about shop patterns projects printables extras sponsorship wild olive twitter flickr pinterest subscribe

embroidering on paper with sew easy

Sew Easy Kit?


Rarely do I walk through the scrapbooking sections at stores. Sometimes I think that I should get into this craft, but it's never really gelled for me, so I let it be. Nevertheless, the other day I found myself in the scrapbooking aisle at Target and I found something I needed. $18 felt like a lot for what seemed like a toy, but really...I needed it.

The idea behind Sew Easy is that you can add embroidered details to your paper crafting without the hassle of hand piercing the paper first. If you've stitched on paper before, you know that it takes some patience and precision. Sew Easy skips all that! Included in this starter kit is a foam mat, the piercing tool, a total of 4 piercers, plus embroidery floss and a needle. I think I was most excited about not needing to think about evenly spaced stitches!

Sew Easy Kit?

But here's the thing.

I opened the package, and was disappointed to find that the piercing rollers are made of plastic. The points are very sharp, but plastic? How well would this work? So, thinking that embroidered cards are exactly what I was wanting, I grabbed some card stock to try this out.

Sew Easy Kit?
Sew Easy Kit?
Sew Easy Kit?

I rolled gently and it barely punched the holes. I rolled firmly and it punched the holes and bent the card stock. I grabbed copy paper and it crunched that even worse! The yellow and pink rollers weren't too bad, but the others were frustrating. NOT what I was hoping for. And I started thinking that this would be going back. But I REALLY wanted this to work for me!

Very cleverly, I considered that since this is made for scrapbooking, maybe it would work on paper designed for that purpose...

Sew Easy Kit?
Sew Easy Kit?

Well, what do you know? Sew Easy rolls along and perfectly punches scrapbook paper like a dream! I probably should have guessed that from the start, but that just wasn't where my mind went. So the question remains...will I use this enough just on specialty papers? Perhaps. Of course, now that I've found all the rest of the piercing designs that are available, I'm even more drawn to it. The thing is, take a look:

a stitched valentine
a stitched and taped valentine

The stitching comes out fantastic. Like, we should all have something like this for our regular embroidery. But this is about "the thing". The thing is...I'm pretty sure that I don't do paper crafts like this for a reason. Look at that terrible card! Embarrassing. Ugh.

Of course, maybe if I'm adding stitching to my projects, I'll have a reason to practice more and I'll create something that actually looks like something. Maybe.

The final word: If you like stitching and working with paper on a regular basis, this would be a helpful tool for you. But if you mix these crafts only on occasion, save the money and pierce your paper the old fashioned way.

19 comments:

  1. Could it be used as a guide on the card stock? Admittedly you would have to go over the indentations with a pin (or whatever you use to make holes), but you still wouldn't have to think about spacing and measuring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm considering that possibility. It's not the "easy" I hoped for, but having the designs mapped out would still help!

      Delete
    2. Oh, and i forgot to mention...this does make great indentations on fun foam, so stitching on that would be an option!

      Delete
  2. I just tried this yesterday too, with similar results and feelings about it. I am trying to think of ways to make fun projects for my kids with it-like more detailed lacing cards for example. Anything to make it worth the expense. All the tips to choose from (and the ribbon ones too) are tempting!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh my... have you seen how many different heads there are?
    I also thought about stitching through the paper but since today I haven't known easy stitch (maybe because we don't have it in Germany)
    18$ really is not much for scrapbooking supplies... I started a few years ago with Creative Memories and now I'm working with the Stampin Up products and I really don't want to know how much money I have already spent ;)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mollie,

    I was wondering the other day about how do you make your stitches so very even and then you posted this today. I know that you can stitch evenly due to years of practise but is there a trick? What about using this Sew Easy Kit with tracing paper for sewing? I don't know if you learned this method but I did in school and the tracing paper for sewing is different than carbon paper for the typewriter. It transfers the dots to your fabric by way of a wheel with which you trace your design. The dots will wash out eventually. This tracing paper comes in different colors for different fabrics. What do you think?

    Maureen

    P.S. Still love your blog and read every day! And the problem with your card is that you used too many dotted items and it makes the card too busy. Either a solid paper OR solid color tape but both together doesn't work. Try it again using a solid color of paper. Then the dots of the Washi tape would stand out. Love the idea and the design of your card though. And if you had made it for me I would still love the card because of the time, effort and emotion that went into it. Making cards is a lot like sewing with different flosses and fabrics. It takes practise and trial and error and patience and love. You have these skills in abundance.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I haven't tried the tracing paper you're talking about, but I have been thinking through some other ideas for getting perfectly spaced stitches. If I get it worked out, I'll certainly share here!

      And thanks for your tips and encouragement on the card making. I grabbed supplies I could find quickly, and clearly I was thinking too much about the colors, and not enough about the patterns!

      Delete
  5. If you decide to keep this, have you tried rolling it through stamp ink first. That could be a great way to have a "pattern" for fabric or felt. Also could be a great way to set up projects for young stichers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If this would work with ink, it would be so cool! The only thing is, I fear the ink would end up on the roller part too, and not just the spikes...

      Delete
  6. this looks like something i should try out!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I bought this contraption when it first came out and I was about ready to scream. I used it like it said and the plastic little nubs all bent down and dulled. It wouldn't punch through my paper. And then when I tried to contact the company, they never responded. I ended up throwing them away and I was SO angry. I will never buy these again, even though I loved the idea, unless they make the rollers out of something stronger than plastic. I have invested in a template sheet with stitches that I can trace or use a paper piercer to make the stitches. Thanks for reviewing it though - it confirmed to me that this product hasn't been improved.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh dear. If I had the trouble I did fresh out of the box, I'd hate to see what happens if/when the points wear down!

      Where did you get your template sheet from?

      Delete
    2. I think I found it at an online store - I don't remember right off the top of my head but I'll go through my catalogs and see what I can find.

      Delete
  8. I do tons of paper crafts and I think your card is adorable! I am totally using that washi tape heart idea :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. That looks super fun.

    Vintagehoneybee.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. Don't get into scrapbooking. You'll spend more per sheet of paper than you do for skein of floss, and you'll always, always need more paper. :-)

    It's a little slower, but there is the option of something like this kit:
    http://www.stampinup.com/ECWeb/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=126187

    I'm sure other companies make similar things, I just know this one because I used to work there.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What are you talking about??!! The card is phenomenal!! Who wouldn't want that card?! You are selling yourself short, Mollie!
    Thank you for sharing how this worked and I am surprised the rollers are made of plastic too. I would definitely embroider more with this cheat. But too bad it's only for paper, huh? ;)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous12:57 PM

    Your card is perfect just as it is! I don't like "perfect" cards that look mass produced. I love the home-made-with-love look and you got it. I perforate paper with a fat chenille needle or if I am doing more than one, I stitch with a sewing machine and a size 14 quilting or jeans needle. I leave a cotton thread in the machine to hold all the pages of paper together while I am sewing and them they rip out easily afterwards.

    ReplyDelete

I often reply to comments in the comments...check back if you have a question!