Fabric Covered Cards

This is a little tutorial on making fabric covered cards.  I'm sure you can find lots of uses for these.  Maybe even to attach as gift cards with your Christmas presents next weekend. Plus it is a great way to use up some of your leftover fabric scraps.

I am demonstrating making small gift cards, but you could easily adjust this technique to make larger Greeting Card sizes.  This idea is adapted from a tutorial on Etsy which you can access here.  The main difference between the Etsy method and mine, is that they used modge podge to make their cards, which I found messy and not as effective at keeping the edges adhered.

To make this version you will need:
8 1/2 x 11" cardstock
A fabric scrap a little larger than 8 1/2 x 11"
Fusible Web, I used this one, but any will do
Iron, cutting tools and cutting mat

Steps:
1st Cut the fusible web slightly smaller than 8 1/2 x 11"

Adhere it to the wrong side of your fabric scrap.

 Trim roughly.

 Remove fusible paper and adhere fabric to cardstock.

 Take a 1/4" off each long side, and 1/2" off each short side,  You will be doing some more trimming after the next step. 

The direction you fold paper is actually very important as to how smooth the fold will be.  That is because paper has a grain line, much like the warp and weft in a fabric weave.  If you fold parallel to the grain, you will get a nice smooth fold with little to no resistance.  If you fold against the grain, you will get resistance, and the paper may actually break or tear on the fold.  You can test which is the right way to fold by gently bending the sheet of paper in both directions.  The wrong direction will feel more resistant to your fold.

Fold the piece in half short sides together, parallel to the grain.

Open your 1st fold, and use the middle fold line as a guide.  Fold again in the same direction one short side to the middle as pictured below. Now cut through both thicknesses along the middle edge.  These trimming steps are to make the card even on all sides.  It is hard to make the edges even if the card is trimmed first and then folded.  Trust me, I've tried.

You will now be working with 1/2 of your original sheet of paper, folded in half.  Slice this strip into 2" pieces.

Repeat steps for the 2nd side of the piece of paper.

You could also print on the cardstock before adhering fabric, as I have done on these little thank you cards. And you could trim the card edges with a decorative blade to get some nice effects.

I'm sure you can come up with more ideas of how to use this technique.  Maybe add some stitching or embellishment?

Happy Sewing ♥