Tuesday, January 18, 2011

***How to Hand Dye Vintage Seam Binding Tutorial***


***Product List***
Glimmer Mist, Alcohol Ink, Shimmerz Spray or equivelent
Nonstick Craft Mat
Rayon Seam Binding (I use Hug Snug)
heat gun
rubber gloves (optional)


Cut a length of seam binding. I like working with 1 yard pieces.
Lay the piece of seam binding on a nonstick craft mat. This makes it easy to spray the ribbon while soaking up any excess spray mist to distribute it evenly.
If you don't want ink stained fingers and nails, wear rubber gloves. Scrunch up the ribbon while squeezing it between your fingers to evenly distribute the color and to wrinkle your ribbon at the same time. You may choose to leave your ribbon flat. Smooth it out after scrunching.

While using your heat gun to dry ribbon, move it around while scrunching until it is dry.

For a variegated look, spray a different color on to the craft mat and dip parts of the ribbon into the puddle and start swishing it around the mat until all color is absorbed. Scrunch the ribbon slightly to distribute the new color.

This is after drying.
For an old worn vintage look, spray the ribbon with a browncolor, or you could take Tim Holtz a distress ink and smear it on the craft mat and swirl your ribbon through the ink until it has the amount of color you want. For further sheen, I also spray with Gold Glimmer Mist. Dry again after each misting.
The beauty of coloring your own ribbon is you are able to match just about any color you want. I have colored ribbons the same color as some of the flowers just by misting them with the same sprays. Rayon Seam binding is hard to find in the store. Go to Zipperstop.com, or on Ebay to get a roll of 100 yards for less than 8 dollars. hug snug is the brand my grandmother used. It already has a beautiful sheen because it is made of Rayon. If you want flat ribbon, you could press it lightly with an iron. It is very versatile.


I cant tell you how much I love ribbon. And since I am on the Heartfelt Creations Design Team, I have learned to appreciate cardmakers so much more. You really need to see what the Design Team creates..So, in learning how to create cards, which are pretty much miniature sized layouts, I learned that the ribbon they use in a lot of their work is actually Seam Binding. Good Lord, my grandmother kept spools and spools of the stuff, as she was a bridal seamstress...Well, I got my hands on a roll of 1000 yards of seam binding. I am guessing it is vintage because she has had it for years. Oh, imagine the excitement to receive this roll of vintage yumminess. Well come to find out, my grandmother got a lot of her material for seamstress finishing from a wonderful company called A.Feibusch Corp. in Manhattan. World renowned for their excellent customer service in servicing the garment district where my grandmother worked for years. Let me tell you, this is a small small world. Today, the company also known as ZipperStop, and they are providing that very same seam binding to crafters around the globe!! And it was under my nose for all of these years. So, that brings you to my next tutorial. Creating your own crinkle ribbon, in almost any color you want. Match paper, match flowers, match almost anything!!! And the ribbon is so beautiful and versatile. And if you don't want it crinkled, than leave it flat. I will show you how to age it for a true vintage look. It is amazing. And I am very excited to bring to you, another wonderful discovery. Look for the tutorial to be posted on Swirlydoos tomorrow. These are 4 colors I got from using Glimmer Mist and Alcohol Ink. I think you are going to like this one!! Tutorial is up at Swirlydoos. Click here for the link.

4 comments:

  1. I cant wait ...I used to make hand dyed silk scarves for a living when I was young hehe....so this will be fun :)

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  2. I just did this over the weekend and my colors came out so pretty! I'm loving your blog! I just stumbled across it and can't wait to try out your tutorials! You are very talented!!

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  3. what a wonderful write-up of your grandmother having the seam binding! How special! Been looking for seam binding that I can play with for awhile now (I'm a cardmaker/scrapper). I have somewhere to look now. Thanks much!

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Love hearing your beautiful words!!!!