Hi friends! I'm "sew" happy to see you again (sorry for the pun - I couldn't help myself!). Today I thought I would show you a few ways to incorporate easy stitching accents on your pages and projects. There are a few ways to go about doing this, and one doesn't even involve thread or a needle!
If you want to include a bit of stitching on your layouts, the easiest way is to actually run your paper through a sewing machine (any old model with a straight or zigzag stitch will do). Much like stitching on fabric, if you can follow a straight line, you are ready to go. And even if you can't , it will just add a bit of charm to your layout. Check out a few from our friends:
Karenika likes to use a simple straight stitch on layouts. Don't you love how she chose the perky pink for the border? It ties everything together, I think.
Here's a layout I completed awhile ago about all the funky clothes my mom sewed us when I was little. I used a messy straight stitch around the edge to compliment the content of my journaling.
How about a more complicated example?
Friend of WCS and Flickr participant Alex sent me this example of a layout with stitching. Check out the way she stitched the veins on the leaves!
A few tips about sewing on paper: designate a specific sewing machine needle for paper, because it can dull rather quickly and won't be good for fabric anymore. Start stitching slowly so you can judge how your machine will treat paper. And be careful sewing through any layers of paper or fabric that have recently been glued together, as this can gum up your machine and needle quickly!
If you aren't quite ready to start on a full page layout, maybe you could break yourself in by making a simple bookmark. My sister gave me a few of these for Mothers' Day a few years ago, and I think they make great gifts.
Start by searching your scrap paper bin for a few complimentary strips of paper. You will need two that are 2" x 9" and one that is 8 1/2" x 1 1/2". If you like, you can also punch out a 1 " circle for the top and cut a piece of wide ribbon about 3" long for the tail.
After trimming your paper, place the two larger pieces on top of each other and place the smaller piece on top. Glue all of this together lightly with a glue stick, leaving an opening on one end to slide the ribbon in. After the glue dries, slide the ribbon in between the two large pieces and warm up your sewing machine!
Using a basic stitch, such as a straight stitch or zigzag, carefully slide your bookmark through your machine, sewing all the layers together. Ta-dah! You are a pro. Now make several more to give away!
If you aren't in possession of a sewing machine, or don't want to go to all that trouble, there is a cheating (read easy) way of adding the look of stitching to your layouts, cards, and other projects. It involves a few easily obtained tools, but it's totally machine-free!
Grab a paper-piercing tool or sharp needle, a measuring tool (I have a paper-piercing template), a mat to pierce on (or an old magazine), and a reliable white gel pen. {There has been on on-going debate about the perfect white pen to use for journaling, doodling, and drawing. Some say that the Unibal Signo is the ultimate white pen, some like the Souffle, and I used a basic Gelly Roll white. Do you have a preference?}
Using a template (mine is from Stampin' Up and has holes to punch through, but you could just as easily use a ruler), make small holes equal distance apart along the line that you would like to have stitching.
After you have made all your holes, take away your template and pick up your white pen. Carefully draw a line between holes, skipping every other one to mimic the look of sewing. Steady!
Up really close, it doesn't look a lot like thread, but from a distance, no one will notice. And it's kinda fun to do! Now make several cards using this technique as a border, and package them up nice. Then print yourself some cute sewing-inspired tags here and give a bit of yourself to someone you love.
Whew! I'm off to sew a few things for tomorrow. Come back for some stitched home decor and a reason to buy some liquid starch (yeah, I know. I wasn't sure what it was, either.)
Sew long (ha!),
