Digital Paper Piecing

Deb here with you today. Paper piecing is a great way to add pattern and color detail to your images. Check out all the image lines and polka dots on the dress in the project above - I don't know about you, but I could never do that freehand. This project features a digital image from Eureka Stamps . Off the top, I have to apologize for the slant on the photo - new camera that I'm still getting used to.

This will be my last project for the Eureka/QKR Techniques and Tutorial Team. It's been a year since Maribeth accepted my application to join the team - my first design team ever! - and it's been a great experience. I have learned so much in that time. Special thanks are sent to Maribeth for her amazing support of the design team. My appreciation also goes out to Jackie, DT Leader, for her encouragement and support. Thanks also to Tina (DT Admin go-to-expert) for all her efforts, Ruza (fellow team member and a woman who has it ALL together) for all the technical expertise as I learned the ropes of being a DT member. Special thanks also to Joann Burton aka Sassy Raggedy (my original T&T Team partner) for her amazing inspiration and friendship. Ladies of the QKR and Eureka DT Teams - you rock!

And on to how to actually paper piece with digital images. First, print your image on the card you prefer for coloring, in a size that suits your project. My go-to paper for Copic coloring is X-Press It Blending card.

From there, you have two options.

The first option is to print your image again, in the same size, on a blank piece of inexpensive card. Then tape a piece of patterned paper over the printed image ensuring that the paper, but no tape, covers the part of the image you want in the pattern (i.e. her dress). Run the whole package through the printer again.

The second option is to cut a piece of patterned paper in a size that will fit your printer, and print the image again.

Whichever of the two options you chose, now comes the tricky part - carefully cutting the part you want from the image. I try to cut right on the line, so I can line my piece up with the printed image. But it might be smarter to cut just outside the line and thus cover up the line on the image.

Now color the base image with Copics or whatever medium you prefer. At this point, I cut out my base image because I wanted her to pop off the page with pop dots. However, you could shape the image with any die cut frame.

Now spread glue on the back of your patterned pieces and adhere them to the image.

Get as creative as you wish. Perhaps you could print the image on a second patterned paper and have her sash in a different color? I used a bit of grey to shade the folds of the dress, and some blue where the underside of the fabric shows, and colored her petticoat layers in different shades.



Here's a shot of The Boss re-charging her batteries after a long afternoon of supervising in the craft room.

Come back and visit me on my blog often. I'll still be using my QKR and Eureka images, as well as all the others in my stash, to create as the spirit moves me and I hope you'll join me. For the last time, here's my T& T badge....