Using sketch pens as a stitching template

Using Sketch Pens as a Stitching Template

Hiiiii
It's Caroline back here again with another layout featuring stitching. In the past I have shown how to use the Silhouette Cameo to create stitch holes ready to sew (to see that post please click here), but this one is a little different. It's good to move between the different techniques as this tutorial will show you how you can make your own holes, therefore making the stitches larger and quicker to sew YAY!

What you will need:

• White Card Stock
• Poky Tool or larger needle
• Needle
• Threads
• Sticky Tape, washi or cellotape
• Embellishments
• Sketch Pens
• Silhouette Cameo
• Cutting Mat

This is the silhouette design I used...

Now for the 'how to' bit...

The fist thing that you need to do is to import the design into the software and then make it the size you would like on the page. I wanted mine to be very large so it fit virtually the whole page.

Then you need to swap out your cutting blade and pop in your Silhouette Sketch Pen. It really doesn't matter what colour you choose as you will be covering it; but for the purpose of this tutorial I used a bright pink one so it would show up on the photos.

Once you have done this you need to use the following settings...

Once you have changed out the blade and changed the settings you can just send it to the silhouette - how easy is that?

Once you image has been completed it will look like this...

Now we need to make the holes in the design. I use a poky tool or a needle that is slightly larger than the one you are going to sew with. Go around the whole design and make the holes, remember that you want to make the holes closer together as they go around corners so that you thread can follow the pattern and doesn't look distorted. I pop a mouse mat under my page so your needle can go through and not mark your table underneath.

Here are some holes I made...

You can see I have evenly spaced them. The difference with making the holes this way and not using the method in the tutorial linked above is that you can make the holes where you want. It gives you a little more freedom as to where you want the holes and it means that you can place the holes further apart which makes sewing a little quicker! We are all for saving time right?

Next up is the sewing part. I use a needle threader as I find this much easier and they are super cheap! This photo is from another layout but I wanted you to see the threader so you would know what I mean - it's a life saver!

For this page I used three colours of thread, a darker pink on the outside, a medium pink on the middle section and a lime green on the inner section. I use a  simple back stitch and pop on the TV, sew and relax. It really is relaxing for me, the more I have done it the faster I have become and you DO NOT need to be a good sewer! Thank goodness HA!

I secure my thread on the back with some clear tape, you can use cellotape or washi tape. I took a photo of the back of the layout, doesn't it look crazy, I thought you may want to see it...

The final stage is to add the photo, title and embellishments and you're done. Here are some close ups of the layout...

I really hope that you feel inspired to give it a go, please leave me a comment if you would like any further help.

'Til next time

C x

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