I was ogling the gorgeous fabric flowers over at My Paper Moose, and making one was on my to do list for this weekend. Imagine my joy and surprise when I saw this week’s sketch from Stamping 411 with the perfect place to put one!
I used my Bigz Clear Circle Die to create this flower, and followed Jacqueline’s easy tutorial. I was surprised at how quickly and easily this came together!
Stamps: Perfect Punches Ink: More Mustard, Soft Suede Paper: More Mustard, Pool Party, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Spice Cake Designer Series Paper Other: Spice Cake Designer Fabric, Antique Brads, Modern Label Punch, Bigz Clear Circle Die, Finial Press Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Movers & Shapers Punch Windows Die, Big Shot
This card is for a friend of mine who just moved into a new house. Hope she likes it!
It’s funny, because when I first saw it, I really did not like the Spice Cake Designer Series Paper, but the more I use it, the more I love it! When I saw this gorgeous quilted card by Rita, I knew I wanted to make my own as well.
Stamps: Perfect Punches Ink: Soft Suede, Pool Party Paper: Pool Party, Soft Suede, Very Vanilla, Spice Cake Designer Series Paper Other: Scallop Oval Punch, Punch Windows Movers & Shapers Die, Top Note Bigz Die, Perfect Polka Dots Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Pool Party Ruffled Ribbon
I had a bunch of leftover pieces of the Pink Pirouette Patterned Paper after I finished the pack of Baby Carriage cards that I showed you yesterday. I needed to make a card to go with the gift pack, so I used the scraps to make a Top Note Quilt Card. I embossed it with the Vintage Wallpaper folder afterward to make it look even more quilt like.
Stamps: Baby Bundle Ink: Chocolate Chip Paper: Pink Piouette, Chocolate Chip, Subtles Designer Series Patterns Stack Other: Top Note Bigz Die, Vintage Wallpaper Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Word Window Punch, Modern Label Punch, Basic Pearls, Chocolate Chip Dotted Scallop Ribbon
The patterns are very subtle in the picture, but it looks quite quilt like in real life.
One of the great things about being a Stampin’ Up demonstrator is the demonstrator friends that I make all over the country — all over the world in fact! My friend Debbi is a demonstrator in Mendon, Massachusetts. Although we originally met online, I have had the pleasure of stamping with her in person several times. She and I traded some ribbon recently, and she included the absolute coolest card that I have seen made with the Ice Cream Parlor Designer Series Paper that you can earn for free now during Sale-a-Bration. I am so thrilled that she gave me permission to post it here for you to see!
Stamps: Oval All Ink: Daffodil Delight, Melon Mambo, Pacific Point Paper: Pacific Point, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Very Vanilla, Ice Cream Parlor Designer Series Paper Other: Scallop Square Punch, Scallop Oval Punch, Wide Oval Punch, Ice Cream Parlor Buttons, Linen Thread, Square Lattice Textured Impressions Embossing Folder, Big Shot
Isn’t it amazing? I am in awe! Thanks Debbi, both for the beautiful card, and for letting me share it!
Fabric? Yes, Fabric! Stampin’ Up has come out with a line of designer fabric! This new product line combines their exclusive designs and colors with high-quality fabric–making coordination with our other products a cinch!
Designer Fabric details:
100% cotton
Patterns coordinate with select Designer Series Paper designs
Each assortment includes three coordinated designs in an extra-wide fat quarter size (28″ x 18″)
Each assortment includes an instruction booklet highlighting five projects you can create using the fabric
You don’t have to be a seamstress–or even like to sew–to enjoy using Designer Fabric! The colors and patterns in the Designer Fabrics are designed to coordinate perfectly with Stampin’ Up! inks, card stock, Designer Series Paper, and other accessories, and are perfect for adding a stylish touch to traditional paper projects. If you do enjoy sewing, however, the beauty and high quality of Designer Fabric, available in an extra-wide fat quarter (18″ x 26″), makes it perfect for use in quilting, clothing, home décor, or any other project you can think of.
Along with Designer Fabrics, they also offer coordinating products that provide you and your customers with everything you need to start crafting with Designer Fabric.
Big Designer Buttons – These buttons coordinate perfectly with the Designer Fabric in the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog.
Big Shot Fabric Adhesive Roll and Big Shot Multipurpose Adhesive Sheets – Use them to make adhering your fabric die-cuts simple!
Big Shot dies – Stampin’ Up! offers a multitude of Big Shot dies, including the new Tasteful Trim and Scallop Squares Duo in the 2010 Holiday Mini Catalog.
Want to see more? Check out this great video from Stampin’ Up:
Crafting with fabric is one of the biggest industry trends right now, and we aren’t just talking quilts! You can create beautiful fabric accessories and home décor with your Big Shot–even if you don’t sew. The Sizzix Big Shot makes it easy to cut intricate fabric shapes to use in all your crafting projects. Below are some basic questions and answers about using the Big Shot to create with fabric.
What type of fabric will the Big Shot cut? The Big Shot will cut all types of fabric. For a complete list of Big Shot-approved materials, click here.
How many pieces of fabric can I cut at a time? That depends on the fabric. Different fabrics vary in thickness. For example, your Big Shot can cut through eight layers of cotton, which is a relatively thin fabric, but it will only cut through one layer of faux fur, which is a very thick fabric.
Do you shim fabric in a Big Shot differently than paper? No. Your Big Shot works the same with fabric as it does with paper. Different fabrics vary in thickness, much the same as different paper materials vary in thickness. If you are only cutting one layer of a very thin fabric, you might need to use a piece of card stock as a shim just as you would if you were only cutting one layer of thin paper.
Will all Big Shot dies cut fabric? You can cut fabric with any of the Sizzix steel-rule dies (Originals, Bigz, Bigz L, and Bigz XL). You cannot cut fabric with Sizzlits, Embosslits, Textured Impressions Embossing Folders, or Texturz Plates.
Will dies with score lines ruin my fabric? You can still use dies with score lines to cut fabric. The score lines will slightly distress your fabric, but shouldn’t damage it permanently. However, we recommend that if you are using dies with score lines to only cut one or two layers at a time (depending on the thickness of your fabric). If you try to cut too many layers at a time, it is possible that the score lines could tear your fabric.
Will cutting fabric with the Big Shot dull my dies? The Big Shot steel-rule dies (Originals, Bigz, Bigz L, and Bigz XL) were designed to work on several different types of materials. For a complete list of Big Shot approved materials, click here. Cutting fabric with your Big Shot dies will not result in any damage to your dies, and will not dull them any faster than cutting paper will.
Should I wash my fabric before working with it? It really depends on the fabric. Some lower-quality fabrics will shrink after they’re washed, which could result in your project coming apart. However, many quilters don’t wash their fabric first because the fabric is stiffer and easier to work with before it’s washed. And if you use higher-quality fabrics, they will likely not shrink.
Does Stampin’ Up! plan to sell fabric? Stampin’ Up! works hard to stay on trend, but it just isn’t possible to offer every crafting product on the market. We will continue to explore new products and possibilities, but will keep stamps, ink, and paper as our core products.
I don’t have a sewing machine. Can I still create fabric projects? Yes! The world of fabric crafting is as varied as the world of paper crafting. There are several alternatives to using a sewing machine. You can create many simple designs sewing by hand using a needle and thread or even a hot glue gun. In addition, fusible web is a great option for creating one-of-a-kind fabric crafts.
What is fusible web, and how does it work? Fusible web is a manmade fiber that will melt when heated with an iron and become sticky. When it is placed between two pieces of fabric, the melting of the web causes the fabrics to fuse together making it possible for you to adhere the fabric without the use of a sewing machine. Fusible web is available in rolls (similar to tape), in pre-packaged pieces, or is sold by the yard in your local fabric store.
My quilting friends mention things called charm packs, layer cakes, and fat quarters. What are they? Charm packs, layer cakes, and fat quarters are terms for precut cotton that is generally used for quilting. Charm packs include a variety of coordinating fabrics cut into 5″ x 5″ squares. The packs have an assortment of patterned and solid fabrics, and their small size makes them ideal for using on quilt blocks. Layer cakes are just like charm packs, but they are larger in size, with the cotton cut into 10″ x 10″ squares. Fat quarters are pieces of cotton cut into quarter yard segments. However, instead of being cut vertically, like you would cut a piece of fabric off a bolt, fat quarters are cut horizontally first, giving you a piece of cotton that measures 18″ X 22″. All of these options are a great way to get a good selection of fabrics at a relatively inexpensive price.
One of the highlights of the Leadership Convention that I attended earlier this month was a display of fabulous quilts by Jill Olson. She used the Big Shot to easily cut her fabric to make quilts and a variety of other projects with fabric.On the last day of Leadership, Jill was presented with the “Bright Idea” award for her wonderful integration of fabric crafting into her Stampin’ Up business. But it was we demos who won, because Shelli gave each of us our very own quilt square, made with the 5-Point 3-D Star Die. (The points are turned in to make the flowers.) This is one of the quilt squares. (As always, you can click on the pictures to see them bigger.)
This is a brooch that Jill made, and was wearing when she won the award. (I was excited to be sitting right behind her, and she was kind enough to let me take this picture!) It uses the three different scalloped circle dies.
I was also able to take pictures of the booth that Jill Olson had set up to show all of her bright ideas. Here are some of her projects:
Did you know, that if you use the Clear Bigz Dies (which are hollow) you can cut up to EIGHT pieces of fabric at one time? Crazy! That’s why the Big Shot is the quilter’s new best friend! And Sale-a-Bration is the best time to buy one! Contact me for more info, or start shopping today.
P.S. I’m hostessing a fabric samples swap on Stampin’ Addicts and will have even more amazing examples of what you can make with fabric and your Big Shot at the end of February, so stay tuned!
Quilting? Yes, quilting! As I have mentioned before, the Big Shot Bigz Dies cut a wide variety of materials. One of the things it cuts is fabric. And what better to do with pieces of fabric then to make them into a quilt! At Stampin’ Up’s recent Founders Circle trip, the demonstrators there were treated to a view of Jill Olson’s amazing Big Shot Quilts. While I was not on the trip, the wonderful Stella MacKay was, and she has given me permission to share these pictures with you!
This first quilt appears to be made with pieces from the scallop square die.
How beautiful are these? And think of the time quilters can save when they cut out the fabric with their Big Shots!
This was made with the pieces from the 3D 5 pointed star die.
This is made with the same die, but with the points turned in towards the middle.
And one more beautiful quilt.
If you would like to see the Big Shot in action, contact me! I’d love to set up a demonstration.
