How to Make A Simple Stencil for Textile Art Embellishment

Here's a simple way to make your own small stencil design for painting, embroidery, or other embellishments. You can paint blue jeans, tee shirts and other art to wear, or use the stencil as a template for embroidery or applique designs.

I made a reverse applique, beaded and embroidered embellishment. It may become a wrist cuff or just an element in a grouping of lace patchwork on a garment. Make your own floral focal piece for a statement necklace, create a wrist cuff, or embellish a hand bag.

You'll Need

plastic deli container lid

paper
pencil
sharpie or other permanent marker
scissors: preferably small sharp embroidery type scissors
or
razor or exacto knife for cutting plastic

scissor for cutting paper

Use a piece of notebook paper, fold in half four times as if making a snowflake paper cut out.
I just rounded the outside corners of the folded paper and cut a large hole in the center by cutting the folded point off in a curve.
For more inspiration and ideas see these instructions for making paper snowflakes

I ended up with a simple eight petal flower.

Put the paper flower under the plastic deli lid to use as a template for the stencil, and trace the flower on the lid with a sharpie or other permanent marker.

Cut the edges off the plastic lid to make it flat.

Now you can begin cutting the stencil.
I used a seam ripper to start the interior cut outs.
A seam ripper slides smoothly through the plastic but becomes a bit too jagged so I switched to a small sharp scissor to finish the cutting. A razor or exacto knife would be a lot easier and probably a lot less jagged.

I decided to refine the design because it was over simple. I used the paper template again and cut out a heart shape in the interior of the petals.

I traced the hearts on to the plastic

then cut them out as above using the seam ripper and small scissors.

Now you can test the stencil and play with the final design possibilities.

Here's one possibility
with no border and buttonhole stitch...

...and another possibility
with a border, button hole stitch, and running stitch.

Next I'll show how to use the stencil to make the reverse applique which can be used to embellish or create your own art to wear piece.

to be continued......
Visit SalvationScraps for vintage lace, trims, appliques, and vintage inspired handmade embellishments.

Getting Back To The Garden

This is my Grandmother...


the result of my early obsession with grandma's jewelry box



...her name was Ezma


When I was a little girl, I always thought I was in heaven when my grandmother would let me rummage through her jewelry box. Once in a while she would even give me a piece that was broken or she didn't like any more. I still have some of those pieces today.



My stash of vintage lace has been out of sight and out of mind for about two years since I moved to Oregon.

I use to hold on to every scrap of vintage lace which I collected under the guise of supplies for reconstructed garments, or handmade embellishments, or handmade OOAK accessories which I love making and selling. I've been doing it for about 20 years so I have an amazing stash of unique vintage laces, textiles and trinkets.

Lace scraps for a neo Victorian wrist cuff, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifcorsage

I have just opened my own website Resurrection Rags featuring unique one of a kind clothing, jewelry and accessories made from vintage textiles and findings.

I love making fabric flowers from vintage fabric scraps





I've decided to blog about some of the history and possible current trends in using and reusing vintage materials, as a sort of reference for myself and anyone else who would like to peruse it.



So if you're into new heirlooms created from vintage materials, making an individual fashion statement, one of a kind jewelry made from unique vintage findings, or expressing yourself artistically using recycled materials with a history, hopefully you'll stumble across a post you'll find informative or at least entertaining.
And Hopefully I'll be able to keep this little blog maintained, for my own good. Enjoy!!

Also be sure to check out my other website

Once you fully apprehend the vacuity of a life without struggle, you are equipped with the basic means of salvation.
Tennessee Williams