Die-cut Letterpress Tutorial

The die-cut letterpress technique is a versatile and fun way to get more from your dies. It’s a relatively quick and easy method to create a card that looks professional and appears more involved than it actually is.

So what is die-cut letterpressing? It’s a technique where you create your own letterpress stamps by layering up a few of the same die-cut, adding ink and then embossing into cardstock. The number of layers required to create a stamp which has sufficient depth to letterpress will depend on the weight of the cardstock, and also which die-cutting or embossing machine you use, so you’ll need to experiment.

You can achieve anything from a clean look to one more distressed and grungy depending on the ink and dies you use. Dye ink usually works best for a neat finish but all ink gives a different result depending on the cardstock and die-cuts you use. Watercolour card works well for this technique as the fibres stretch without tearing.

A final vellum die-cut layer to apply your ink to is a great way to make your stamps reusable. You can wipe them clean with a paper towel and reuse them many times. When using this technique for sentiments, remember to add the vellum to the back of the die-cuts to ensure it reads the right way round!

Take a fresh look at your dies and see them in a totally different way as you consider the possibilities of die-cut letterpressing!