Winter Theme Postcard Swap

January 2019
Sheree McKee

SewFabSew.blogspot.com

This swap with three other gals, was for an "Anything Winter" theme.  

I like landscapes, so here's some quick and basic instructions.

It's also easy to create two fabric postcards at a time.  

Begin with a 5" x 13" strip of SKY FABRIC and FUSIBLE STABILIZER - fuse together

Overlay a SNOW FABRIC with some hills and valleys - then fuse to SKY

This is a close up of the 5"x13' panel.

Machine stitch both the sky and the snow.  I used metallic thread on the snow.

If you use a white bobbin, the stitching is less likely to show through the final backing.

Layer some motifs like felt snowbanks, and some tree shapes or even animals (with fusible web on the backs ahead of time)

Outline stitch the snowbanks then decorative stitch the trees

It's time to trim with a rotary cutter, and create two 6" x 4 1/8" (regulation size) postcard shapes.

These metal stars are paper brads.  

Poke a large needle hole then push the brad prongs through and spread the prongs.  

But keep them away from postcard edge so your sewing machine foot will clear the metal stars when overcasting or binding your perimeter edges.

Finally, you will fuse a backing fabric on reverse side. 

This layer covers over your motif outline stitching and brads.

Keep it light in color, because you will address and write on this backing.

Complete outer edges as desired.

I had some felt Bucks and Bears in my stash of embellishments.  
They were glued on with Aleene's Tacky Glue as a final step.

Merry Mittens in Ribbon

December 2015
Sheree McKee
sewfabsew.blogspot.com

Lace and ribbon scraps

These "Merry Mitten" fabric postcards are made from scrap ribbon and lace.


For this swap, I emphasized a Christmas theme by using a poinsettia background print.   You could create a snowy winter theme, by using ice blue and silver background fabrics.



 

Lay diagonally onto fusible side of stabilizer

First, I began by cutting a 6" wide by 24" long piece of single-sided stabilizer.  With the fusible glue facing upward, I laid random strips of ribbon at a 45 degree angle.  I pressed the ribbons into place in groups of three to four.  

Be careful not to touch the stabilizer with your hot iron!

Here's your chance to play with
decorative machine stitches

Secondly, once the strip of stabilizer was filled and fused,  I bridge stitched between each ribbon.  

I used a variety of decorative machine stitches and some variegated colored thread.  Metallic threads would also make pretty connecting stitches.

A mitten template can be moved around

Third, I drew up a mitten shaped pattern that would fit inside a final 4" x 6" postcard.  It was able to carefully cut four mittens from the stabilizer.  

Layer trims if needed

Then I layered some lace trims over a few of the wider ribbons.

Base postcards before mittens are attached

Next, I prepared four base postcards on more stabilizer.  This is where I used the pretty Poinsettia fabric from my stash as a background.










Finally, I centered the firm mitten shapes onto the bases.  I simply held them in place as I stitched the perimeter with a wide decorative stitch that would swing on and off the mitten.

You might like the link below to a previous blog article  

about Holiday Recycling

Holiday Recycling

Holiday Recycling for winter fun!

Sheree McKee

sewfabsew.blogspot.com
January 2015

With the holidays past us, sometimes we need a winter project to fill the time until spring.  Christmas probably offers the biggest selection of cool textural "stuff" to revamp.  

Just what do you plan to recycle?  There is an unlimited possibility when your imagination is revved up!   This could be your chance to turn some trash into treasure…. or NOT!

Woven background uses coffee bags

Have you found yourself saving any of the items listed below?

Holiday advertising mail or catalogs
Baubles, Beads, Buttons
Broken ornaments or jewelry
Candle waxes
Candy wrappers
Christmas Cards
Foils: Coffee or Cookie bags
Holiday napkins
Holiday Stickers
Pinecones
Postal Stamps
Ribbon or cording
Silk flowers
Tapes: Duct, Washi etc.,
Tinsel or Trim
Tissue or Wrapping paper
Wine corks

Stuff to recycle

Colorful coffee bags

Since fiber postcards are the subject of this blog, most items will need to be flattened or cut into smaller sizes.  Keep in mind, the more dimensional your postcard surface is... the more postage and special handling it will require.

You will also want to incorporate some amount of fabric or textile to keep with the theme of “fiber postcards”.  

This year, I decided to re-purpose colorful coffee bags, they are much too pretty to toss out!  My thoughts were geared towards weaving the metallic strips of bag together with fabric and leftover ribbon or cords to form a base fabric.

I’m not too happy with the end results.... and I'll share why.  But at least I gave it a try.  The coffee bags appeared to be foil-like.  In my first attempt, I cut random width strips and left the top edge intact.  On a tabletop, I taped down the upper edge then flat-wove other items through the metallic strips.  The results were a simple 13"x13" fiber weaving.  

In my first version, I cut sides open to lay flat

I used scallop rotary cutter and left top edge intact

But those bags had a mind of their own!  They had curves and folds from being shaped like a coffee bag.  My brain said "Let's iron my new woven fabric flat."  I used a non-stick pressing sheet for protection.  Unfortunately, I discovered the coffee bags were made of 

a heat-sensitive thermoplastic, not a foil at all.  The strips twisted and torqued every which-way and all the woven ribbons, fabric, etc., popped out.  I was forced to reweave, then chose to lightly fuse an iron-on interfacing to the back to hold everything together.

Interfacing on back

Woven but distorted

The second attempt was more successful.   This time I used a straight rotary blade and cut complete strips from the coffee bag.  Then I used duct tape to secure the top edge and used clear packing tape on the backs after weaving a few rows. 

My second coffee bag

Eventually, it was time to stitch through the layers and hold everything together.  My first version was easy to stitch because it had an interfacing backing.  My second attempt was more challenging due to clear packing tape adhering the back together.  This tape gummed up my needle a few times, and resulted in a some skipped stitches.

Decorative stitching to hold the weave together

Finally it was time to cut apart my mini masterpieces (joke).  Below, you can see a window template (made from cardstock) that I use to audition the best cutting location for postcards.   After careful planning, I was able to get two postcards from each woven coffee bag.

I must admit, this was a lot of work to produce a background fabric.  Many times my ideas don't quite work the way I plan!  

The start of four postcards

In the first photos, you can see I chose to sew a fabric yo-yo and holly leaf on my project.  But another idea I plan to play around with will use sparkly motifs cut from Christmas cards. I'll keep you updated with additions to this article.  Have fun with your recycling and designing!

Sparkly embellishment designs from fronts of holiday cards

Here is the backside with fabric backing and iron-on binding