On Trend- Stitching

Ok, so there's nothing really new about stitching on layouts and cards. Whether it be machine stitched, hand stitched, hand drawn or rub-ons, stitching has been appearing on projects for a long time now; just another cross over from crafts like quilting. What is trendy however is the innovation crafter's are showing in the ways they are using their stitches, and in the increase of papercrafters who are trying out the technique. So if you're looking for a way to add a little texture and interest to a page, consider sewing as an option as our designers have: 

Practical Scrapper Malika Kelly used both machine and hand stitching on her layout.  The hand stitching around the title helps make the letters pop.

 

 Practical Scrapper Danielle de Konink did a lot of hand stitching to attach the pattern papers to the background and also hand stitched the title.

Practical Scrapper Mary Pat Siehl used the sewing machine to create a large circle around her photos.

Practical Scrapper Nicole Laha used a ZIG Writer to create faux stitching around the edges of this card.

Practical Scrapper Wendi Robinson added stitching to her chevron pattern to make it stand out

 

Practical Scrapper  Marcia Dehn-Nix used handstitching to create a butterfly trail. as well as some stitching through her title letters.

 Practical Scrapper Erin used a pre-stitched sheet of die cut paper from Little Yellow Bicycle

Don't be intimidated to sew on your projects. Remember they don't need to be worn, so no worrying about them staying together, or sewing the wrong sides together...and imperfections can be part of the charm.

here are a few tips you may want to consider: 

• Pre-pierce holes with a needle or tool such as WRMK Sew Easy Stitch Piercer Tool and soft mat when hand stitching.
• Vary the thickness of thread or floss depending on the impact you want the stitching to have.
• Always use a needle reserved for paper when using your sewing machine. remember paper will quickly dull a machine needle, and it should never be used to stitch fabric projects after.
• Keep machine stitches fairly wide, if the stitches are very close together,  you risk "cutting" your paper.
• Keep tacky glues like tape runners and glue dots out of the way of the stitch path ( this goes for both machine and hand stiching). they will gum up your needle. If in doubt, use a liquid glue such as Helmar Professional Acid Free Glue, and stitch once the layers are dry.
• It's always a good idea to "Walk" the needle through thicker layers, and chipboard to avoid damage to your needle, machine and layout. 
• You can choose to include thread tails as part of your design, or hide them on the back of your project. to get them to one side, just gently tug the thread that is on the desired side, and then pull the loop of thread it draws through all the way out. 

But most importantly!..just relax and have fun!