Tutorial: Paper Piecing with Digi Stamps

Paper Piecing with Digi Stamps

I really enjoy paper piecing, and especially paper piecing with digi stamps.  It’s a great way to add extra dimension and match your image to your background paper.  I also enjoy it because my coloring skills are still “under construction” and this is way to use images that normally would require large areas of coloring and shading.

I like to paper piece but I don’t like to waste my patterned paper.  So here’s my method (this works if you just want to print a sentiment on special paper too):

1.  Print the image on regular copy paper first.  Then decide how many different patterned papers you plan to use and print that number of images on the copy paper.  For my example I am paper piecing Opal Owl from Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps.  I printed two complete owls (one for a base and one for background paper). I then cropped the image in Word and printed two heads (one for the eyes and one for the beak) and two bodies (one for the belly and one for the feet).  When paper piecing, always print one image on cardstock.  After cutting out the pieces from the patterned paper, glue them to the cardstock image.

2.  Cut a piece of patterned paper bigger than the image and apply adhesive to the wrong side on just the edge of the paper that will go into the printer first.  (All printers are different but for me this is the top edge.)  Adhere the piece of patterned paper over my image on the copy paper.  Try to make sure that the adhesive is above where the image will print.   Run the copy paper back thru the printer.  By adhering the edge that goes into the printer first, I've never had a problem with jams. 

3.  Cut out all the separate pieces.  The little pieces can be tricky so leaving a bit of a “tag” on them can be helpful (see the feet in the picture below for an example of this).  For now, don’t cut out the full image that is printed on cardstock.  To keep the outlines, run a black marker around the edges of each cut out piece.  This also colors the white edge and gives a more finished appearance.

4. Now it’s time to glue the pieces to the base image -- a pair of tweezers and a Quickie Glue pen are very helpful for small pieces.  For the example image, the feet were put on first, then the main body, then the stomach, then the eyes and lastly, the beak.

5.  Now it’s time to complete your card or project.  Treat the paper pieced image just as you would a stamped and colored image.  In my sample project, the tree was also paper pieced (it’s from the Enjoy the View digital stamp set also by Sweet ‘n Sassy Stamps).  The tree top was run thru an embossing folder before being glued to the tree trunk.

I originally posted this card on my blog here.  You can find full details on the supplies I used in that post.

I hope you’ll give paper piecing a try.  It’s a lot of fun and can add some pizzazz to your next project.  Thanks for stopping by today.