Cigarette Card Embroidery

Images to Embroider

Catfood Cardboard

At night now I'm dreaming about embroidery and textiles instead of knitting lace. A sure sign I'm in for a long craze. Now when I see some cool old vintage whatever I think, "I wonder what that would look like embroidered?" Wouldn't the old German Cigarette Cards shown on top be the bomb in stitches? I'm going to try someday, after I finish my current Secret Embroidery Project (hint: paperback covers are involved), which is turning out great. Embroidery goes a lot more quickly than knitting, so I have plenty of time for other crafty pursuits too, such as the Catfood Cardboard Craft Organizers of the last post. Here's how to make one: get yourself some 24 cans boxes of Fancy Feast, any flavor. (My cats prefer Grilled Seafood Feast Variety). Three 7.5 inch x 5 inch pieces of cardboard per box, and you'll need 4 for a 2 folio organizer. For each folio, cut a 13 inch (width) x 17 inch (height) piece of fabric, and for the pocket, a 13 x 10 inch piece. Fold the smaller piece in half so it measures 13 x 5 inches, press and stay stitch it 1/4 inch from edge along sides and bottom of right side of larger fabric piece, then fold this larger piece in half (height-wise), right sides together. Now sew a 5/8 inch seam along bottom. Turn right side out and press: dimensions now 13 x 7.75 inches. Insert two catfood cardboards, then press side edges under and sew together. Then sew your second similar folio to first down center. Add felt and other embellishments before you sew that first seam, and don't stitch into the cardboard, duh. Easy!