Stamped & Embossed Woven Cards

Whether or not you stamp and then emboss or emboss and then stamp depends on the look you prefer. I prefer to stamp and then emboss, but try both ways. You can also cut all the paper of card stock strips yourself, which is what I did, or you can buy the pre-cut strips made for quilling. They usually come in a wide variety of colors and several different widths.

Materials:

craft paper or card stock
thick embossing powder
pigment ink
rubber stamp
double-sided tape
tweezers
heat gun
cutting mat
craft knife & ruler or paper cutter

1. To make the initial woven piece: Decide on the size you want and, after cutting paper strips to the desired width, cut them to the length you want. For a 3-inch square, we cut 1/4-inch wide strips 3 inches long.

2. Place a strip of double-stick tape along a line on the cutting mat. Lay down one of the cut strips positioning it at right angles to the tape. Overlap the top 1/4 inch of the strip along the bottom 1/4 inch of the tape. Be certain it is perfectly straight.

3. Place a second strip next to the first, butting the two together. Repeat with as many more strips as it takes to make a 2-1/2-inch wide panel of strips (figure A).

4. Begin to weave the other strips through the ones on the board until you have woven a 3-inch length. Assuming that there is a small overlap of each strip along the sides, you should have a square of approximately 3 inches (figure B).

5. Carefully remove the woven piece and place on a surface to stamp. Stamp, color (figure C), then cover entire surface of the square with clear embossing ink by either stamping the pad onto the square or by picking up the woven square and pressing it to the embossing pad (figure D).

6. Holding the square with tweezers, dip it into embossing powder or sprinkle the powder over the surface of the square (figure E), and then heat with the heat tool until done (figure F).

7. If you prefer to emboss and then stamp, cover the surface of the square with embossing ink and, holding the square with tweezers, dip the square into the powder and heat with the heat tool. Immediately re-apply the powder and heat two more times.

8. While the embossing powder is still hot, press the pre-inked stamp into it (figure G). Press firmly and let the stamp remain there for just a minute or so as the hot melted powder begins to cool.

9. Lift the stamp. Apply the finished woven piece to the front of a card, a small dye-cut bag, or a small gift package; or put a pin backing on it and wear as a pin (figures H & I).