Framed Shells Postcard Tutorial

I designed this card for my Mom's birthday but it will also go to all of the other July birthdays. I have been trying to come up with an idea it use this ribbon.

I bought that ribbon a year and a half ago while on a shopping trip with Sue and Summerset and I remember thinking that my Mom would like it when I bought it. I also wanted to use some of my metallic painted fabric. I picked this one.

I like to make cards in volume. In this case I had a fat quarter of the painted fabric. With a fat quarter I can make about 9 4" x 6" postcards. For the tutorial the instructions will be under the photo.

I used Fast2Fusefor these. having the fusible already on the base makes things go much faster! I fused the fat quarter of metallic painted fabric to a fat quarter sized piece of Fast2Fuse and then cut it apart into 9 4" x 6" postcard bases. Next I fused some fusible web to the back of a royal blue silk scrap. I needed a piece that was about 12" square.

Cut the blue silk into something close to a square about 3". I used pinking shears to give an interesting edge and I did not make sure that the shape was square.

Next I pulled out a roll of knitted metal mesh.  I bought this from joggles a few months ago and I was happy to find the perfect use for it. The shiny metal played well on the silk and complimented the metallic paint int he background. This mesh comes in a roll that is about 4" wide. It is a knitted tube so that 4" width is a double layer. I cut the tube in about 2" chunks and then cut the tube in half for 2 pieces. This stuff is fun to shape and is easy to sew through. I stitched it to the base with silver metallic thread.

Finally it's time for the ribbon! I cut apart the ribbon and sewed one motif on each card. The ribbon is double sided so I did some with the blue background and some with the white. I also experimented with straight-stitching and zig-zag stitching. Both worked just fine. These last 2 layers are all of the stitching on the card....

...except for the edge. Once the ribbon is sewn on you can fuse the backing and then sew a satin stitch around the edge. I used a shiny blue acrylic thread with a zig zag stitch set at 5.5 width and .35 length.

These went together really quickly and here's the final result. I think I will look for some holiday ribbon and make some of these for my Christmas cards.

Comments

[Lora Martin]

These are great!

[Ivory Spring]

Vicki,

This is so neat! I always love reading your tutorials - you are a good teacher! :)

[floribunda]

thanks, Vicki -- great tutorial and lovely cards!

[Wanda]

Great tutorial and fun cards.

[sue b]

Fabulous!

[Deb Levy]

those are great! I love that knitted metal mesh...I used some to make clam shells.

[Kim]

Very cool! Love the blue silk!

[Cindy Is Crafty]

How cool! Love these! I might ahve to check out the meshy stuff that is cool and my mind is whirling with the things I can make with it.

[Gabriela (Gabi With An Eye)]

Wonderful tutorial and FABULOUS postcard. I love, love, LOVE it!

[Kay]

These are beautiful postcards, Vicki. I'm in awe of the way you put these together, seemingly so effortlessly.

[Mary Anne]

These are great Vicki! (I guess it wouldn't be in good form to just happen to mention that my birthday was this month?) ;D

[Sandy Jandik]

It's a wonderful card. You have a lucky mother.

[Liz in Kansas]

Great postcards. And so simple, really. I'm going to have to try some of the knitted mesh. It looks so interesting and - oooh! - look at all those pretty colors!

[business postcard marketing]

Great tutorial, the postcard turned out great. It's definitely a postcard for birthdays..

-Luke

[Cat Dodt-Ellis]

What a fabulous technique & I love your postcard piece!!!
Thank you so much for sharing this!!!

Cat

[Amanda]

where do u get the fast2fuse?