Fabric-Covered Greeting Cards

Materials

• Fusible web
• Fabric scrap a little larger than 8 ½” x 11″
• 8 ½” x 11″ card stock

Tools

• Cutting tools
• Cutting mat
• Iron

Directions

1. Cut the fusible web slightly smaller than 8 ½” x 11″, then adhere it to the wrong side of your fabric scrap. Trim roughly. Then remove fusible paper and adhere fabric to cardstock.



2. Take a ¼” off each long side, and ½” off each short side,  You will be doing some more trimming after the next step. 
3. Fold the piece of paper in half, short sides together, parallel to the grain.



4. The direction you fold paper is actually very important as to how smooth the fold will be. That is because paper has a grain line, much like the warp and weft in a fabric weave. If you fold parallel to the grain, you will get a nice, smooth fold with little to no resistance. If you fold against the grain, you will get resistance, and the paper may actually break or tear on the fold. You can test which is the right way to fold by gently bending the sheet of paper in both directions. The wrong direction will feel more resistant to your fold.
5. Open your first fold, and use the middle fold line as a guide. Fold again in the same direction, one short side to the middle as pictured below. Now cut through both thicknesses along the middle edge. These trimming steps are to make the card even on all sides. It is hard to make the edges even if the card is trimmed first and then folded. Trust me, I’ve tried.



6. You will now be working with half of your original sheet of paper, folded in half. Slice this strip into 2″ pieces.



7. Repeat steps for the second side of the piece of paper.

You could also print on the cardstock before adhering fabric, as I have done on these little thank you cards. And you could trim the card edges with a decorative blade to get some nice effects. I’m sure you can come up with more ideas for this technique. Maybe add some stitching or embellishment?

Decorative Gift Card Envelopes

Materials

• 8 ½” x 11″ paper (I used regular 20-pound copy paper.)
• Wax paper
• Glue stick
• Cup of your favorite brew (This craft is addictive, so you might be here awhile.)

Tools

• Cutting mat or ruler
• Paper cutter
• Edge punch (The one I used is from the Martha Stewart line.)

Directions

1. Cut your sheet of paper into quarters (each will now be 4.25″ x 5.5″).



2. Using the edge of your cutting mat for sizing (or a ruler) fold short edges so that they overlap in the center and width is reduced to 2.5″.



3. With wax paper underneath to protect your work surface, run a glue stick down top overlap edge, and bottom long edge. Fold short overlap edges to center, and then fingerpress to secure glued edges.



4. Now fold bottom edge up about a half inch, run glue along the inside, and press to secure.



5. All that is left to do now is edge punch the open end of your envelope through both layers at once.



Voila! You will probably want to make a bunch because they are easy and fun, and they look fab!

How to Make a Personalized Business Card Holder

Materials

• 3 scraps of different patterned fabric (See Step 1 for measurements.)
• 4 ¼” x 5 ¾” piece of medium-weight interfacing
• Extra fabric, buttons, or other embellishments (if desired)
• Thread

Click image to download the PDF version of Kym Delmar's Business Card Holder tutorial.

Tools

• Iron
• Scissors
• Stick pins
• Tailor’s chalk
• Sewing machine

Directions

1. From Fabric A and Fabric B, cut 1 piece each 4 ¾” x 6″.
   From Fabric C, cut 2 pieces 4 ¾” x 4 ¼”.



2. Lay Fabric A right side up. Fold Fabric C pieces long edges and wrong sides together and press. Then lay folded Fabric C on top of Fabric A (raw edges along top and bottom short edges of Fabric A). Lay Fabric B, wrong side up, on top of Fabric C. Lay interfacing on top of Fabric B. Then pin layers. Use chalk or pins to mark top edge of pockets on interfacing as a guide (the marks indicate where to start and stop stitching).



3. Using a ¼-inch seam, begin stitching at chalk mark. Stitch along the edge. Finish at second mark. Leave opening for turning. Backstitch at beginning and end of stitching. Also, sew a stitch or two diagonally across corners to prevent “dog ears” on your finished product.



4. Trim corners.



5. Finger press seam allowance down on both sides of opening. This will make turning the seam allowance to the inside easier.



6. Turn right side out.



7. At this point, you have the option of using either side as the outside of your business card holder.
   
   Decide which side you want on the outside, then turn pockets to the inside.



8. Carefully poke out corners. Turn edges of opening inside. Press on both sides of the holder.



9. Starting at opening, stitch along the edge.



10. If you like, you can embellish the cover with buttons or fabric flowers.

Enjoy your new business card holder!

It’s Your Birthday Place Mat

This whimsical mat can be made with any fabric you choose. For a personal touch, make one for each family member in their favorite colors. Use cotton fabrics and batting and your place mat is machine washable.

Click image to download a PDF of “It's Your Birthday Place Mat Tutorial” by Kym Delmar

Materials

• Wide rickrack
• Narrow rickrack
• 5 patterned fabrics
• 1 solid yellow cotton fabric
• 3 solid cotton fabrics (color of your choice)
• Batting
• Thread

Tools

• Fray check
• Square ruler, or sheet of wax paper for template
• Standard sewing tools

Directions

1. Cut 4 ½” squares from four patterned cotton fabrics.



2. Cut 5” piece of wide rickrack for each square.



3. Cut 2 ½” x width of fabric (WOF) strip of solid cotton to use as borders for your package squares.



4. With right sides together, sandwich rickrack between the solid strip and the patterned square, lining up top and left edge as shown.



5. Stitch with ¼” seam.



6. Press seam flat from wrong side, then open gently with iron pressing seam toward strip.



7. Trim excess solid strip even with square.



8. Add another solid strip to the right side of square. Then stitch and press open as in Steps 5 and 6. Trim solid strip even with square as in Step 7.



9. Repeat for all four sides of square.



10. Using 6 ½” square ruler or template made from wax paper, center square at an angle. Check all four corners to make sure that they are not being cut off. Cut around all four edges with rotary cutter.



11. Cut 7” piece of narrow rickrack. Add fray check to each end.



12. Make two loops in narrow rickrack to form a bow shape (don’t really tie into a bow because it is too bulky). Stitch in place at top of package, above wide rickrack.



13. Make three more packages in the same way. IMPORTANT NOTE: On two of the packages, when you cut the square, tilt ruler in the opposite direction as shown.



14. Lay four package blocks as shown.



15. Flip rows right sides together and chain sew along right seam. Leave thread between rows intact.



16. Press sewn seams in opposite directions so that row seam will lock together.



17. Use a straight stitch down the center of rickrack to secure each package.



18. From leftover scraps of solid cottons, cut a strip of each fabric around the same length. Widths can vary.



19. Stitch these strips right sides together along long edges. I used a serger for speed, but a regular stitch would work fine. Press seams to one side.



20. Cross cut joined strips into 2” segments. Join enough of these segments along their short edges to cover bottom and top of tilted package section. Sew strip to top and bottom. Press seams toward packages.



21. Next, cut two solid pieces, 2” by 15” each. Stitch them to sides of place mat, press toward solid.



22. This is what the place mat looks like so far.



23. Cut one solid piece 8” x 4.75” for cake, two patterned strips 8” x 1.25” for side background pieces, one patterned piece 6.25” x 4.25” for top background, and one patterned piece 6.25” x 3.5” for cake base. Also cut a strip of wide rickrack 5” long.



24. Place rickrack about 1 ½” down from top of solid cake piece. With right sides together, stitch side background pieces to either side of solid cake piece, enclosing ends of rickrack in seam. With right sides together, stitch cake base piece to bottom of cake and side piece unit.



25. With right sides together, stitch cake base piece to bottom of cake and side piece unit.



26. Cut a rectangle of yellow solid for flame, approximately 3” x 6”.



27. Fold short ends to middle, and then fold in half. You will be cutting through four layers of fabric. Cut flame shape as shown. Stitch both flames together close to the edge, all the way around flame shape. Clip middle of one side with scissors, and turn right side out. Poke out edges and press.



28. Cut a 2” x 1” rectangle.



29. Fold long sides to middle. Lay out on background to check position, then sandwich between top background and cake piece right sides together and stitch. Press up, position flame on top, and topstitch around flame and candle to secure to background.



30. Sew cake section to rest of place mat.



31. Layer in the following order: batting, then backing and top right sides together. Stitch around place mat with a ½” seam, leaving an opening for turning. To avoid “dog ears,” take a stitch or two at an angle across each corner as shown.Trim seam and clip corners. Turn right side out.



32. Quilt as desired. I quilted in the ditch around the cake and present shapes, and did free motion quilting everywhere else. I’ve included some pictures of the front and back so that you can see the quilting.