happy fall y'all

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Designer: Stacey Kingman 

Using fabric to create a harvest-themed card is so fun! I combined different types of fabric and paper to create texture and depth on this unique autumn greeting. The card is intentionally made to look a little distressed with the fraying of all fabric edges. And even though I end up with frayed edges, initial careful measuring is important, so I used my clear ruler and rotary cutter for more cutting precision and less fabric waste. Lots of punching makes the design fun and scalloped – and the pumpkins depend on paper punches  for their little round shapes.

Difficulty rating

Instructions (Print version)

1. Cut solid cardstock to 12” X 6”, score at 6”, fold in half. This is the base for your 6” X 6” card
2. Using the 45mm Rotary Cutter and Clear Acrylic Ruler, cut a piece of 6” X 6” fabric on a cutting mat, fray the edges, and adhere to card front. (I fray the edges just a bit by hand by pulling some of the outer threads to give the square an imperfect look and a softer edge.)

3.  Sew around the border of the card first, then begin to sew some squares and rectangles randomly across the card front. This will give the card and interesting design and fun texture. There is no “right” or “wrong” to this process.
4. Punch three Square-a-licious scalloped squares, adhere to card front (we will be stitching these down soon, so don’t worry about the paper not adhering well to the fabric).
5. Punch a Medium Round ‘n Round circle and use it as a guide to cut three circles from orange burlap (or other orange fabric). The circle is just a guide – just as all pumpkins are unique, our fabric pumpkins will each be slightly different! Machine stitch around each pumpkin.
6. To create the pumpkin stems, use brown felt scraps and play a little until you have a stem you like. Make two more, adhere. Cut a green leaf from a fabric scrap, adhere to the third pumpkin, and machine stitch.
7. Cut a piece of green fabric to 2” X 4 ½”, fray edges, adhere to card front, machine stitch around it several times.
8. Now you’ve completed your decorative stitching. I usually do not hide the inside of the card front because I like the stitching to be visible. To me, it says, “I made this for you by hand!” But if you’d like to cover all the stitching on the inside of the card, make a panel like I did. Cut solid cardstock to 6” X 6 ½” and use the Scallop Sentiment Border Punch to create a border on the cardstock’s edges. Since this piece is wider than it is tall, punch the border so that the scalloped edges peek out on each side of the card front. Use lots of adhesive and fit it on the top panel of the card over the back of the stitched section. It should fit perfectly since the card is 6” X 6” and the cardstock piece is 6” tall.
9. Print (stamp, handwrite, rub-on, etc.) sentiment on a 1” X 4 ½” piece of solid cardstock, adhere on green rectangle.

10. Place buttons where you want them, and using the seam ripper on the 12-in-1 Sewing Multi Tool, poke holes in the card to mark where the buttons will be sewn. This tool makes a perfect, tiny hole for hand stitching the button onto the card. (Pierce the holes over a mouse pad so the point can go all the way through.) Hand stitch thread through buttons.
11. Cut 12” of ribbon or fabric and tie at the top of the card.

Supplies:
Fiskars : 12-99027097 Desktop Rotary Trimmer
Fiskars : 12-33897097 Tape Runner
Fiskars : 94767097 Comfort Grip™ Micro-Tip® Scissors
Fiskars : 12-99037097 28mm Scoring Rotary Blade - Blade Style F
Fiskars : 01-004596 Scallop Sentiment Border Punch
Fiskars :  01-003979 Square-a-licious XL  Squeeze Punch
Fiskars :  12-74367097 Round 'n Round – Medium Squeeze Punch
Fiskars : 12-97937097 45 mm Comfort Grip Rotary Cutter
Fiskars : 12-83727097 24 Inch x 36 Inch Mat
Fiskars : 12-87287097 3.5 x 18.5 Acrylic Ruler
Fiskars: 12-59777097 12-in-1 Sewing Multi-Tool
Other – fabric, thread, solid cardstock, buttons, ribbon