Five Inspiring Ways To Use Fabric On Your Scrapbook Pages!

One of the growing trends in scrapbooking is the use of fabric. Fabric adds a special dimension to layouts that you can't necessarily obtain with pattern paper.

It's fun to include fabric throughout a scrapbook album in a variety of ways. Many times fabric is used to enhance a portion of a layout, such as a photo mat, or to give a whimsical effect, such as cloth butterflies.

Here's five ideas to give your scrapbook pages a beautiful fabric finish!

To draw special attention to your scrapbook layout, use material for the title of the page.

Create the letters free form or use a letter stencil. Choose fabric that complements the page. For example, if a page has a lot of green and blue in various patterns, then use a solid green or blue for the title.

If your scrapbook layout seems a little plain, then jazz up your title. Use color glitter glue and trace around each letter or add sparkle to the first letter with bright sequins. For added dimension, adhere your fabric to cardboard and then use an exacto knife to cut out each letter.

Want more layout ideas? Click here and check out our Layout Ideas Books!

• Create a fabric border as the bottom layer of a photo mat or journal block. Keep in mind that you only need a border. Cut the material to the size you want, fold it, and cut out the middle section. There's no need to be exact. As you add your cardstock mat, you just need to center the mat onto the fabric border. Please note that you should avoid adhering a photo directly onto fabric, unless you treat the fabric with an acid free product designed for scrapbooking.

• If you're creating a layout that won't be behind plastic, such as pages in a mini scrapbook, use fabric to make cute flaps to cover some of the photos or journal blocks. With the use of a dark marker, you can create the look of a curtain rod and make it look as though there are little curtains hanging over the photos.

• For simple shapes, such as stars or hearts, adhere the shapes to cardstock, cut out the shapes, and use foam tape to attach to your layout.

Little kids especially love the feel of different textures. When creating layouts that contain large objects, fabric is a great way to provide texture. For example:

• Tree. Use leather or corduroy for the bark, and a prickly green for the leaves.

• Teddy bear. Use a fuzzy texture for the body and suede for the paws.

• Umbrella. Use nylon for the fabric sections and leather for the spokes.

When we think of embellishments, we often think of buttons, silk flowers, tacks, stickers, etc. Fabric is also a great option and the possibilities are never-ending.

You can make tiny hearts out of hot pink fabric for Valentine's Day, cloth pine trees for a winter layout, fuzzy polka dots for a birthday layout, or suede cowboy hats for a layout of your son's horseback riding lessons.

As you come across fabric scraps, look for fabrics that have designs that can be cut out and used for a layout. This idea especially works well for pages centered around kids. Imagine adding cute cloth frogs to your daughter's princess layout or cute ocean animals to a layout of your family's day at the beach.

Whether you choose to add a border to two edges of your layout, or to every edge, fabric is a great option. Here are some things to consider:

• If your layout contains a lot of colors and patterns, use a solid color for the border.

• A border is a good way to pull colors together. If your photo mats and journal blocks are made out of two colors, find a fabric that contains both of the colors.

• Use your fabric to emphasize the theme of the layout. For example, if your layout contains photos of your garden, create a border out of fabric that has tiny flowers or a vine.

• A border doesn't necessarily have to run the entire length or width of the page. Adding a six inch by a half inch border to the bottom of a page gives an interesting look.

Adding fabric to your scrapbook layouts doesn't need to involve sewing. Use a decent pair of scissors to cut your fabric. If you like the "frayed" look, pull on some of the threads along each edge. If you prefer a smooth edge, fold the material along each edge and hold seams in place with tape. When adhering fabric to your layout, rolling tape works well. Keep in mind that if you use glue, it may cause bumps under the material.

Where can you find odds and ends of fabric? Check with your family, relatives, friends, and women from your church. Chances are someone has extra fabric that they will gladly give to you. If you need to buy fabric, look for remnants or close-outs at fabric or retail stores. You can find some really good deals!

Did you know there's lots of regular household items that you can incorporate into your scrapbooking? We've compiled a list to inspire you here.

...If you'd like to see how to  create layouts FASTER and EASIER than ever before (so you can really start making progress with that pile of photos). then check out our scrapbook sketches.