The Art of Paper Piecing

My favorite things to create are mini albums, but once in awhile I get in the mood to make a cutesy page. I also have a grown daughter but I still have some “catching up” to do on her childhood photos. So what better way to make a cutesy (child themed) layout than to use some paper piecings.

I get my ideas for paper piecings in several ways. I buy coloring books, I go card browsing at my local card shop and I also get ideas from cartoons. There are also websites that will sell you a paper piecing pattern in an svg file to load onto your computer for your cutting machine. You can also get a light box, especially if you are using a cute image from a coloring book.  I personally prefer to make my own paper piecings - so I draw them.

All you have to remember when making paper piecings is to“pull apart” your image. For instance when I drew this bear (got the idea from a card I saw), I first drew my bear, then I copied the image on the Xerox several times.  Then I cut the image apart by first cutting out the head, then I cut out the muzzle, then the nose, then arms, etc. I did the same thing with the bunny head.

Here are some other paper piecings that I have drawn. All my drawings are very simple, but that is all it takes. Remember It’s all in the details, by layering, inking and embellishing your paper pieces - you can give them character.

With this owl, I “textured” its head and wings by running them through a cuttlebug embossing folder. Then I made the feathers by punching out several rows of a fiskars border punch and “layering” them one on top of the other.

My next paper piecing is this mermaid I originally made for an underwater layout class I taught. My thought was that it would be cute for a little girl’s pool party or for a Halloween “little mermaid” costume layout.

With this mermaid, I “layered” her hair, and then I made her scales by layering circles in rows.

Then to give the mermaid that "wow",  I added lots of bling.

So next time you are stuck for an idea for a layout - go buy a coloring book and get some ideas for a paper piecing layout. Enjoy.