Holiday Handmades :: Sewing Cards

I stumbled across stumbled across a free download of vintage sewing cards a few months ago and they went immediately into my “projects I must make” list (it’s a large and ever-evolving list that I love).  I fell in love with the images and had been looking for something perfect to make into a set of wooden cards for my daughter.  They went together quite well with only a few hitches...!  (“only a few” is pretty good in my book!!!)  I cut 5” x 7” cards out of 1/4” plywood and sanded them carefully.  I used modpodge to adhere the images to the boards and a had a bit of trouble with air bubbles which I am assuming came from slight irregularities in the wood surface.  Even carefully sanded wood has pores to hold air…I think to avoid this in the future I would give the surface one coat of modpodge…allow it to dry and then carefully adhere the image over it. 

The second hitch came when I applied modpodge over the image…it caused the printed ink to run a bit…which just makes it look vintage and aged…which is fine with me…but it was tricky to work with.  I’m really not sure how to avoid that problem again.  Despite any hitches we are thrilled with cards. She really has been enjoying working with them and making their dresses “even more beautiful”!!!  We have incorporated these right into our schooling days as they are excellent for fine motor development, the beginnings of handwork, coordination, and patience to name a few!!!  Besides…they are just darling!!

While I was making them I had two extra boards…and the idea for a project for her cousins was born.  I noticed (with pleasure) that she was so thrilled to be making something for them, and so focused on choosing just the right papers, and making something each of them would like, that she never asked for one for herself.  I really valued seeing her thinking so outside of herself.  It also saved me the trouble of deflecting the issue!    The little girl on the top card “holds” all the string in her hands!