Iconic Television Characters and a Peek-a-Boo Quilt
This post delves into the creation of individual character squares for a unique Peek-a-Boo quilt featuring iconic Television Characters. Inspired by Judy Martin’s “Scrap Quilts,” the project involved transferring images onto fabric squares and bringing beloved characters to life. The process varied in complexity depending on the chosen character, from readily available Doc McStuffins printables to the more challenging Doctor Who designs.
The creation process began by cutting white cotton squares and printing coloring pages sized to fit. A lightbox facilitated tracing the images onto the fabric using a fine-tipped fabric marker. Faint images were carefully dotted to allow for easier corrections. This technique, similar to the one used in a previous Chuggington onesie project (https://www.simplykyra.com/2017/10/16/halloween-costume-chuggington-onesie/), ensured accurate outlines. After setting the ink with an iron, the images were colored using reference images for accurate color choices.
Selecting the Television Characters
Character selection prioritized filling the longer diagonals of the quilt first, followed by the shorter ones. The following sections detail the chosen characters and their respective shows.
Peg + Cat and Storybots: Single Square Wonders
A single square showcased Peg + Cat, chosen from a readily available coloring page featuring both characters. The Storybots, discovered during research, secured a single square spot with a group shot from a birthday printable.
Berenstein Bears and WordWorld: Double the Fun
The Berenstein Bears family was divided into two squares, one for the parents and another for Brother and Sister Bear. Two characters from WordWorld, chosen for their visual appeal, filled another two-square diagonal.
Curious George, Veggie Tales, and Doc McStuffins: Expanding the Cast
Curious George, a beloved children’s character, occupied three squares with two images of George and one of the Man in the Yellow Hat. VeggieTales characters filled three squares with group shots, including the Pirates Who Don’t Do Anything and LarryBoy. Doc McStuffins and her team secured four squares, with characters chosen based on IMDB credit listings.
Super Why, Doctor Who, and Little Einsteins: Filling the Diagonals
The four main characters of Super Why easily filled a four-square diagonal. Doctor Who presented a unique challenge, requiring the combination of multiple images to represent the various Doctors and companions. The five main characters of Little Einsteins rounded out another five-square diagonal.
Word Party, Chuggington, and Sesame Street: Six-Square Showcases
Word Party, challenging due to limited source material, required resourceful image capturing from the television show itself. Chuggington’s train characters filled another six-square diagonal. Finally, Sesame Street icons completed the last six-square section.
Tips for Finding and Preparing Images
Finding suitable images can vary in difficulty. Start with a Google Image search for “[Show Name] coloring pages.” Refine your search with specific character names if needed. Utilize colored images if necessary, but be aware of tracing challenges due to reduced contrast. Consider using screenshots for shows with limited online resources.
When combining images, use photo editing software like GIMP or physically combine printed images. Adjust image sizes in a word document for printing and ensure accurate sizing before transferring to fabric. Remember to check image source links carefully and utilize direct saving options when necessary.