Beyond the Page
How can you not love felt? Not only does it come in a rainbow of colors, but it’s affordable, thick, durable, and doesn’t fray. Based on those criteria alone, there was no doubt that a felt album was in my future. But when I discovered that I could die-cut felt into just about any shape I wanted, I did a little happy dance to celebrate. Oh my goodness, I’m giddy with the possibilities!

Felt album by Donna Downey

Felt album by Donna Downey

What You’ll Need

• 3 4 x 4¼ pieces dark turquoise felt
• 2 4 x 4¼ pieces white felt
• 2 full sheets brown felt
• 3 3 x 4 digital photos
• 1 journaling font
• 3 sew-in inkjet fabric sheets
• 2 9 x 9 pieces turquoise felt
• 2 9 x 9 pieces brown felt
• 10 5 x 5 pieces fabric
• 10 9 x 9 pieces white felt
• 14 grommets
• 2 1¾ binder rings
• coordinating thread
• die-cutting machine
• 4-inch flourish die
• alphabet dies
• color inkjet printer
• scissors
• pins
• sewing machine
• pinking shears
• disappearing ink pen
• Crop-A-Dile
• grommet setting tools

Felt album by Donna Downey

Materials: fabrics (Amy Butler, Moda Fabrics) + sew-in inkjet fabric sheets (June Tailor) + grommets (Dritz) + flourish die, Studio alphabet dies (QuicKutz) + Crop-A-Dile (We R Memory Keepers) + felt + binder rings + thread + Futura Condensed font + 9 x 9 album by Donna Downey, Huntersville, NC

STEP ONE
Die-cut three dark turquoise flourishes and two white flourishes from 4 x 4¼ pieces of felt. Die-cut the word ”be…” from full sheet of brown felt.

STEP TWO
Choose ten words that complete the phrase “be…” Note: I used “you,” “optimistic,” “genuine,” “kind,” “confident,” “unique,” “loving,” “true,” “spontaneous,” and “creative.” Die cut each word from full sheet of brown felt.

STEP THREE
Collage together three 3 x 4 photos for ”you” page. Print photo collage on sew-in inkjet fabric sheet, cut out as one piece, and remove paper backing. Type up journaling for remaining pages, print on sew-in inkjet fabric sheets, cut out, and remove paper backing.

STEP FOUR
To create cover, arrange two dark turquoise flourishes, two white flourishes, and the word ”be…” on one 9 x 9 piece of turquoise felt. Pin die cuts in place, and sew along each piece to secure. Note: I changed my thread color to match each piece.

STEP FIVE
Pin cover and second 9 x 9 piece of turquoise felt wrong sides together. Using a ¼ seam allowance, sew twice around edges.

STEP SIX
To create back cover, pin remaining dark turquoise flourish to 9 x 9 piece of brown felt, and sew to secure. Pin back cover and second 9 x 9 piece of brown felt wrong sides together. Using a ¼ seam allowance, sew twice around edges.

STEP SEVEN
Use pinking shears to trim edges of ten 5 x 5 fabric pieces. Sew one fabric piece to each 9 x 9 piece of white felt.

STEP EIGHT
Sew photo collage and the word ”you” to one 9 x 9 piece of white felt. Sew other words and corresponding quotes to remaining 9 x 9 pieces of white felt.

STEP NINE
Lay pages on work surface to determine order. Pin back-to-back pages wrong sides together. Using a ¼ seam allowance, sew twice around edges.

STEP TEN
Measuring ½ from left and 1¾ from top and bottom, use disappearing ink pen to mark placement of grommets along left edge of cover, back cover, and each interior page. Use Crop-A-Dile to make holes and grommet setting tools to set grommets. 

STEP ELEVEN
Stack pages together, and insert binder rings through grommets.

- Donna Downey

Tags: Felt, Inspiration

This entry was posted on Friday, May 21st, 2010 at 2:36 pm and is filed under Project Ideas. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.