Cloth is a wonderful way to add texture to any layout. If you want to take it a step further, consider scrapbooking with faux fur. Faux fur can serve two purposes on your scrapbook layouts by providing a warm, soft texture while adding dimension. Fuzzy and furry textures are trendy this year. With the arrival of fall and the impending winter season, they could take your scrapbook layouts to a new level by instantly adding visual interest.
Faux fur isn’t hard to use, however, there is one simple thing you need to pay attention to if you’re going to use it on your layouts. You need to pay attention to which way the fur lies( something I neglected to do). Let’s take a look at how I built my layout with faux fur and how I corrected my mistake.
When scrapbooking with faux fur,stitch with the grain and not against it.
The biggest challenge to scrapbooking with faux fur is how to adhere it to your page. Many of the double sided tapes won’t hold it onto the cardstock. Faux fur can be quite heavy depending upon the thickness and size of the piece you choose to utilize. My first instinct (because it’s a type of cloth) was to stitch the fur directly to the layout. However, I didn’t pay attention to the direction of the fur’s grain when I was sewing. On the left side, you can see that I stitched against the grain which caused the fur to look ruffled and unkempt. On the right side, I stitched with the grain which made for a nice even line.
It’s OK if you make a mistake:
If you accidentally sew against the grain or if you decide you don’t like the way the stitched line looks, it is easy to remedy. Choose a trim or ribbon, cut it to the right length, then adhere it over the stitched line. If the trim is really flexible, you may want to glue it down to a strip of chipboard first. Though a border or trim isn’t necessary, I did feel that it gave the layout a more polished look.
Liquid Adhesives are your go to solution for adhering items to faux fur.
Use liquid adhesives to glue down the trim, embellishments and photos to the top of the faux fur. Reinforce flimsy items by first mounting them to a piece of thin chipboard.
Faux Fur helps to add dimension.
Adhering the photos to the top of the faux fur left a nice gap underneath. You can tuck embellishments under the photos easily. If the photo extends quite a bit from the edge of the faux fur, you might want to choose an embellishment that, when layered underneath, also supports the photo. In this layout, I used a thick felt frame to support both of the photos.
Additional Tips for Scrapbooking with Faux Fur:
Stitching the fur to the base paper isn’t a required step. You can skip it altogether by using a liquid adhesive to attach the fur piece to your base paper or canvas.
Faux fur can add a lot of weight to the layout.If the cardstock or patterned paper base you choose to work with feels flimsy, reinforce it with a sheet of chipboard.
I used a full band of the fur in my layout. You can of course try using the fur in different shapes or sizes on your page.
You can buy faux fur by the package at any craft store. I would also recommend checking the remnants area or scrap section of the fabric department. You might be able to find small amounts of faux fur on sale.
Possible Topics for Scrapbook Layouts with Faux Fur:
- pets
- favorite stuffed animals
- a cozy night at home
- a good night’s sleep
- favorite sweater or coat
- a trip to the zoo
Stuffed Animal Love by Christy Strickler | Supplies Cardstock: Bazzill; Letters: American Crafts, Other; Felt: Fancy Pants; Chipboard: K and Company; Sitckers: My Mind;s Eye; this layout first appeared in an article for Get It Scrapped
Scrapbooking Ideas for Working with Furry and Fuzzy Materials, an article from the Get It Scrapped blog
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