A common size is 4 by 4 feet (120 by 120 cm), but you can make your barn quilt whatever size you want. A smaller one is an easy way to start. A lumberyard or a home supply store are good places to look for plywood.
If you don’t have ventilation when you paint, the paint fumes can be really harmful.
It’s important to use an exterior primer, since barn quilts are normally hung outdoors. You could also use a stain-blocking primer that bonds well. White-pigmented shellac is great because it stain blocks, goes on smoothly, dries quickly, sands easily, and locks in odors.
Let the primer dry again.
Be patient and wait for the primer to dry in between each coat. It will help your quilt last much longer.
Bright, high-contrast designs look best on barn quilts. [5] X Research source The fewer colors you use, the quicker you’ll be able to paint the quilt. You might want to start with a simple, 3-color design.
One way to make sure that your gridlines are at right angles is to use a piece of printer paper to check the corner. An easy way to find the center of your board is to draw 2 diagonal lines across connecting the corners. The point where the lines cross is the center.
Step back from the board every now and then to check that you’re transferring the pattern correctly. It’s easy to get caught up in the details and not realize you’re off by a whole row.
This will really help you out when you are applying the paint, because it’s easy to get confused.
The tape helps you paint smooth, straight lines. Make sure the tape is tightly attached to the plywood.
Be very careful with the blade. If you are a kid, get an adult to help with this step.
You don’t have to wait for your paint to totally dry before giving it a second coat– just leave it for a few minutes. [12] X Research source
Don’t worry if there are a few spots where the paint bled through the tape, because you will touch up those spots at the end. Remember to let the paint dry thoroughly before you put more tape down.
Tap the paint lightly with your finger to check if it’s dry. If you are in a humid place, it will take even longer for your paint to dry.
Remove the painters tape when you’ve done your last color and admire your work.
Putting your pinky down helps keep your hand steady as you paint. If you don’t trust your freehanding skills, you can also put a bit of painters tape down on the line you want to fix.
