Dimensional Flat Ornament and Cording Tutorials

Look what I found!  While searching through my blog posts, I found this post I created in December 2012 which I never published.  How did that happen?

Dimensional Flat Ornament Tutorial

MATERIALS
•  Stitched piece
•  Coordinating fabric
•  Thin, sturdy cardboard
•  Flat batting
•  Tacky glue
•  Ruler
•  Scissors
•  Pencil
• Binder clips, or something similar.



STEP ONE:
Decide what size you would like your stitched piece to be and cut one piece of cardboard to that size.  For ornaments, I like to have about 1/4" border around the edge of the stitching.  So, if my stitched piece is 2 x 3 inches, I will cut the cardboard to 2½ x 3½".

Determine what size you'd like your back piece to be and cut two from the cardboard.  Your stitched piece will be mounted onto the backing piece.  For ornaments, I like to have a perimenter of ¼ to ½" around the stitched piece.  For the 2 x 3" ornament, the two backing pieces would be 3 x 4".  You may want to label the pieces.

STEP TWO:
Glue a piece of batting to the cardboard you'll be using for your stitched piece. 

After the glue is dried, trim off the excess batting.

STEP THREE:
This step involves attaching the stitching to the batting-covered cardboard.  Wash and iron your stitched piece if you wish to do so.  I like to lace my stitched piece onto the cardboard because it's easier and more forgiving to adjust placement on the cardboard if it's not placed correctly.   You can glue it on if you wish (See Step Five for the How-To).  If you glue the stitching on crooked, it's not as easy to adjust without taking it apart.

Look!  I stitched this in 2008.

STEP FOUR:
Cut two pieces of your coordinating fabric about ¼" larger than your two remaining  cardboard pieces.  No need to be exact on measurements.

If your fabric has wrinkles, you may want to iron them out!

STEP FIVE:
Grab your craft glue and a wet (not soaking) rag. I always store my glue upside down in a jar and put the wet cloth on a plastic lid or a plate.



Now comes the "fun" part!

Keeping the fabric and cardboard on a flat surface, place a small dab of glue in the corners. Using your finger, spread the glue into a thin layer.  Wipe your finger on the wet rag. Fold the corner of the fabric over the corner of the cardboard.

Place a bead of glue along one side. Using your finger, spread the glue. Wipe your fingers. Starting at one corner, fold the fabric over the edge tightly -- this is important in order to get tight pointed corners. Do the same with the opposite corner. Remember to wipe your fingers after EACH time you touch the glue, otherwise you'll end up with glue on the fabric! Flatten the fabric in between by pushing down and toward the center of the cardboard in a sweeping motion. Repeat for remaining edges.

Repeat entire process for second backing piece.

STEP SIX:
On the back of the stitched piece, place a small line of glue along the perimeter... approximately 3/8" from the edge. Squiggle some glue around in the center. Place in the center on the right side of one of the fabric-covered backing pieces.

Use binder clips to hold the pieces together tightly while the glue is drying.  Take the clips off after about 30 minutes.  You may have some indentations, but they're easily removed with a steam iron.  I use binder clips a lot and have never had permanent indentations.  Now, you if leave them on for days I can't guarantee you won't!

While the glue is drying, create your cording.

STEP SEVEN:
Put a small amount of glue on a scrap piece of cardboard.  Using a toothpick as a "glue brush", dab glue into the crack between the stitched piece and the fabric-covered piece.  Gently press the cording into place.  I always start the cording at the bottom so that it's not as noticeable.

Note: Dabbing a bit of glue on the ends of the cording will keep it from unraveling.

STEP EIGHT:
Cut a piece of cording for the hanger. Place it on the back.  Place a line of glue around the perimeter and squiggle some in the center.

Press on the other fabric-covered piece of cardboard, wrong sides together.  Place binder clips around the edges until the glue dries.

STEP NINE:
Repeate Step Seven to put cording around the outside edge.  Let dry and you have a finished ornament!

Sing Noel

Stitched: 12/14/08 Time: 3Hrs
Designer: Primrose Needleworks
Fabric: 18ct Seafoam Green Aida
Fibers: GAST, DMC Color Variations, The Dye Shop
Embellishments: Handmade cording w/DMC 321 & 815

CORDING TUTORIAL

Ever go to shopping for cording and not been able to find that "perfect" color?  Make your own!  It's not difficult at all.

Here's what you'll need:

•  Cording Drill or a Pencil
•  D-clip (for weight)
•  Suction Cup Hook
•  DMC 6-strand Floss or Pearle Thread

STEP ONE:
Determine how much cording you'll need.  Measure the perimeter of the ornament you'll be adding the cording to.  Multiply the measurement by 4 and cut two pieces of floss.  If you want to make two-colored cording, cut one piece of each length.  This is should give you plenty of cording.

STEP TWO:
For single-colored cording, tie both pieces together by putting a knot at each end.  For double-colored cording, fold each color floss in half and loop them together in the center. The knot each end.

STEP THREE:

Take the suction cup hook and attach it to a smooth vertical surface... wall, window, refrigerator, mirror, etc.  Make sure it's at least 4 feet (or higher) off the floor.  Place one knotted end of the cording over the hook.  Place the D-clip onto the floss and back away from the hook so that the floss is loosely stretched out.

Place the other end onto the hook of the cording drill, or onto a pencil.  Turn the crank of the cording drill, or twist the pencil.  Keep going.  Keep going.  Keep going... and going, and going, and going.  Keep twisting until the floss is wound tightly.  You'll be done when you step forward and the floss twists into cording.  The D-clip will put a little weight so that it winds quickly.

If you're really brave, you could go the "More Power!" approach and use this:

Variable speed cordless drill and cup hook!

Use low speed and wind away.  Works much better and faster than a pencil, that's for sure!

Until next time...