woven card tutorial by elsage :: april stash bust

phoebe, from elSage, is back with a clever tutorial for creating a greeting card out of random materials from your craft stash. for more on phoebe and how she “works with what she’s got,” check out her stash busting interview!

First you need strips… strips of paper work, so does fabric, string, cardboard. I like to choose a color palate that seems to gel nicely. I like to start with a rectangle of cardstock or thick paper. In this example I’m using a playing card.

Cut strips in the playing card but not all the way through (you will cut off the solid end later but it’s easier to work with in one piece).

Start weaving in your pieces. I used turquoise scraps of vellum & cardstock along with striped fabric and a catalog page. Weave pieces in until you are happy with your width.

Find some tape. I used clear tape on this one because there are a few gaps in my weaving. Turn your piece over and tape your piece down (this should keep anything from moving but I usually need a little extra ‘touch up’ tape). Cut off the end of your starting piece that is still solid. I like it when the lengths differ slightly so I cut a few longer & a few shorter.

Now you need something to use as a card, I used some left over index cards (the big ones, 5X7) but I’ve used cardstock scraps, old calendar covers, magazine covers & catalog covers in the past. Fold your card. Now you have a woven piece that needs to be trimmed up to fit your card. Once you do this you’re ready to assemble.

Attach your woven piece to the front of the card. I love the hold & finish of rubber cement but a glue stick or even tape will work. Note: I used part of a catalog page behind my woven piece to add some interest. Now put a little piece of colored paper on the inside of your card and you’re set! Woohoo super cute snail mail.

got a stash bust project you’d like to share? upload it to the april stash bust flickr group for a chance at fame & fortune!