In this tutorial, you'll learn how to make paper appliqué cards. Basically, these are cards decorated with cut paper arranged to mimic the look of cloth appliqué: cut cloth and embroidery often used as embellishments on clothing and quilts. There's no end to what can be done with this technique. Follow the simple steps in this tutorial to make delightful cards with shapes cut from paper.
For Valentine's Day, make cards with appliquéd hearts. See card ideas in the Appliqué Heart Valentines craft project.
This greeting card tutorial builds on the previous tutorials, especially #1: Four Patch Cards and #2: Matted Clip-art and Photo Cards. If you are new to cardmaking, review these tutorials before starting this one.
Refer to Tutorial #1: Four Patch Cards for how to make card blanks and envelopes.
This tutorial shows step-by-step how to make this sun appliqué card. The same technique can be used to create other cards with different appliqué shapes.
Print the sun appliqué templates on cardstock and cut them out, or use Aunt Annie's heart appliqué templates to make Valentines or for any card showing your love. For a card of your own design, use any other appliqué shape that you'd like. Quilting books are a terrific source for appliqués. Just resize them to fit a greeting card.
Tip: You can also print the templates directly on colored or patterned paper instead of using them as traceable templates.
Project extra: Download, and print on paper or cardstock, Aunt Annie's printable jungle appliqués to make fun cards for children. Arrange these appliqués on your card front and add stitching accents with a fine-point marker. See Cutout Birthday Cards for Kids for more detailed instructions.
Select papers for the appliqué pieces, the background, and the card mat. To get the look of a fabric appliqué, choose both solid color and patterned papers. The example card uses two colors of yellow cardstock and two patterned papers featuring yellows. The darker yellow cardstock is used for the sun's face, while a lighter, mottled yellow cardstock is used for the card mat.
Pick any colors and patterns that go together. To keep the focus on the sun appliqué, use yellows, oranges or reds for the sun, and a paper including cooler colors (such as blues, greens) for the background.
Trace the appliqué templates on the back of the paper or cardstock. Cut out each piece.
Using a fine-tip black marker, make a dashed line around each appliqué piece to resemble a running stitch. If you are an experienced sewer, making other types of stitch marks can add more interest—maybe overcast or blank stitches.
Glue the sun appliqué pieces together. Draw a face on the sun using dashed lines to mimic running stitches. If you like, fill in the pupils of the sun's eyes with horizontal lines to resemble a satin stitch.
Cut the mat paper/cardstock slightly smaller than the card front, about 5 3/8" by 4 1/8". Cut the background paper a bit smaller, about 5" by 3 3/4". Cut a 3/8" strip from the mat paper/cardstock.
Glue the mat strip to the background paper, about 1/4" to 3/8" from the right side. Trim away any mat strip excess.
Glue the background to the mat, then glue the mat to the card front.
Add stitch marks around the background paper and along the edges of the mat strip.
Glue the appliqué to the card. Give the sun a small twist to the left for a jauntier look.
That's it! Follow these simple steps to make paper appliqué cards using other shapes and themes. One of the easiest ways to get started on your own designs is with simple cutouts and paper punches.
Refer to Tutorial #1: Four Patch Cards for how to make card blanks and envelopes.
That's it! Now make an appliqué
card of your own design!