Dare to Make It: Holiday

How to Make Holly Holiday Cards

kayte terry, contributor

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In this approach to reverse appliqué, colorful fabric scraps back cut-out shapes.

Kayte Terry

Cut slowly and carefully with your X-Acto knife, and make sure you are using a fresh, sharp blade.

Kayte Terry

Press lightly on the green cardstock to affix to the red card.

Kayte Terry

In this approach to reverse appliqué, colorful fabric scraps back cut-out shapes.

Photo: Kayte Terry

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I like to think of new ways to use age-old techniques, so this year, when I was dreaming up a holiday card, I decided to try a fresh approach to reverse appliqué. Here, the image is cut out with an X-Acto knife and then backed with colorful scraps of fabric. If you don't have time to send out cards, consider making cards to enclose gift cards. This technique works very well for any simple shape: trees, ornaments, and wreaths would look equally stunning!

What you'll need to make two cards:

• Cardstock in red and green
• Cutting mat and ruler
• Pencil
• Fabric and decorative-edge scissors
• Tracing paper
• X-Acto knife
• Fabric scraps in red and green
• Glue stick
• Sewing machine and contrasting thread

1. Lay a red sheet of cardstock on the cutting mat. Fold the cardstock in half lengthwise, and press the folded edge flat with the side of the ruler. Using a ruler, cut the sheet in half to make two cards that are 4-1/4 inches x 5-1/2 inches.

Use decorative-edge scissors, like scallop or zigzag, to cut your green cardstock.

2. Mark two 3-3/4-inch x 5-inch rectangles on a green sheet of paper. Cut out with decorative-edge scissors.

3. Print out the PDF template, and trace the holly onto a sheet of tracing paper with a pencil.

4. Flip the sheet of tracing paper over, and lay over one of the green pieces of cardstock. With the pencil, go over the traced lines of the holly to transfer the template to the cardstock.

Cut slowly and carefully with your X-Acto knife, and make sure you are using a fresh, sharp blade.

5. Cut out the design on the cardstock with an X-Acto knife. Erase the pencil lines.

If you want, you can use different fabrics for each leaf and berry; just make sure they fully cover each cut-out shape.

6. Flip over the cardstock to the wrong side. Cut a scrap of the red fabric that covers the cut-out berries. With the glue stick, spread some glue on the cardstock area around the berries. Affix the fabric right side down over the glued area. Cut a scrap of the green fabric that covers the cut-out leaves, then spread some glue on the cardstock area around the leaves. Affix the fabric right side down over the glued area.

Press lightly on the green cardstock to affix to the red card.

7. With the glue stick, spread glue over the back of the green cardstock. Affix to the front of one of the red cards.

8. Set your sewing machine to a straight stitch. Starting at the right corner of the card, just inside the decorative edge of the green cardstock, sew around the card, backstitching once at the beginning and end. Trim the threads.

9. Repeat steps 4 through 8 to make the other card.

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Comments (10)

Nodan writes: Nice work. I think I can learn from your blog and then make one to give my teacher in next teacher's day.
Posted: 2:57 am on January 16th

Criativa writes: hello,
very fun to do it.Thanks.
Posted: 9:45 am on December 1st

Rooty_Tooty writes: Great idea. I can see all sorts of posibilities for this technique!
Posted: 10:50 pm on April 3rd

TeacherTeacher writes: Great idea. I like how your selection continues the pattern in each "pane" or leaf. Visually appealing.
Posted: 3:30 pm on December 8th

backhomeagain writes: I love it and I don't even have to shop for the supplies. It would be a great way to present gift cards. Thanks for sharing!
Posted: 11:42 am on December 5th

fouryoucards writes: Love this idea. I am going to use paper scraps for the backing. Thank you.
Posted: 9:02 am on December 5th

kaytet writes: eveh- i love the candy cane idea and yes, valentines day cards would be cute too!
palady- i have made envelope before from all sorts of things. you can either get an envelop template (they have them at craft stores often) or take apart an envelope and make a template from that. have fun!

Posted: 3:46 pm on December 28th

Palady writes: Doing cards is really neat. What are the options fo making USPS mailing envelopes?


Posted: 8:47 pm on December 20th

Louella writes: Thats a great idea! I'm going to do one TODAY! Thanks.
Posted: 2:22 am on December 20th

eveh writes: This is a great idea for any season. I can just see Valentine's day cards made like this.

I am going to see if I can cut a candy cane or two out with the knife and back it with some red striped fabric with a green backing. Thanks.
Posted: 1:58 am on December 20th

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