Trend Watch – All Tied Up with Fibers

  By Aliya White

I have a well stocked craft room.  My husband may even argue, it’s a bit overstocked.  I sometimes like buying new craft goodies more than I actually craft.  It could be that I don’t have as much time as I’d like to craft, but sometimes I think I just need to be inspired.  I am very attracted to the fun colors and options of bakers twine but outside of tying bows or wrapping it around cards, I don’t do much with it.  It just takes a few creative people to show me new ways to use things I have and to create a new addiction.  Like with twine!

I just love the way Kallan used the twine as the focus of the card.  It takes center stage in the “lollipop” formation she created.  The rough texture makes it gender neutral which is always a plus when you are making masculine cards.

Card by Kallan Quinn photo courtesy of Inspired by Hue

This next cards shows off the bold colors you can get with embroidery floss.  Perfect for the rainbow inspired card Kasia created.

Card by Kasia Curry photo courtesy of  Nature of Crafty Things

Another fun trend I have noticed is this idea of “nesting” the fibers in a loose circle to create, well, a little nest behind a feature of your paper creation.  I just love the casual look it brings to cards. Betty used some yarn she had in her stash to make her nest.  Behind the butterfly, it looks like an extension of the wings of the butterfly.

Card by Betty Keefe photo courtesy of Created by BJK

For a little colorful whimsy, you can use baker’s twine to create the strings for balloons you create.  How cute is this?

Card by Shellye McDaniel photo courtesy of Papered Cottage

I am not sure I am coordinated enough to attempt the next layout but I just loved how Karola really used the twine to focus your eyes on her project.  Just lovely.

Layout by Karola Witczak photo courtesy of The Twinery

Another fun way to use strings and twine is to use it to stitch letter and words and symbols.  Corrie did all of the above with this next love card.  It turned out awesome.

Card by Corrie Jones photo courtesy of American Crafts

Danielle used a die to guide her as she stitched her words in this adorable card.  I just love the way this turned out.

Card by Danielle Flanders photo courtesy of Homespun from the Heart

The pun on this next card is just classic.  I love how Yaniea used a needle to punch holes in the card and strung through the rainbow colors of twine to really emphasize the pun.  Well played.

Card by Yainea photo courtesy of My Paper Journey

Stringing the corset  with pink and white baker’s twine is just perfect for this next card.  Eyelets on each of the holes is another awesome touch for this fun shaped card.

Card by Stacy Cohen photo courtesy of Queen and Co

JJ really hit a home run with this next card.  She used a couple of techniques to really top herself with this fun dedication to twine.

Card by JJ Bolton photo courtesy of Ribbon Girls

You can also use baker’s twine to “color in” a background from a die cut in this lift and layer technique Lindsay used.  It’s super cool how she layered another die cut over the negative image of her butterfly.

Card by Lindsay Amrhei photo courtesy of Note to Self: Where all crafty thoughts go

So hopefully, I have showed you a few new techniques to try and some new materials for you to use in your paper projects.   So do some more raiding of your stash or craft stores and start experimenting with something that inspires you.

Go ahead,… make something pretty.