My Ornament Instructions From Start To Finish

Photos and Instructions By Rosemary Gibeau

 
1. Cut two pieces of acid free mat board to the
required size.

2. Cut 2 pieces of thin batting same size as mat
board.

3. Cut one piece of backing fabric the size of the mat
board plus an extra 1" on all sides.

4. Cut stitched piece same size as backing fabric (mat
board size plus an extra 1" on all sides)

5. Glue batting to one side of each piece of mat board
- I use Aleens Tacky Glue. It dries clear, dries quite
quickly, but not so fast that you can't move things
around a bit if you need to. I also keep a damp cloth
nearby, as I always seem to wind up with some on my
fingers.

6. Center stitched piece on padded side of board. Pin
all 4 sides to the sides of the mat board temporarily.
Turn over and glue around edges on the back. Gently
pull the top edge of the stitched piece over the board
and onto the glued area. Adjust accordingly to make
sure it is straight. Repeat with the bottom piece, and
then the sides. Keep adjusting until the fabric lines
are straight - nothing worse than a crooked design:)..
then fold over the corners and glue into place. When
they are dry I cut off the excess at an angle (like a
miter) Some people like to miter the corners to start
with, but I could not get a nice sharp corner doing it
like that.

7.Repeat the same procedure with the backing fabric.

NOTE: If I am going to add a tassel, I center it and
tape it to the inside of the back piece before I
sandwich them together. Alternatively, you can sew one
on to the  cording at the end if desired.  Depending
on what type of hanger you want to use, you may want
to position and glue it also at this point, especially
if you are using a flat ribbon hanger.  If you are
making a loop hanger from the one length of cording,
that will be incorporated into the step when the
cording is attached.
 
8. When both pieces are completely dry, glue around
the outside edges of backing piece, and across the
center. Place the stitched piece on top like a
sandwich and let dry. I usually put it under a phone
book with something heavy on top or use the snack bag
clips or clothes pins around the edges. If you do that
though be sure to put a piece of cardboard under each
side of the clip, or you will get compression marks.

9. When everything is dry run a thin bead of glue
around the edges and attached cording as desired -
don't forget to add enough for the hanger (I've done
that before, too).
 
On "Spring" - I attached small pieces of lace on each
corner and pinned them in place, turning the edges
under and gluing them, before I made my sandwich'.

Same thing on the April Showers - I sandwiched the
lace between the front and back, then glued them
together. You can always position lace, etc., with
tape to hold it .

I also put a piece of clear tape around my cording
where I am going to cut it, then cut  through the
center of the tape. Stops the ends from fraying and
gives a nice neat finish. Always try to start and stop
your cording in an inconspicuous  place
- i.e. behind a tassel or where your bow is going to
go. That way the join is not seen.
 
Hope this helps - it's really up to you what you do to
dress things up - you are limited only by your own
imagination.

See Rosemary's Other Finishes

Twisted Cord Tutorial

Photos and Instructions By Jill Robinson of Illinois

  "The secret is to have something heavy to weight your floss as it does the final twist. Here's how I do it, using a cup hook and an eye bolt.  I use a cup hook placed in the end of my cordless drill in place of a bit.
  For one color cording, cut the floss six times the length of  the desired cording, making sure to include any length you  need for a hanging loop. Fold in half and tie a knot in the end.
  Slip one end of the floss loop over the cup hook, hold the other end in your hand. Add a weight over the floss (I use an eye bolt  that has been opened slightly so I can slip it off the twisted floss). Holding the floss tightly, turn on the drill and twist. Continue until floss is tightly twisted and about to twist onto itself.
  Holding the weight, bring the two ends together and remove from the drill. The cording will now twist together again. Let it twist until it stops on its own. Tie a knot in the loose end.
   Voila! Whip stitch to your ornament for the best results".