MWL DT: Button Hole Stitching

Hello! It's my turn on the MWL design team to share a project with you! 

Book binding is a great skill to learn and a craft that has been around for many years. It takes practice and understanding the steps to bind, but book binding can also be made simple. As an instructor, I like to study the traditional methods of book binding so that I can infer from these traditional methods to something that can work with my albums or notebooks. Book binding techniques can be used on its own or mixed with other stitches to give a different feel to the entire project - and this is exactly what I like about book binding.

Today, I would like to introduce a mini album featuring Button Hole Stitching, which is a well known book binding method.

This is the basic form of Button Hole stitching, which I adore. The main advantage of this binding is that it does not require any glue for the sections to the spine. It allows me to also expand or contract each section with different page height to enclose more or lesser page layering.

Another advantage is the ability to add designs to the project spine. Because the middle section is open, it allows the flexibility to include designs to enhance the project. There is also a possibility of changing thread colors and adding beads to the project. I like this kind of variation possibilities, so I can change the outlook of my entire project with 1 book binding skill!

Book binding adds a flair to the entire album. Coupled with a few other embellishments, and your mini-album is good to go! 

Supplies used are available at Made With Love.

- Simple Stories: Life in Color Collection, Enamel Dots, Elements pack, chipboard frames
- Sizzix Tim Holtz: detailed butterflies die cut

Want to learn more about book binding?  Do check out Made With Love FB page for more book binding class schedules! :) I will be conducting Button Hole Stitching and Lattice binding (Last call!) this month and hope to see you around!

Cheers!

Maya Road: Faith & Love - Mini Album

It's my turn on the Maya Road DT Blog again! This time, I am sharing a mini-album made from scratch using lattice stitch binding. I love how special the album becomes with a sewn spine!

For the album title, i made use of MR Faith Script die on foam. Foam comes in many different colors and has a certain thickness to highlight your font. I love MR dies because they cut these thick materials at ease too!

Another of my favourite new product is the MR Vintage Crafting Tassels. In this case, I used the milk white tassel. Just cord it through a twine and stick it to the back of the pattern paper or backing. What I love is that it creates an interaction on the front cover! The dangling tassel does make the album more "alive"!

On the other side of the album, I layered MR resin deer, silver and pink star pins, pink paper flower, milk white felt roses, round jeweled center, and my favourite geometric feather die as a base for the felt flower. I like just how versatile the die is!

Here's a look into the album:

The mini embroidery hoop is another embellishment which I love. This time, I layered it onto the stitch circle charm. For both wooden embellishments, I used my Tombow brush to color them in order to highlight the title "love".

On another page, I decided to enclose some hidden journaling behind the photo. In order to keep it in place, I made use of the question mark clip. Super useful embellishment! Oh and did you see the beautiful doilies die-cut?

Here, I share with you another 2 pages in this album using MR embellishments. It is always easy to construct the pages with the products!

Hope you like what I shared with you today, and don't forget to drop by the MR blog, facebook or instagram for more inspirations!

Maya Road Supplies Used:
• Corrugated Kraft Mail Tags

• Geotag Love Clip• Resin Mini mums - Turquoise Sea
• Framed Sayings Kraft Pieces - White
• Shine Gold Twine Cording
• Faith Script die
• Vintage Crafting Tassels
• resin deer
• silver and pink star pins
• pink paper flower
• milk white felt roses
• round jeweled center
• geometric feather die
• mini embroidery hoop
• stitch circle charm
• Fanciful love die
• question mark clip
• doilies die-cut

MWL Workshop - Lattice Binding [Feb 2016~]

" My beloved is like a gazelle or a young stag. Look! There he stands behind our wall, gazing through the windows, peering through the lattice." 

- Song of Solomon 2:9

Welcome February! Time really flies super fast and we are now in the month of love! This month is also a month of celebrations for the Chinese as we celebrate Chinese New Year!

Inspired by the word love this month, be it family love or valentine love, come join me in an all new Lattice Binding to showcase all the sweet, lovely photos in a simple-to-do album! 

Techniques Learnt: Album Construction, Spine Construction, Lattice Binding

I love how the stitching on the outside forms a lattice structure, while it swirls on the inside. The binding gives the spine a durable structure, yet at the same time more elegant than usual album spines. It is an answer to quick albums, and at the same time looking good! Don't we all like the easy way out? :p

Looking forward to seeing you at MWL, do remember to check out our facebook page for more class schedules and updates!

MWL: Lattice Stitch Album

It's my turn up on the MWL blog for my DT post! :)

 

I just can't get enough of the Eileen Hull's StitchLits. This time round, I made use of the Eileen Hull's Chevron Stitchlits for this album. I made use of the 2 dies (centre and right) to die cut the spine of this album.

In this project, I came up with a stitch which I call the lattice stitch. It is a fast and easy stitch! I love to use the Prima thread for this project, it is thick and sturdy. In addition, there is a slight waxed feel to the thread and it helps to smoothen the process of sewing. I use different thickness of thread in different kind of stitching to enhance the overall look of the stitch.

Did I mention that this album is also made with my favourite colors in mind? It was a happy construction for this album to be working with the colours that suit my mood and likes. :)

Here is a look into the album. I left some empty spaces for my upcoming photos, which is coming up real soon!

 

 

Hope you like it too! Want to learn more about book binding and the skills involved? Supplies used are available at Made With Love. Do also check out Made With Love for more book binding class schedules! :)

See you around soon!