Reader makes: your free gifts
Here at PaperCrafter, we give you a fantastic FREE gift with every issue. We tailor each of these to what we think you’ll like best, and we love seeing what you do...
Whether you’re making for a friend who crafts or just love the vintage appeal of sewing-themed cards, you’ll enjoy trying your hand at our pick of greetings. Dig out your haberdashery stash or get creative with some faux stitch lines and savvy snipping – it’s amazing how mixing up the media can give your cards a charming new look!
1. Save and stitch
If you have small scraps of fabric in your stash that you can’t bear to part with, they can make beautiful motifs and toppers! This card has fabric sewn onto it, with faux stitch lines framing it using only a thin black marker. For the topper, why not try some handy embroidery to make each flower really pop? Maker: Carolyn Letten
2. Darling buds
Raid your haberdashery stash for bias binding, buttons and ribbon, plus a scrap of fabric to cut into a simple vase shape. This greeting features a bouquet of polymer clay blossoms in bright colours but if you prefer, roll paper versions or use buttons for the flowers instead. Maker: Ellen Kharade
3. Measure up
There are lots of papers available out there that incorporate a crafty theme into their design, such as the Sew Lovely range by docrafts used here. A small handful of buttons sewn onto a plain heart-shaped piece of fabric follows the theme in suitably stitchy style. Maker: Keren Baker
4. Button beauty
Pretty floral papers really complement the craft theme, so pair sewing motifs with a ditzy print to give your greetings an instantly homemade and nostalgic feel. You could always invest in a button punch too – so you don’t have to keep on raiding your stash. Maker: Helen Philipps
5. You're sew sweet
With a threaded needle, little red buttons and a few single cross stitches against a gingham background, this design is perfect for a friend who loves to sew. Opt for soft colours along with bolder buttons and thread to keep in with the sweet, homely feel. Maker: Paula Holifield
6. Go owl out
Take four different coloured fabrics from your stash and roughly cut a body, two wings, two eyes, and a face to create a scrap fabric owl. Add two round buttons to the eyes and a teadrop-shaped button for the beak. It’s a very thrifty way of making a unique topper, that you can come back to again and again! Maker: Cathie Shuttleworth For more fabulous greeting ideas, visit crafts-beautiful.com
Here at PaperCrafter, we give you a fantastic FREE gift with every issue. We tailor each of these to what we think you’ll like best, and we love seeing what you do...
Washi tape is relatively new to the crafting world, but it’s already become an essential in every stash. This decorative paper tape comes in a huge range of colours and patterns, so...