Embossing Velvet

First off, a brief explanation why I have been missing for most of the last week. It is not a coincidence that this is also how long I have not been a smoker. In my attempt to break the mental habits associated with this physical addiction I have been abstaining from the things I connect with smoking cigarettes. For example: sitting on the computer, drinking coffee, being civil to people, etc Okay, the last one was a joke. I think. Anyway, with a week under my belt it is time to get back to my life so I have been playing with some velvet...

It is hard to get good photos of the embossed velvet since it depends on reflection so much but they really do turn out beautifully. These two were done on scraps of a rayon velvet I found at the thrift store. Took a little diligence to go through the velvet clothing items checking the labels for content but well worth it. It is my understanding that rayon and silk give the best results in this technique and I have to say I am very pleased with the way the rayon velvet worked. In the photo the velvet looks black but it is really what I would consider a Christmas red.

The technique is simple so I'll explain it step by step. No pictures I'm afraid because I only have two hands and everyone seems to be avoiding me this last week so there is no one nearby to help with the camera. lol

1. Choose a rubber stamp you want to use and place it stamp side up on your ironing surface.

2. Use a spray bottle to mist the top of the stamp. (Don't let it puddle - might want to tap some of the water off by hitting the side of the stamp on something if necessary). Put the stamp back where it was again.

3. Lay your velvet piece on top of the stamp with the luxurious yummy nap of the fabric facing down onto the stamp. The back of the fabric is now looking up at you, right? Good.

4. Using your trusty spray bottle of water moisten the back of the velvet.

5. Now using your iron on the highest setting your fabric will tolerate press down on the velvet/stamp sandwich you built. Twenty seconds should do it. Check - if your fabric melted it was too hot or too long. If all looks good peel up a corner and take a peek - if it looks like it could use a little more carefully put it back and iron a bit longer. Keep your iron flat and parallel to the stamp. If you rock it back and forth you are liable to get an impression of the edge of the stamp surface - not pretty. If you have a Teflon iron cover it works very well. I have one I found - where else? - at the thrift store and it works. You want to avoid the steam holes on your iron - the Teflon plate will help with this. Or you might be lucky enough to have an iron which does not have steam holes. Or you just have to be careful to try to avoid the steam holes by using the centre of the plate on your iron.

Do not use steam in your iron. Empty the water of your iron first just in case!

Okay, did that make sense? I hope so! If you are thinking this is something you might like to try but not right now (I have a lot of things on that list!) leave a comment on this post and I will pick one name on Monday morning and mail you a piece of the embossed velvet I did for you to play with! Sound good? Okay then!