Create Your Own Imagery for Fabric Collage Using Cricut Pens

Create Your Own Imagery for Fabric Collage Using Cricut Pens

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I love using fabric scraps to create small art quilts.  Hand-stitching makes each one so unique, and I find it quite relaxing at the end of the day to sit down and “doodle” with thread on fabric.  In the past, I’ve experimented with different ways to incorporate imagery on these little fabric collages. I’ve used stamping and photo transfer techniques, but recently thought – what about using the Cricut?  Turns out, the Cricut with its gel pens does a great job of creating imagery on fabric scraps.

finished collage

 

Supplies:

Cricut gel pens
Fabric scraps
Backing fabric
Freezer paper
Embroidery floss
Batting

Directions:

Select some fabric scraps for your project.  Use a hot dry iron the iron the fabric to ordinary freezer paper (from the grocery store).  The freezer paper will provide backing and support to the fabric while the Cricut is drawing on it.  Once you’re done drawing, however, the freezer paper peels cleanly off the fabric without any alteration of the hand of the fabric.

iron to freezer paper fabric ironed to freezer paper

 

Upload your images to Cricut Design Space.  Be sure to set the images to “write”.  You want the machine to draw the image on the fabric without cutting it out.

draw image

 

Place the fabric backed with freezer paper on the cutting mat.  Secure one or more of the edges of the fabric using masking tape as needed.

tape fabric to mat

 

Load a gel pen in the machine and follow the prompts to make the project.

machine pen on fabric

 

Remove the fabric from the mat and peel away the freezer paper.  Cut or tear the fabric to size for your collage.  I like to work with fabric scraps with a textured edge, so I use scissors to make a small cut in the edge of the fabric and then simply tear the piece to size.  Lay your fabric pieces on a piece of quilt batting.  When you are satisfied with the organization and design, pin the fabric in place.

pin pieces on batting

 

Sew the fabric scraps to the batting using simple embroidery stitching.

stitch pieces to batting

stitch using running or blanket stitch

 

After all the fabric pieces have been secured to the batting, add stitching to highlight imagery or add texture to the collage.  Include beads, buttons, charms or any other embellishments that you’d like.

embroidery embellishment 1 embroidery embellishment 2 embroidery embellishment 3 embroidery embellishment 4

 

When all your stitching is complete, pin the collage to a piece of backing fabric.  Trim the backing fabric to the size of the collage and sew in place using a blanket stitch around all edges of the collage.

blanket stitch to backing fabric

 

Create a hanger from your favorite materials.  I used some wool felt and plastic rings to hang and suspend the finished quilt.

finished collage

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Lee Ann Lilly

Lee Ann is a mixed media hobbyist who enjoys using her Cricut machine for art projects as well as decorations for her home and garden. She's a new empty-nester with 2 adult daughters. Now she and her husband are free to embark on that US pizza eating tour they always talked about. Lee Ann provides IT support to Craft-e-Corner.

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