2016 #13 PaperPierced Patchwork {by Keren Baker}

 2016 Topic 13: Paper Piecing

Hi everyone it's Keren Baker here tonight!

I'd like to share with you this evening a post about paper piecing/patchwork.

In theory I should be bringing you a beautifully crafted specimen of paper piecing or patchwork. Instead, I have 3 papercrafted items that followed on from a 'struggling to get started'. You ever been there? I sat looking at the completely beautiful Elizabeth Borer 08 set and nothing was happening.

So first up, I tried patchwork with paper.

A contemporary take on patchwork. Super easy; just colour the images however you choose (I used some alcohol based markers) then add some symmetrical shaped dies over parts of the image.

To create the structure behind the patchwork so it is above the card base, just add a little acetate. Once it's all shored up, just attach the bottom shapes to the top of the card blank.

Turns out that it didn't feel very complete as a project. So I sat and thought about paper piecing and started to create some paper pieced flowers. Rather than stick them straight down to the base just as normal paper piecing, I positioned them over the correct part of the base flower, but just in a more 3D way.

                                               

These were made using textural patterned paper and book pages and seemed to suit the coffee cup I made them next to, so I created a simple pen or paint brush holder. Cutting out the frilly flower layers and snipping around the petals towards the centre and then gluing the petals together in a tighter arrangement created 3D blooms.

Then, just as I finished, I remembered the Bargello style of patchwork and had an idea of using this same stamp set in a different way using Infusions and giving a vague nod towards the Bargello style. I began with the nearest thing I've ever got to creating a masterboard!

I stamped and white embossed the images from the set, then added in different coloured Infusions; 

A Bit Jaded

Are You Cerise

 Royal Blood

 to the insides of the images.

Once completed, I added in 2 different colours of Distress Ink and then chopped into strips. I embossed the sentiment onto matt Dura-Lar (a polyester film) which doesn't warp when heated, so perfect for heat embossing and I ended up with this

Granted, proper Bargello strips would have had layers of different colour going horizontally down each strip, but I'd have removed the beauty of the stamped images by cutting them up so small, so it's a nod to the style rather than a paper-crafted rendition of it.

Really, sometimes the creative process takes you places you weren't planning to go. My discontent with the first project led to creating other versions and the final 'Bargello' piece, which is definitely my favourite. I guess the moral of the story is keep thinking, keep searching for inspiration and you'll find it eventually. What styles of patchwork could you recreate a more arty version of? You don't need to spend hours with fabric, you can simply try a quicker version using paper/card and a die/template.

Hope you're thinking about new ways to take the theme now, 
Keren xx  (Twitter & Instagram @craftstampink)

Ah yes we've all experienced that no go feeling. So glad you persuad your creativity Keren ... You have managed to create three dimensionally stunning projects from this technique. Personally I can't choose an outright fav. ~Gillian

We would love to see how you interpret this topic by linking what you make to our 2016 Challenge #13: Paper Piecing, on this page HERE.

All of our bloggers love to see your twist on their ideas,  particularly if you were directly inspired  by their post. 

All challenge links go in the draw to win a £50 voucher to spend on products of your choice from the PaperArtsy online store. The Paper Piecing link will close 17:00 (London Time) Sunday, July 10th 2016. The winner will be announced 1  hour later at 18:00.