ok, so now it's time to delve into the serious 'labor of love' stitching category...using patterned papers, printed images and graphics is most definitely detail oriented. i've found that the 'easiest' images and patterns to pierce and sew are in black and white or they have clearly defined lines &/or outlines. there are a couple of different ways i like to approach this method...
first up...
graphite paper is an eraseable version of the old school carbon paper. you can find it in just about any craft/art supply store...check in the fine art deptartment- it comes in packaging that looks similar to tissue paper for gift wrap. it also comes in colors...my go to colors are charcoal & white...charcoal for use on lighter color backgrounds, white for use on dark color backgrounds...
i found some sold online here, here and here.
so the idea with graphite/transfer paper is to sandwich a piece of transfer paper (i cut mine to the size of the image) between your image and your cardstock/project. here's the layer order: cardstock/project base (face up), transfer paper on top of that and image on top of everything. it's a good idea to use some low-tack masking tape to hold everything in position before you begin.
i mostly use this approach for larger stitching projects (ie. stitching the entire background of a page) or if i want to use a patterned paper that i'm attached to and don't want to cut up...(when i'm not opposed to writing on my chosen patterned paper, using a pen to outline the pattern/images is easier because i can see what i've traced and what i haven't. with the embossing stylus, i ended up going over certain spots several times as well as missing some spots because i couldn't see where i had outlined.)
i used the embossing stylus method for the background of this layout...
i used the patterned paper on the far right (american crafts- discontinued)...can't find a larger image anywhere...boo.
here's how i did it...i cut the patterned ac paper down to about 10.5 x 9 inches. i made the 'transfer paper sandwich' and taped it in place. then i used an embossing stylus just like a pen (see pic below), to outline/trace the pattern onto my cardstock (i used the white transfer paper on this one because of the dark colored cardstock base). once the pattern was transferred, i began piercing...similar process to the alphabet piercing, corners/points/intersections first and then pierced between the lines. once the piercing is completed, erase the transferred outline...i've found that gum erasers work best on the transfer paper lines. helpful tip: if you know where you want to place photos or other elements, it saves alot of work to go ahead and block those sections off so that you don't pierce or stitch in places that are going to be covered up...this elliminated about a 6 x 10.5 inch section and saved tons of time.
here's the stylus i used:
another approach...
so, the process behind using tracing paper, vellum and transparencies is similar to using a template (you're basically printing/creating your own). simply print the desired image to size on translucent paper, place it on your project and pierce away!
i used the tracing paper method on a layout to stitch snowflakes. here's a couple of closeups of the snowflakes...
and the snowflake image i printed from photoshop elements 6...
