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Tips & Techniques
By Julie McGuffee
Scrappers are always on the lookout for innovative techniques to spark creativity and expand their repertoire of artistic skills. Many of these techniques are “cutting edge” or “high tech” involving a computer or a newly formulated material, but history also provides a bounty of “time tested” techniques that look as spectacular today as they did upon conception. Such is the case with Spirelli, a form of string art I uncovered while browsing through some old paper crafting books from England.
Tape the end of the thread onto the punched cutout. This side is the back. Bring the thread around to the front between two points along the notched edge of the shape (Fig. 1). Pull the thread across the front and around to the back, passing between two points again (Fig. 2a). Note: The number of notches between the point where the thread comes up from the back and goes down from the front determines the size of the opening in the center of the finished design. The fewer number of notches, the larger the center will be and vice versa (Figs. 2b and 2c). To continue the design, bring the thread around to the front between the next two points on the shape, pull across the front, and then bring to the back between the two points next to the first notch used (Fig. 3). Continue wrapping the thread around the shape until you reach the starting point (Fig. 4). Tape the end of the thread to the back. The shapes here were wrapped with Coats & Clark rayon and Kreinik metallic threads.
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| Fig 1 | Fig 2a | Fig 2B | Fig 2C |
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| Fig 3 | Fig 4 | Fig 5 | |
Mix and match shapes, colors and sizes as desired to create Spirelli embellishments. Shapes can also be layered with foam adhesive squares for added dimension and accented with brads or flat-backed imitation or semi-precious stones.
The “Morning Dreams” scrapbook page featured here was created using coordinating solid, textured and patterned papers and cardstock along with ribbon and brads all from Die Cuts with a View. The light pink background page was enhanced with torn strips of paisley paper across the top and near the bottom. A band of yellow cardstock layered onto the bottom strip was attached with pink brads at the corners, providing the perfect space for a Spirelli accent and the journaling. The photo was double matted onto white and then dark rose cardstock before being adhered onto the page. The Spirelli accents were created with the punched shapes as shown in Fig. 5.
Solid and patterned papers in shades of blue from Die Cuts with a View were cut, punched and torn to complete the “Jack Ryan” page. The dark periwinkle blue background was cut to measure 8" square and then layered with a torn strip of blue patterned paper along the bottom edge. The Spirelli accents (Fig. 6) and journaling were applied onto two light blue strips, each measuring 1" x 8", that were crossed and adhered onto the layout. An EK Success Writer in black and metal alphabet letters from Petals were used for the photo subject’s name. The photo was double matted onto light blue and white and then adhered onto the layout.
Fig 6
A 4" x 8" rectangle was cut from light blue cardstock, turned horizontally, scored vertically down the center, and folded in half to create the base for the “Blue” card. Two overlapping 2" squares cut from medium blue cardstock and adorned with silver corner stickers act as a geometric mat for the Spirelli design in the center. Postage Stamp Edge punches were used to punch a 15⁄16" shape from medium blue cardstock and a 19⁄16" shape from white cardstock which were then wrapped with dark blue and silver metallic thread, respectively (Fig. 7).
Fig. 7
The small shape, embellished with Precious Finds flat backed jewels from EK Success in the center and at the corners, was adhered on point onto the large shape with a foam adhesive dot before and the composition was adhered onto the card front. More Precious Finds sticker jewels contribute a sparkling finishing touch.
The “Flower” card began with a 6" x 8" rectangle cut from yellow cardstock, scored vertically down the middle, and folded in half. A 3" x 6" panel cut from olive green cardstock and embellished with gold Border stickers from EK Success was adhered vertically onto the card front and embellished with a flower composed of a Spirelli blossom (Fig. 8) and leaves (Fig. 9), along with a stem cut from AccuCut Mirri Card. EK Success Architexture Adhesive Metal letters were attached onto a strip of light green cardstock to spell out “JOY” and then matted onto Mirri Card. Brads, positioned at each end, secure the title bar onto the card front to complete the polished look.
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| Fig 8 | Fig 9 |
A generic daisy punch was used to punch two shapes from pink cardstock to create the blossom for the “Layered Daisies” tag. The shapes were antiqued with pink ink and then one shape was Spirelli wrapped with silver thread. The Spirelli wrapped shape was stacked on top of the other shape and rotated into position so that the petals of the top shape would fall between those of the bottom shape. The petals of the top shape were curled just a bit around a pencil before being adhered slightly off-center onto two medium Star shapes punched from complementary cardstock. The tag itself was cut from brown cardstock, notched with Fiskars Stamp Edge scissors, and wrapped with metallic thread.
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