Card Making Tutorial: Sewing Cardboard

These D.I.Y sewn cards are simple, cute and can be made by anyone, no skill needed at all!

I struggle to make cards for boys, my usual staple design of doilys and bird stamps doesn't cut the chase and while these aren't particularly masculine (really what crafting is?) you can get away with giving one of these to a boy.

All you need is

1.  A piece of cardboard*
2. A pen to draw your shape
3. A thumb tack or pushpin to poke holes in the card
4. A needle
5. Some embroidery thread
6. A corner rounder (optional)

Instructions 

1. Draw your shape, I just drew a line going through a squirkle.
2. Choose how many lines of thread you want and draw a corresponding amount of dots down the left edge. Then draw the same amount of dots just left of the center line. Repeat for the right side. 
3. Sit the card on a cork board, carpet or anything else soft and jab a hole through each dot with your thumb tack or push pin.
4. Thread your needle and start sewing!
5. Make sure you finish on a down thread, flip the card over and tie up the ends or sticky tape them down. If you don't want the card recipient to see the underneath of your handy work, you can cover it with a scrap of paper and washi tape.
6. I clipped the corners with a rounder because I think it gives it a more finished look but you can do whatever you want. 

Don't stress at all about the sewing part, if you make a mistake you can thread and unthread it as many times as you want.

This was inspired by a Montessori activity that is done in the three-year-olds to six-year-old's class. They just sew simple shapes as a pre-writing activity (to get their chubby fingers ready to hold a pencil). The little three-year-olds loves it so much. The look of pure concentration and determination is gorgeous as they get into huge knots and rip holes in the cardboard.

If you want to do this with small kids just make sure you use really thick card because they just crumple anything thin (you can also use a big thick blunt needle and wool) and remember, no matter how tempted you are to help them, keep your hands to yourself unless they ask. It is about the process, not the outcome for little ones. I can't even tell you the amount of times a watched a small child painstakingly carefully make something and then just leave it on the floor. They usually don't care what it looks like, just that they did it themself. 

*Whenever I see an old pack of cards at the op-shop (thrift store) I always buy them no matter how ugly they are. Then I turn them inside out or collage them. The one above is turned inside out and I have just pasted some blank paper in the new inside to write my message on. I also use old cereal boxes, colourful flyers from art shows, paint sample cards and whatever else I can get my hands on. I have never bought card board. 

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Comments

[Emma]

This is very cute. I must try!

[BossyMummy]

Ooh, I like this idea - simple, but effective! I have not come across your blog before - am off to have a gander :o)

#teamIBOT

[jess@diaryofasahm]

Nice one!
You're right it's hard to do lots of crafty stuff for boys.
I made all my girls home madde items for their birthdays but my boy missed out. Not that he cared, but still....

[Patchworkcactus]

Thanks so much Bossy Mummy. It's really new. Only been going for about a month. xoxoxo

Jess@Diaryofasahm, I have lots of little (and big) boys in my life and I am always looking for designs for them ; )

[brisbane recruitment agencies]

Amma try this one. This is really cute, gonna be doing this with my sissy.