In stitches...

Back in my teens, the first craft that I discovered was Cross Stitching.  I still have part-finished designs which I have spent hours and hours working on and now that I feel guilty about not finishing: maybe one day!  I think the reason why I like Scrapbooking so much is that after just a short burst of creativity, you have a finished product.  I still love sewing though and try to find ways to incorporate both machine and hand-stitching into my layouts (I also have a huge box of threads that need using up too!)  I often stick to sewing a frame around a page or adding some small details or lines and so decided that I'd like to explore some other ways in which to include sewing on scrapbook layouts.

1. Handsewn titles

a) Number Outlines:
 

This effect could be created in a couple of ways, for instance, using chipboard or number stickers but in order to get the exact size and font that I wanted, I cut out a card template using my Craft Robo.  I then placed these in position on my layout using some temporary adhesive to keep them in place.

Using a paper piercer, I pricked holes all around the edge of the numbers at equal intervals:

I then sewed a running stitch, using some brown twine, in one direction following the holes and then sewed back again to fill in the gaps.

This is my completed page where you get an idea of the size and impact of this large sewn title:

b) Cursive Script Words and Phrases:

To create this sewn title, I typed my selected phrase into MS Word using 'Prelude FLF' font.  I printed it in a few different sizes so that I could choose the one with the best fit (80pt in this case).  I then laid the paper down on my page and pierced along the printed letters at regular intervals.

I repeated this in different positions on the page before backstitching along the words using 3 strands from the skein so the finished effect wouldn't be too bulky.  

I chose three different shades of pink which matched the Crate patterned paper that I had picked for this page, which I made for our wedding anniversary which we celebrated earlier this week.

2. Embroidered details

a) Cross Stitch embellishments:

One feature I often use on my pages is to add small cross stitches.  On this page I placed a couple at the top corner of the photograph: 

 b) Sampler stitches:

I first learnt to sew at primary school where we used to make samplers decorated with different embroidery stitches.  I wondered if I could translate this idea onto a scrapbook page and this following page was born.

I used a piece of grid paper by Studio Calico to replace gridded fabric like aida or the binca that we used at school.  This meant that I could pierce holes at equal points to sew through, to create patterns.

My first row was a simple running stitch and from there, I added some further decorative stitches:

 I also added a triangle of cross stitches on the photo section:

The finished layout:

 c) Heart embellishment:

For my final page, I used an idea that I had seen on Pinterest for making a piece of wall art.  I'd ordered a piece of the Studio Calico map paper for the reverse pattern but then realised that the map covered Brittany, which is one of my favourite places, and decided to make a layout all about that.  

I glued all of the papers/elements into place before placing a chipboard sheet over the map and piercing holes around the inside of the shape:

Using 3 strands of red floss, I backstitched around the outline:

The finished page:

Apart from the sewing, there are also some common elements running through each of these layouts: the use of the wood veneer shapes, washi tape embellishments and strips of patterned paper forming borders at the top and bottome of the pages.

I hope that I've given you a few ideas to add some texture and interest to your layouts.  We'd love to see your pages using handstitching: leave a link here or on our Facebook page.

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