The challenge at
Artful Times is to make a fabric tag - how could I resist or not find time for this one?! I decided to make something appropriate to nature because I've been playing around with fabric leaves and wire again.
I used TAP again but in a slightly different way. Instead of stamping on it, I coloured it with distress inks using a Tim technique. When dry, I transferred the coloured piece onto plain white cotton and some calico. The colours remained vibrant and true although they were a little lighter on the calico which was quite heavy weight.
My tag is cut from two layers of calico and one layer of very lightweight padding just to give it a little extra body. Here's what I made:
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| The sentiment was stamped onto inked card with some jute attached at either end. The cotton lace is a double layer, which were both inked then stitched into position. Read on for further details of how I made each element of the tag - or found them in a box, cupboard etc. (even in the garden!). |
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| Sketchy leaves were stamped onto the calico using Stazon. Gold shimmer spray was then applied over the tag but you can't see it here as the light was so flat. The tag pieces were layered together, stitched down the sides with a scallop stitch and trimmed. Distress ink was applied to background for an aged effect. |
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| A tag topper was cut from grunge board covered with some book text. This was then die cut twice: once to fit the tag top shape and a second time using a Tim die to add pattern to the edge. The edges were inked. |
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| The leaves were die cut with a Tim die. The edges were inked then stitching applied. Thin wire was woven through some stitches on the back to allow the leaves to be shaped. The thin twigs are real (as are the tendrils) but the berries are faux. The leaves, berries and twigs were wired together with a rusty old piece of paper covered florist wire which I kept because I thought it might be useful! |
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| Detail to show the rusty wire, stamped / inked background and the scalloped edges. |
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Detail to show the tendrils (love them but they snap if you look at them!) and the leaves.
I have made another project using the last of the leaves and I was even able to use the waste TAP backing layer which is normally put in the recycled bin!
Hope you like the tag. The leaves were rather fiddly but it was a very satisifying make - especially when I realised I'd finished sewing back all the machine ends! |
