Woven Monogram Place Cards :: Amy Heller

Hi there everyone! It's Amy Heller here today to share with you a fun technique to incorporate into your cards, scrapbooking or altered items; paper weaving! I've created a set of place cards for Thanksgiving today, but you can certainly use this technique anywhere you want to create a "wow" effect to your project. What I love about this technique is two-fold:

~ It's a great way to use up those scraps! ~

~ It's is a super fun way of mixing all sorts of pattern to create ~ fabulous texture. 

So, let's get started!

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What you will need: For the Weaving

Scrap sheets of (Crate Paper) patterned paper
Paper Trimmer
Removable Double-Stick Tape
Sewing Machine (or heavy duty tape)
Scrap Cardstock
Adhesive
Scissors

What you will need: For the Card

Cardstock
Crate Paper's Refinish (Restoration Collection) Wild Flowers (Brook Collection) pattern paper
Bare Chipboard Letters
Craft Glue
Sandpaper, Emory Board, or Finishing Files
Dry Paint Brush
Glitter 

 

First, gather your patterned paper scraps and arrange them in your preferred color ways in piles.

 

Trim your patterned paper in 1/4" strips using your paper trimmer and then set them aside as I've done above. 

 

Take a piece of scrap cardstock and trim it to the size that you want for your finished weaving to be. I chose a business card size of 2" x 3.5". Then, cover your cardstock fully in removable double stick tape, leaving a good half, to 1" of over-hang off the ends.

 

Begin layering your strips, either in a pattern or random order, leaving no space in between, but also making sure that they do not overlap at all.

 

Your covered cardstock will look something like this when filled up.

 

Now, take those overhang pieces of tape and wrap them over the top of the patterned paper (see white circles). This will additionally secure your pieces while being sewn together. 

 

Trim off overly excess pieces from the width of your project. It it's too wide, it will make it difficult to send through your sewing machine easily.

 

Now, take your piece to your sewing machine. If you don't have a sewing machine, you can easily tape the overhang on either side of your cardstock. I chose to use my sewing machine to provide a little more flexibility in the pieces as well as stability. Sew a straight stitch seam on the outside of either side of your cardstock. 

 

It will now look something like this.

 

You can now remove your tape and scrap cardstock from the back of your weaving. Now we're ready to begin weaving!

 

I like to start at the bottom of my project. Simply use an over/under motion to weave your first strip through the vertical strips. Then with the next strip, use the opposite - under/over.

 

With each strip you weave, pull down the paper so it is taut. This will create a strong surface and make the design uniform.

 

Once you've reached a bit longer than your original piece of cardstock, you are then ready to adhere it to your finished size piece of cardstock. I simply used the same piece of scrap cardstock (that of the beginning). 

 

Note: Make sure that if you're not using a sewing machine to double secure the piece that you are using, that you use a heavy duty glue/adhesive to keep the pieces in place, as it will begin to unravel at the edges if it isn't secure. 

 

Place your freshly glued cardstock in between your sewn/taped seams (see white circles) on the reverse side of your preferred pattern. Press down firmly.

 

Using your scissors, trim directly to the edge of your cardstock.

 

It should look something like this when completed.

 

Now, I love to sew on all my paper projects. But I feel on this project that the sewing not only adds to aesthetics, but it also adds much needed stability to the edges of the woven paper. Sew just on the inside of the woven paper. Once it's sewn around the perimeter, it won't go anywhere, which I love! :)

 

So, I decided to add an additional feature by roughing up and distressing the edges of my woven paper. This adds to the rustic feel I was trying to achieve for my Thanksgiving place cards. 

 

Once completed, simply add to your card bases in a variety of placements, creating a fun, modern look to your set. 

 

In addition, I covered a variety of bare chipboard alphas with Crate patterned paper from the Brook collection for my monograms. Simply glue the paper to the chipboard, trim and finish them off with a good sanding around the perimeter and you have custom monograms for your place cards. 

 

For that extra little wow, take some glue around the perimeter of the letters and brush on the slightest bit of glitter to give the letters that extra, pop!

 

 

Wrap them with some coordinating twine, adhere to your card and voila, beautiful custom place cards for your modern Fall family dinner.

 

That does it for me today! I hope you enjoyed this fun weaving technique! I know I did! Thanks so much for stopping by the Crate Paper blog today! I will see you next month with another fun project! :D Take care!

Comments

[susan]

Love, LOVE, love this idea!!

[judean]

gorgeous!

[kinsey]

this is such a fun idea...i'm so using this :)

[Becky Williams]

These are fantastic, Amy!

[Bec Young]

This blog has so many great ideas. I'm now your biggest fan. Thanks : )

[graceincalifornia]

very cute & intricate :) what a fun way to use use scraps!

[ania]

Lovely executed, Amy! :)

[MichelleGB]

These are just gorgeous! Thank you for the tutorial!

[Lori Gentile]

Amy, I adore your paper weaving! Such a great idea!!!