DIY Scrap Fabric Greeting Cards
Decorate blank cards using scrap fabric embellishments. Super simple and so cute!
We are going to use lovely small scraps and other leftover bits from your sewing room to make easy to make one-of-a-kind gift cards.
Materials Needed
- Blank Greeting Cards
- Fabric Scraps
- Glue Stick (optional)
- Sewing Machine & Thread
- Stamps & Stamp Pad (optional)
- Scissors for fussy cutting
Step 1: Fussy Cut your Scraps
The basic technique we are going to use is to ‘fussy cut’ our fabric scraps.
Fussy cutting just means cutting out the bit you like – that can be an image or just a shape – a simple square of pretty fabric can be lovely on a card – not need to get fancy if you don’t want to.
I used a mix of scraps to make some birthday and Christmas cards so I cut out snowflakes, trees, robots, a bear, etc.
The size of your scraps will depend on the size of the greeting cards you are using and how much space you want to leave for a written or stamped message.
More Greeting Card Embellishment ideas:
- Use a super mini quilt block on the front of your card
- Use quilted trimmings from quilts or the corners of quilted bags
- Layer multiple scraps on top of each other or use several scraps beside each other
- Try lace or ribbon
- Use the pretty pictures or words from fabric selvages
- Leftover applique shapes
- Choose the recipient’s favorite color for your scraps
- Use a material for a specific wedding anniversary (for example I recently made a lace card for my 13th anniversary)
- Fussy cut a favorite character from kids fabric
- Use fabric without images to make shapes like trees, flowers or landscapes.
Step 2: Use your Gluestick to hold your Fabric in place
This step is optional but if it can make things a bit easier when you come to sew. Simply decide where you want your fabric on the front of your card and put a small dob of glue there to temporarily hold the fabric in place before you sew.
Step 3: Sewing Fabric onto Greeting Cards
Now the fun part – you can use a straight stitch, zig-zag stitch, satin stitch, or another decorative stitch to sew the edges of your fabric in place on the front of the card.
Remember to open the card up so you aren’t sewing through both layers and effectively sewing the card shut!
I like a simple zig zag or straight stitch for my cards.
I recommend using a standard sewing weight thread 40wt or 50wt. Thicker threads can be more difficult to sew through thick card and you might get broken thread issues.
When you are done just snip the threads from the front and back of your card.
Can you really sew on to a Greeting Card?
Yes! Anyone who has done foundation paper piecing will know that you can sew through fabric and paper on most domestic sewing machines.
Greeting cards are slightly thicker so you will want a nice sharp needle, but it certainly isn’t any thicker than a quilt sandwich for example so you can absolutely do it! And it is so much fun!
Step 4: Stamp or Write your Message
My handwriting isn’t the best so I use stamps and inkpads to finish my cards with messages like Happy Birthday, Merry Christmas or Thank you.
Fabric Embellished Greeting Cards – Video Tutorial
I have a video tutorial version as well if you are a visual learner.
My Finished Scrap Fabric Greeting Cards
These cards are so satisfyingly simple to make and they look great. I always get lovely comments on them when I give them.
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