLHANGING

    Each month, I am going to try to provide a quick and easy project. There will sometimes be options available for the projects and one can make these as simple, or complex, as time and energy allows. Some of these projects (such as this one!) would make an inexpensive, but very cute, gift.

     The project of the month (POM) for September is a "September" wallhanging. It is simple, fast, and inexpensive! This project costs about $5 and took me about 20 minutes.  It is important to note that this no-sew appliqué project is highly adaptable to any season, holiday, month, or occasion.  The fabric does most of the work!

     This summer, a deck was built across the front of my home and each month I hang some type of "quilt" (loosely used!) to the right of my front door (and sometimes the left, if I need the room!). This can easily be seen when anyone comes to my door and it serves as a "welcome" greeting. I change, what I call "the door decor", my quilt on the first day of each month.

     The September door decor can easily be made with no sewing! If you choose, however, you could finish it off by either hand- or machine-appliqué.  I am choosing not to sew mine for several reasons. Why would I choose not to finish mine off by sewing? 1) Because of its location, it is subject to the elements of the weather, so I do not want to invest a lot of time, energy, and money on something that I do not yet know how long will last (time will tell!), 2) Because I make several of these and the less I have to do, the better!, and 3) I plan on using this same project for October by utilizing the back side of the finished wallhanging. I also save my sewing time for higher priority projects.

     Read through this project before beginning!  I learned a few things as my first project went along and share them throughout this page.

Supplies needed for this project are (I have about $5-$6 invested in each of mine):

1) Sewing supplies (needle, thread, scissors, etc.).
2) 1 large bow (either handmade or purchased; mine is purchased and has fall leaves and colors on it).
3) 1 placemat, any color that you want for "September" to represent. My placemat came pre-quilted, and it did effect the wallhanging, somewhat.  Since you will be ironing on fusible webbing, the appliqué does not adhere as well if there is a texture (I really pressed all of the nooks and crannies to make sure it stuck).  If you plan on sewing (appliquéing) the things onto your quilt, then the texture would need to be considered for your hands or sewing machine.   It is also important that the placemat be able to withstand heat, since you will be ironing the surface of it.  Mine is also forest green.
4) 1/8 (or less!) yard of a fabric that says "September" (either fall or school-related). This fabric should have a smaller-scale print, if any.  Mine is of fall leaves.
5) 1/8 (or less!) yard of a second fabric that says "September" to you. This fabric should have a large-scale print (you can "fussy cut" it).  Mine is a geometric design with sunflowers.
6) Some type of double-sided fusible webbing (about 1/2 yard will do... if you have leftover, you can use it for October!).
7) The "September" appliqué pattern (or you can print off one using a different font).  The pattern provided disappointed me when placed upon my project.  It is too hard to read, and in the future, I will probably use a different font for the months/words that have quite a few letters of the alphabet.

To make the project:

1) Trace the pattern onto the paper side of the fusible webbing.
2) Press the fusible webbing pattern onto the WRONG side of the smaller-scale fabric. Mine is a fabric with small-scale fall leaves on it.
3) Cut each letter of "September" out carefully.
4) Roughly plan your layout for the project. I am placing my bow in the top, left corner and the lettering scattered horizontally along the placemat. The longest parts of the placemat are the top and bottom of your project, by the way.
5) Once you get an idea of the layout, you'll then know how much of the second, large-scale, fabric to use. "Fussy cut" motifs or patterns from this fabric. Mine is a coordinating fabric to the first, with fall leaves and sunflowers. Mine also has geometric designs (squares) surrounding the sunflowers and this looked perfect for me to use. Cut enough to satisfy the layout.
6) Follow the directions on the fusible webbing to press all of the fabric pieces into place. The bow goes on last, however, I simply laid it in place while I adjusted the other pieces to get an overall idea of what the finished project would look like.
7) At this point, you can choose to appliqué these pieces, by either hand or machine, in place if you want.
8) Attach the bow! Mine is pinned on from the back using a safety pin. That way, I can reuse this bow in October and November.

     Since mine is outside, I merely use small tacks to attach it to the house. This would easily hang indoors using straight pins. You could also attach ribbons to the ends and the middle or sew on hanging rings.

     Voilà! The project is finished.

     I certainly hope that you enjoy making this one. I would love photos to share if you do! Thank you!