a is for alphabet month

This month, I thought I do something a little different with how I plan my posts. Each day will represent a letter from the alphabet, starting with A and going through Z (taking Sundays off, it comes out perfect!). I'm still not quite sure what Z will bring, but I'm ready for the challenge!



To get the ABCs started, I pulled out some ABC stamps to try an idea. Using regular ink, I stamped some letters onto fabric, then stitched over them, leaving a "ghost" effect in the background.




Because I was using regular dye-based inks, the colors are muted. (Although, the colors are stronger than these photos would suggest.) I think that if you were to use a stamp pad designed for fabric, you'd end up with much brighter colors. So depending on the look you're going for, or what the final use is, you might want to explore different inks. What I used was permanent though, and didn't rinse out.



After I stamped, I used a single strand of embroidery floss and added some stitching over the letters. It's just a bit of embellishment to what's already there. And depending on the font of your stamps, I think this could be done in lots of ways!




So now...what can you use this technique for? Here's the ideas I've been thinking about: Tags (name, gift, sewn-in labels, etc.), Wall Hangings (add quotes, titles, lettering within a design, etc.), Ornaments (perfect for adding names and dates!), or my personal favorite, a Banner (you can never have too many banners with messages!).

Of course, I went with letters for alphabet month, but really, there's no limit to the stamp designs you could use with this technique. Give it a try!