Greeting Card Swap 2007

This was a Greeting Card Swap I participated in, online, with a really talented group of artistic fiber artists.

To make my cards:

I first marked my designs on the back of a 15" x 18" piece of Evenweave Fabric (28ct./100% cotton) with a pencil, freehand. I made each picture approximately 2 1/2" x 3 1/4", with another 3/4" border all around (I got 12 on but could have gotten more with a little better spacing between each picture).

Then I attached the whole piece to a scroll-type stretcher and needle punched the designs from the back of the fabric. I cut them all out, individually and secured the loops by applying Fray Check to the backs and letting them dry completely.

To make the red frame, I placed each finished picture on a piece of 4" x 5" red card stock and, with a pencil, marked the card stock at each corner by going through the weave at the closest hole on each corner to get a tight frame. (Each red frame had to be done individually because none of the pictures were exactly square). I cut the hole out with an exacto knife. I put Tacky Glue on the front of the 3/4" fabric border, fitted the red fame over the front and pressed the frame onto the picture .

For the white note card (blank 8 1/2" x 5 1/2"), I first printed the inside message on my inkjet printer. Then, using my exacto knife, I cut out a 3 1/4" x 3 3/4" hole out of the lower section of the front cover. I placed Tacky Glue around the edge of the back of the hole, positioned it over the red framed picture and pressed to adhere.

I then glued black & silver ribbon around the edge of the frame to give it a finished look and added "A Winter Wish" and some holly leaves to finish off the front.

Last, but not least, I marked the card with the Greeting Card Swap '07, signed the back or front of the art piece, the signed my name to the card - addressed them - and sent them off to the other participants in the swap.

This was my first swap and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it (even angsting about what to make)! It was such fun to get the other cards in the mail and to see what the others had made.

These were the cards I sent to each person, with a few variations in color and design of the punch-needle picture.

Alice's Purse

I backed this purse with a light-weight Pellon, added a magnetic snap and craft plastic on the inside bottom. Truth be told, if I were to make this purse again, I would put pockets inside and make it a two-strap handled purse. The single-handle version (shown here) has a tendency to want to open when any weight is added to the inside.

Alice's Purse

I made this See and Sew (Butterick #B4839)purse for my friend Alice. She loves purses! I don't know how many she has (lots) but I do know this is her first handmade purse.

Sweet Crazy

I truly love doing handwork. Some of the prettiest embroidery can be accomplished using simple little stitches or a combination of stitches. The yellow butterflies are just four chain stitches to form the "X" body and stem stitch for the antenae and french knot for the end of the antenae.

Sweet Crazy Back

The crazy block was made using a piece of muslin for foundation piecing of four or five different pale flower prints, then bordered with the gray flower print. Then I added hand-embroidered rows of little flowers and such along some of the seams on the block on the back and on the cuffs.

Sweet Crazy

This is a sweatshirt I cut to make a jacket. I removed the neckline ribbing and the sleeve ribbing. I made bias strips out of crazy quilted materials and used it for the border all around. I then fashioned cuffs out of the same cq'd material and attached to the sleeves.