Now summer is finally here and wedding season is upon us, it is the time of year that we are always inundated with queries from brides to be, wedding planners and venue dressers concerning everything from dress fabrics to Craft items. There are many reasons why you may choose to take creative control over your wedding day; many brides working within budget restraints prefer to create many of their own special touches in order to save on cost whilst others simply wish to inject an element of their own personality and creative flair into proceedings. Instead of forking out huge sums of money for mass produced items that will be gracing the photograph albums of hundreds of other weddings, use a little bit of imagination and Craft tools from Calico Laine and create a myriad of beautifully Crafted keepsakes for both you and your guests to treasure for a lifetime. Here are just a few ideas to inspire you in the lead up to your nuptials: Save The Date Magnets : Often the first creative task undertaken by newly engaged couples is your Save The Date. A relatively new tradition, originating from the USA, this pre-invitation officially announces your wedding date and lets guests know that they will be receiving a formal invite over the coming months. A Save The Date invite is usually very brief and are normally delivered 6-12 months prior to the ceremony in order to allow your guests the opportunity to book time off work and arrange travel, babysitters and accommodation. As overseas weddings and extended celebrations have become more and more popular so have Save The Date invites, and over time couples have become more creative with the ways in which they deliver the good news to their guests. Rather than sending a standard invitation-type card or photo card, what better way to ensure your guests remember the date of your impending celebration than to send out a cute, quirky magnet to pop on their fridge. Felt hearts are a pretty and innovative idea whilst being relatively low cost and simple to make. Simply call into our Craft department and pick up the following items:
  • Felt squares
  • Craft Scissors
  • Plain Ribbon
  • Small magnets
  • Embroidery thread
  • A hand sewing needle
  • Craft Glue
  • A fabric pen or marker, suitable for writing on ribbon
*Whilst it is possible to create your felt hearts free hand you can also purchase a stamp or stencil to make the job a little bit quicker and easier if you so wish. 1. Place two felt squares on top of each other so you are cutting out two heart shapes at a time (your heart shapes do not have to be perfect, the more unconventional and handmade they look, the better!) 2. Cut a small piece of ribbon and hand write your wedding date with fabric marker (it is also possible purchase date stamps for this purpose), place the ribbon onto your felt heart, coming out of the side of the shape so the date is visible. 3. Affix your magnet into the centre of the felt heart 4. Place your corresponding felt heart over the bottom layer and stitch together using embroidery thread. As well as felt, you can choose many other items for creating this simple but effective Craft project including fabric such as cotton or satin. Many couples use the Save The Date as an opportunity to hint at their chosen theme or colour scheme. Tartan fabric is a lovely idea for hinting at a highland themed wedding, or choose polka dot cotton print for a vintage inspired ceremony. Fabric Lined Envelopes: Don't let your creative flow slip when it comes to sending out your formal invitations! Many brides already spend many hours lovingly cutting, gluing and glittering pieces of card in order to create their own, unique wedding invites but why stop there? With a few simple Craft items you can send off your hand Crafted invitations in a gorgeous, customised envelope that your guests will not want to throw away. You will require the following Craft items:
  • An iron
  • Plain envelopes
  • Patterned or floral fabric of your choice
  • Glue or adhesive stick suitable for paper Crafts
  • Art Knife
  • Craft Scissors
  • A cutting mat such as the XCut Self Healing Cutting Mat
1. Iron your fabric on a low heat to remove any creases and ensure it is as flat as possible. 2. Place your open envelope down flat on your fabric. 3. Trace around the envelope and then cut out the fabric with your Craft scissors and trim so it is slightly narrower than the actual envelope. 4. Place the fabric inside of your envelope to ensure it fits with no creases, you can leave a slight overhang of fabric at the top as you will be cutting around this later with your art knife. 5. Take your glue stick and cover the inside of the envelope flap with glue, then carefully put your fabric in place and stick down. 6. When the fabric is securely stuck to the flap of the envelope with no creases or wrinkles, lift up the bottom portion of fabric and hold open the envelope. Cover the envelope with glue and press down the bottom portion of fabric. 7. Leave to dry for 15-20 minutes. 8. Take your cutting mat and art knife and trim around the edges of the envelope flap making sure the edges are now nice and neat. 9. Place your invitation inside the envelope and secure the flap with a few dabs of glue. This is an effective and surprisingly simple project which will surprise and delight your guests when they open up the envelope to see the gorgeous fabric liner. I hope you have enjoyed today's entry and encourage you to try some of these simple Craft ideas for yourself. Keep an eye on the blog over the coming weeks for Craft ideas to use during the main event, your wedding ceremony.