June 2007 Greetings Card With Angelina Fibre

Please read all the instructions before commencing.

The greetings card uses readymade Angelina fibre or you can make your own thick and dense Angelina fibre.  Apply more heat and pressure to create the correct colour, which is blue and green with a hint of copper.

If you are using a new technique always practice first.

Always test machine stitches before commencing.

REQUIREMENTS

One or more blank pale cream greetings cards measuring 4" x 6" (10.5 x 15cm) when folded

Copper coloured Indian hand made paper or thick paper measuring 2" x 4" (5 x 10cm)

1 x AT 234 W Angelina fibre - Two of a Kind, Wisteria, thick and dense or 1 x AH 215 W Angelina fibre 'Hot Fix', Wisteria

Copper coloured metallic sewing machine thread

Cream cotton sewing machine thread

Sewing machine

Sewing equipment - scissors, kebab stick, tape measure

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Tear the copper coloured paper to make a rectangle measuring approximately 2 ¾" x 1" (7 x 2.5cm).  It does not matter if the paper is not torn evenly.

How to tear the paper - Hold the paper between the thumb and forefinger with both hands holding the paper and the two thumbs touching and the two forefingers touching each other.  Move the left hand backwards and the right hand forwards (if you are left handed you may find it easier to reverse this) and the paper should tear for about ½" (1.5cm).  Repeat until the required length has been torn.  If you have never torn paper in this manner, practice on inexpensive paper.

2. Using Angelina fibre, Wisteria, thick and dense, cut a piece ½" (1.5cm) square.  There is a gap of ¼" (just over 0.5cm) in between the square and the top and the square and the bottom pieces of Wisteria.  Look at the Wisteria and select a pleasing 'lacy' section at the edge.  Cut out two pieces of Wisteria, each measuring ½" (1.5cm) wide.  The cut pieces of Wisteria should be thick and dense and placed on top of the copper coloured paper but should also have a lacy edge which will partly be on the copper coloured paper and partly on the cream card.  The bottom piece of Wisteria is longer than the top, with the lacy section being prominent.  The lacy effect is an important part of the design and therefore a 'pleasing' lacy effect should be chosen before cutting.  The length of these two pieces depends on the lacy effect but roughly 1 ½" (4cm) for the top piece and 2 ½" (6cm) for the bottom piece.

3. Thread the sewing machine with copper metallic thread and cream cotton on the bobbin.  Use a medium to small straight stitch.  You will stitch through the Wisteria, copper coloured paper and the greetings card.

4. Place the copper coloured torn paper in the middle of the greetings card approximately 1" (2.5cm) down from the top edge.  Place the ½" (1.5cm) square of Wisteria in the middle of the copper coloured paper.

5. Starting at the top left hand corner of the Wisteria square, machine stitch down the left hand side of the square, along the bottom from left to right, up the right hand side and across the top but one stitch before completing the square, stitch down the left hand side again close to the first row of stitching and continue working inwards until you reach the centre.  Be careful when sewing the tiny pieces of Wisteria.  Do not put your fingers close to the needle, use a kebab stick to hold the Wisteria in place.  Attach the top and bottom pieces of Wisteria in the same way.

Fasten off the ends on the inside of the card.

INFORMATION

This card uses dull paper with shiny fabric, a torn edge next to a straight edge and lacy fabric with dense fabric.  The colours have been carefully chosen as they complement one another.

©Torbay Textiles 2007