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 Why Use Fibers? Fibers add color, dimension, and texture to your designs. These qualities make your projects more fun to create and more interesting to look at when completed. Fibers can help carry out the theme of a project. Imagine velvety, black chenille borders for formal photos; crayon-colored, fun fibers for a child's birthday layout; sparkly, metallic fibers to accent party invitations or a prom page; rough-textured fibers to help convey the mood of casual, outdoor themes; soft, pastel fibers for baby albums and announcements; and so on. Fibers can be used to make borders, to create lettering, to hang things, to connect things, to draw the eye around the page, to add abstract design elements, or to add realism and whimsy to your projects. Just don't try to do it all on one page. Make sure that your use of fibers (and other embellishments) helps to tell your story and adds to your page, rather than just clutter it up. Are They Safe? I haven't found a definitive answer to this question, but experts such as Becky Higgins continue to advocate the use of all kinds of fibers and 3-dimensional embellishments to dress up your projects. For the safest use of fibers, don't let them touch your photographs. You can use page protectors or between-page inserts to keep possible non-archival elements from affecting other pages. What Types of Fibers Can You Use? All kinds! "Fiber" is just a catch-all term for any kind of string, thread, or yarn. A fiber can be made of cotton, wool, silk, hemp, rayon, metallic, acrylic, polyester, nylon, etc., or a combination of any of these. From thick to thin, rough to smooth, lumpy, bumpy and curly to velvety soft and straight, every type of fiber can have a place in your designs. Using two or three fibers together is also very effective, and the design can be even more interesting when the fibers are different from each other in texture and thickness. How Can Fibers Be Attached to a Project? Adhesives: Apply clear-drying craft glue or glue dots to the back of the fiber or to the layout surface. Then just place the fiber where you want it. Eyelets: Eyelets are available in many shapes, sizes and colors to enhance your projects. Thread the fiber through the eyelets and attach at the back of your layout or card with a knot, tape, or some glue. Sewing: Use a large-eye needle and sew right through the paper or cardstock with a simple running stitch or even fancy embroidery stitches. If necessary, punch tiny holes in the paper or cardstock before sewing.
Ways to Use Fibers To create borders: Fibers make striking borders around photos, mementos, title blocks, or whole pages. Think of them as miniature picture frames. Chenille makes beautiful straight borders with some thickness to them and novelty yarns always make interesting frames.
To make lettering for titles: Try "writing" the letters with a thin line of clear-drying adhesive and then applying a fiber to create 3-dimensional lettering. Chainette is great for this because it easily forms into curved or straight shapes. Use a fairly thin and smooth fiber in a color that contrasts strongly with the background so that the letters are readable.
To hang things: All kinds of things can be hung from fibers - beads, charms, title blocks, photos, mementos. How about a white fiber "clothesline," with photos etc. hung from it like sheets and towels drying in the sun.
To connect things: Use fibers to direct the eye around the page and to show the connections between page elements.
To add abstract design elements: Fibers are flexible, so you can make them into loops, swirls, stripes, rays, circles, squares, squiggles, etc. Just don't overdo it; make sure your abstract shapes have a purpose in the overall design.
To provide realism and add a touch of whimsy: Imagine white fibers curling upward from a cup of steaming hot coffee, or a fishing line made out of thin black or grey fiber with a fish charm hanging on the end of it. Try using fibers as accents for paper dolls and figures - think belts, ties, suspenders, shoe laces, bows, and straight or curly hair. A fuzzy green fiber makes realistic grass or leaves; a rough brown fiber could be used as a wooden fence or a tree trunk; a metallic fiber can fill the night sky with twinkling stars.
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| Copyright 2007 Peggy Stillwagon |
