Machine Stitching Mini Album by Amber Mitchell

Hello crafty friends! Amber Mitchell here and my challenge for iNSD in Paige's Happy Scrappy Place Facebook Group was to use machine stitching! When creating this project, I challenged myself to use machine stitching in as many different ways as possible. I love adding machine stitching to any and all of my projects, so this challenge was a fun way to incorporate this technique!

To create the front cover for this album, I use two separate pieces: the Pie Chart Heart Cut File that I cut from white cardstock, and a solid heart that I cut from patterned paper to back the cut file. I glued the center of the heart cut file to the solid heart and then I used my sewing machine to stitch along all of the separate lines on the cut file. I repeated these steps to create the back cover of the album as well. To embellish the front cover, I used a few pieces from the Floral Die Cuts and added a “happy” sentiment that I cut from Paper 22. I added another sentiment from the Sticker Book to a tab from the Chipboard Stickers and tucked that into the cluster. A few fussy cut butterflies finished off the cover perfectly!

When it came to creating the pages for this album, I incorporated machine stitching in several different ways: on a couple of the pages I stitched along the patterns of the paper using my sewing machine - this makes the patterns pop and also adds a lot of texture. I used one of these pages as the opening page in the album. Here is a detail of stitching along the plaid pattern of Paper 3.

On the other page I added machine stitched monochromatic butterflies that I created using punches.

Here is a close up of the layered butterflies and machine stitching holding them together as well as stitching over the patterns on the paper.

Another way I used punches in this album was to create the large pink and yellow flower on the second page a few pics above. I used a teardrop punch to create the petals. I machine stitched carefully along the edges of all 8 petals then arranged them in an alternating pattern to create a flower shape.

On another page, I added flowers with paper stems. I learned this technique from one of Paige’s 4x4 Mini Album virtual classes and fell in love with it so much that I’ve used it in several albums! To create the stems, I cut ¼ inch strips from a green patterned paper. I stitched these down onto the page itself and then I added Floral Die Cuts to the tops.

On the page across from this flowers, I added strips of paper that I machine stitched down into the white spaces of Paper 23. I then pulled up the edges of this paper to add dimension.

Another fun way to add stitching to this album was by creating a large rainbow embellishment that I made using the Rainbow Simple Cut File. I machine stitched along all of the different pieces of this cut file and then adhered them together using foam tape (this adds extra dimension). I layered Floral Die Cuts on top of the rainbow, along with a few fussy cut butterflies. I finished this page by adding a photo mat behind the rainbow.

For the last page, I created a layered heart by cutting three more solid hearts in smaller and smaller sizes. I machine stitched again along the edges of these hearts and then down the middle of them,\ while they were stacked,\ to attach them all together. I then glued this to the last page of the album. I added a photo mat to this page and also machine stitched down a “together” sentiment that I pulled from the Phrases Thickers.

In-between the pages, I added smaller pieces like cut-parts, journaling cards, and even an envelope that I created using the Envelope Cut File. I machine stitched along the edges of all of these pieces. To decorate the envelope, I used an embellishment from the Chipboard Rounds. To finish off the album, I created some handmade pom pom charms and added some tassels from my stash, along with some of the Flower Charms to create a chunky, fun dangle.

I loved seeing all your projects featuring MACHINE STITCHING in the Happy Scrappy Place Facebook Group comments of my challenge! Winners were posted on Monday!

SUPPLIES: Patterned papers, die cuts, stickers, charms, embellishments: BLOOMING WILD; Cut files: Pie Chart Heart, Rainbow Simple, and Envelope by Paige Evans

Location: California, USA / Blog: Happy Crafty Studio / Instagram: @bambidearr / YouTube: bambidearr / Pinterest: bambidearr