{How to} Stitch on the Unstitchable

OR- How to stitch on stuff other than fabric.

Don't get me wrong, I love fabric.  But I like this a teensy bit more.  

I don't make things that can be made in a simpler medium. Meaning if fiber doesn't add to the art I don't make it fiber art.   A cross stitched portrait is beautiful.  But it's time consuming and I would rather just hang a photo.  

What I love is to combine mediums.  I'm not an artist.  I'm a try-er.  

And this is something I had to try.

First - get your materials

In this case I had a cardboard box from Hobby Lobby.  You know those brown boxes.  I think they are cardboard.

A phrase printed big enough to put onto said box.

A large needle, tape (double sided and normal), scissor, thread, ruler, a pen and a "poker" (an Awl tool).  An Awl tool is used for leather crafts.  It's near the jewelry at Micheal's.  You can use a needle too but the eye hurt my fingers when I pushed it through so I switched to this with it's comfy rubber handle.   It works perfectly.

Use double sided tape to adhere the phrase to the box.

Double sided works better than normal tape because it's somehow not as adhesive.  It comes right off, not ripping anything.

Figure out where you want your holes to be.  I chose to split up the larger lines so the thread wouldn't easily get caught on anything.  I used the ruler to make it uniform.

It ended up looking like this.  The purple dots is where I poked the holes.

Poke your holes.

Here's the back.

Your holes should be somewhat uniform, so try to give the same pressure with each hole punch.  This will take a while.  Longer than you would expect.  I had to stop to rest my wrists a few times.

I used a simple backstitch and all 6 strands of DMC.  And this is the result.

Added a border.

You have tape to tape down the excess when beginning and ending thread.  I don't try to tie them in simply because this is easier and it holds firm and flat.

I've used this method to stitch on paper, cardboard, boxes, canvas, and leather purses.  At some point I want to stitch on wood.

 At the moment I'm trying to decide if I should stitch on my new coach purse I got off ebay.  Hmmm.

Package Pals - What I sent. {Make Something Beautiful}

This is what I got.  ( add link  )

Here is what I sent -

Lindsay mentioned that she wanted to learn to sew.  I can't teach her to sew but I can set her up with a kit to learn to embroider.

I got three boxes from Hobby lobby and hand stitched them.  It was important for me to send her a kit, but also something that I made so if she doesn't choose to learn to embroider, at least she has something pretty.

This includes

1 hand stitched 8'x8' box containing full kit
1 hand stitched box to hold floss
1 hand stitched box to hold needles and sharps
2 vintage gold sharps
14 various Sullivan's floss colors and floss bobbins
1 6” embroidery hoop
2 tear away stablizers
2 pieces of fabric
1 Aunt Martha's pattern pack

The only thing I didn't include was a scissor.  

I really enjoyed doing making this and putting it all together.  95% of the time I'm making things for other people.  I don't remember the last thing I made for myself, let alone finished.

It's really just more fun this way.  I like to make stuff then give it away.    

-Teresa

Package Pals - What I got.

I WAS a part of package pals.  :)  Read about what it is here.


It was pretty fun.  I said a little about myself and what I'm in to, as did some other people.  I was matched up with someone and told to create something for them.  It's a very cool idea.  I was matched up with Lindsay at mycreativedays.com.

Lindsay's style couldn't be further from mine.  She loves burlap, wood, home DIYs and chalkboard paint.  She got me out of my comfort zone.  And I love a good challenge.

What I got -

She was quick!  I got my package on 3.3 and we didn't have to be done until 3.31.

Violet was as excited as I was.

We've got burlap, burlap stickers, woods shapes, twine, glitter, a notebook, washi tape, stick pins and some sweet smelling things.  Vi immediately ripped open the cute little line art stickers and stuck them to their own packaging.  Oops.

These are all crafts that I didn't have before.  I'm not sure what I will do with them just yet.  But I'm sure I will find something that Lindsay would be proud of.  :)  Thanks Lindsay!