Challenge DT Inspiration Post

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Hi, it’s Kim from Katydid Cards with some mid-month inspiration for you.

First, have you joined Connie Can Crop’s Candy Cane challenge this month?  If so, good for you!  

If not, perhaps you can make a project using the Herringbone technique with the help of this tutorial.  First, a picture of the finished card, so you can see what we’re working towards.

 

Cut a piece of card stock to the desired size.  My example was cut to 4” x 5 1/4".  (This can be scrap paper as it won’t show in the finished project)  Cover the entire surface area with adhesive.  I used an ATG and ran lines of adhesive horizontally and vertically, filling in open areas as necessary. (A Xyron or adhesive sheets would work perfectly for this)

Cut coordinating strips of patterned paper or card stock. (The strips can be cut in widths from 1/8” to 3/8” or you can vary the widths if you like.  You should use a minimum of three separate patterns/colors, but you can use more.)  For my example I cut all my strips to 3/8”, two solid card stocks and one patterned paper.

 

Take the darkest/boldest color or pattern and place the first strip on an angle slightly off center.  You will build your Herringbone pattern from here.

 

 

Apply two more strips of the same color/pattern on either side of this center strip.  You can trim off the excess and use them to continue your pattern, but leave a slight overhang.  If you do reuse the strips, be sure the ends are nice and straight…use a paper trimmer if necessary.

Now take your second color/pattern and align them next to the previous strips. Be careful with your placement; you don’t want any space between the strips.

Do the same with the third strip.  Again, be careful not to allow any of the background show between the strips.

Finish out your triangle, using the same order.  Trim off the excess, but leave a bit of overhang as you did previously.

 Now fill in the three remaining triangles in the same fashion. 

 

 

Once done, burnish everything to the paper with a bone folder to ensure good adhesion.  I prefer running it through the Big Shot with an embossing folder.  I like the look and it eliminates any difference between with depth of the card stock and the patterned paper while making sure everything is attached well.  An embossing folder with an overall pattern (I used Stampin’ Up’s Square Lattice here) works best.

 

 

Once you burnish or emboss your panel, then you can trim off the overhang.  You want to wait until this point in case the burnishing or embossing slightly shifts/lengthens your pieces.  Trim with a pair of paper snips or with your paper trimmer.

I layered this panel on a 4 1/8” x 5 3/98” mat of white card stock and attached that to a red card base.  When I embellished the front of the card, I kept my focal image on the small size and off to one side to allow the Herringbone pattern to show.   This is a particularly good technique to help you use up your scraps.

Are you ready to try it?  We sure hope you do and don’t forget to share your project in the Candy Cane challenge this Month.

For a printable .pdf technique tutorial, visit the Hints, Tips & Tutorials page on my blog and don't forget to say, "hello" if you visit.