Stitched Die-cuts Tutorial

There is something special about receiving a handmade card, because you know the person who made it put a lot of thought into designing it and subsequently creating it. But for me, combining two of your hobbies makes a card extra-special!

Adding stitching to cards is one of my favourite things to do. In this feature, I’m showing you how you can use dies to help you create beautiful embroidery on your cards with ease. All you need is cardstock, a few of your favourite dies, embroidery threads, a needle and a dash of patience. The step-by-step guide should also help you get started and give you some ideas.

Did you know there are dedicated dies for cross stitching? No more endless hole poking! These dies do the entire job for you, so you can focus on being creative and enjoying the process. On the other hand, you can always get a foam mat – or you can use the back of a computer mouse mat – and your trusted pokey tool. Within these five cards, I show you how simple dies can help to guide you on your journey to a beautiful and cohesive design. Using an embossing mat with your chosen die is the key here and it’s super-quick too. Instead of spending time drawing or printing and copying a design, simply run the die with the embossing mat through the machine. You will end up with a perfect imprint of the die in which you can make perforations with a pokey tool, leaving you ready to embroider in your favourite colours. How easy is that!

And you don’t have to stop there! Die-cut flowers, leaves, stars or similar shapes, and add details with stitching before adding these elements to your card. The possibilities are endless.

My biggest tip for embroidery on a card is to use a thin needle and to pull your thread slowly, running the thread in between your fingers when pulling through to prevent it from tangling. With these tips, you will do a beautiful job in no time and with ease. Have fun!