| Technique Challenge: Embroidered Titles |
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Simple Embroidery Can Add Texture and Dimension to Your Layouts |
Most scrapbookers also enjoy other arts and crafts. How many of you have embroidered or cross-stitched in the past? Do you still have an extensive collection of floss? You might want to start storing your embroidery floss with your scrapbooking supplies. This month's technique challenge shows you a simple way to add texture and dimension to your pages with a few simple stitches.
Materials:
- 6 Strand Floss - colors used in example: dark green - DMD #991, light green - DMD #993, and pink - DMD #961
- Embroidery needle
- Printed title or other page embellishment: sample title printed from Creating Keepsakes Lettering Combo - Flower Garden
Instructions:
- Print title on cardstock. You need this heavier weight paper to support the stitch-work.
- Chalk or color the areas of the lettering that you want to be filled with a solid color. In the sample above, the letters were chalked with pastel pencils.
- Use your embroidery needle to punch holes through the cardstock at the points of each design. (sample below) Tip: An upside down mouse pad works well as a base for the paper while you are poking these holes. The pad will give enough support to the paper to keep it from bending and "give" of the foam on the back of the mouse pad allows the needle to sink through the paper.
- Use straight stitches to connect these holes with floss. In the sample, I used a full 6 strands for the dark green grass, while only using three strands for the stems and flowers. (sample below)
Design Tip: Using pre-drawn embellishments like the flowers in the sample title makes following the pattern a simple process. However, you can always create your own patterns by sketching simple designs onto titles, journaling boxes, or borders. Stitch with floss over the top of your designs for one-of-a-kind page textures.
If you do not currently have this lettering software, you can try out this technique with a similar Spring title created from this free downloadable Easter font.
More Scrapbooking Embroidery and Sewing Projects and Instructions:
Ribbon Flowers - Online article with step by step instructions showing you how to make gorgeous flowers for your pages from Creating Keepsakes Magazine.
Sewn Vellum Windows - Jenna from the About Scrapbooking Forum teaches how to use your sewing machine to create beautiful and elegant vellum windows.
A Stitch in Time - "Sew Your Way to a Brand New Look" - simple page embroidery.
Sew Much Fun - Heidi Swapp and Creating Keepsakes Magazine tell you "Yes, you can sew on paper!"
