December Tart Kit: Paper Leather

This month we are converting brown paper into leather. With wrinkles, paint, grunge board, and ink, you can simulate the look of leather. Because of the interfacing on the back side, it is sturdy enough to sew. Sue Anne made this small piece by combining paper leather with denim to create a western look.

Crinkle and wrinkle the piece of brown paper in your kit. You want lots of lines and creases.

Smooth out the paper and gently press the wrinkles flat.

Iron the piece of fusible interfacing to what will become the back side of your leather. Be sure the interfacing is well-adhered. Trim the paper and interfacing to match.

Dilute the brown paint with a small amount of water and paint it over the surface of the paper. Allow the paper to dry.

Carefully adhere the Misty Fuse to the front side of the paper, protecting your iron with a teflon sheet.

Cut shapes from the grunge board and fuse them to the paper by pressing them onto the Misty Fuse. Again protect your iron. You may have to use steam and iron from the backside as well as from the front. With enough heat, the grunge board will eventually fuse. With your sewing machine and thread, free motion stitch over and around the grunge board. It is easy to sew through, just go slowly. The thread will add more texture to the paper.

Repaint the paper, covering the grunge board and stitching with another layer of brown paint. Be sure you get the edges of the grunge board. You will be painting directly onto the exposed Misty Fuse as well. Let the paper dry completely.

Rub the black ink pad over the surface of the paper. You will decide how much. This will add more dimension and texture to your paper. When the ink has dried, the paper is ready to treat as fabric. It can be used as the background or cut into strips or used as applique. With the fusible interfacing, it will sew without tearing. Do something western!