Mail Art Tutorial
Taken from Mainelystitching BlogThere are no restrictions regarding color or size, though you do have to follow the usual conventions for where you put the addresses, leave room for the postage, etc. You do not have to put your envelope in any sort of protective covering (most MA recipients prefer that the envelope arrive in an 'around the world' state of appearance). You can, of course, slip your MA into a protective covering or a manilla envelope if you want. You do need to go into your post office to have the envelope weighed for the correct postage. Many people send their MA using registered or insured mail, though I haven't. You do need to be careful that you use a good closure system. The prettiest MAs make lovely use of buttons with cording and decorative clasps.
Procedure
1. First, you need a piece of fabric. For a fairly small envelope, 11 inches long by 6 inches wide will allow you the margins for finishing. The envelope I am completing here is stitched on Softana measuring 14 inches long by 9.5 inches wide. (If you use metric, these measurements are 25 x 15 cm and 34 x 23 cm.)
2. Tri-fold your piece of fabric to determine where you'll stitch the address, the main design, closure, etc. This envelope back allows me room to stitch my address on the top flap and the recipient's address below the flap. I will stitch my big design on the other side. I find it very helpful to run pieces of thread along what will become the edges - where the top flap folds over, where the bottom flap folds under, and what the design area is. Remember to leave room for the seams when you sew it all up! http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAstep2.jpg
3. Once your design are is established, find a design that fits it. Or you could be really organized and first have your design and then cut your fabric. That's just too orderly for me. LOL!
4. Stitch your design. Unfolded, your piece of fabric now looks something like this. http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAstep4.jpg
5. Being careful to keep in mind what's the top, stitch your addresses. It is better to use a boring but clear alphabet than a fancy script that is going to give your mail carrier fits. Sketch the address out on graph paper before you start to make sure it is nicely centered. (I never take the time for this, but always wish I had.)It is also good to use a floss that contrasts boldly with your fabric, even if this isn't the prettiest choice of colors. This little critter is going to cause enough confusion as it makes its way through the mail system without being illegible.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAstep5.jpg
6. Pin your envelope to the lining fabric, right sides (the sides with the decoration) together and cut the lining fabric. http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAstep6.jpg
7. You can hand sew the lining and envelope together, but I use my antique machine - when it feels like cooperating! Don't forget to leave an opening through which you'll turn everything inside out (someone who we won't name has done this). I usually stitch with about 1/4 inch seam allowance. When you're finished stitching and the envelope has the decorative sides showing, iron everything again. http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAstep7.jpg
8. Stitch the opening closed. I don't know how to stitch invisibly, but for this part, I do try. Note that some methods of closure will require you to leave this opening unstitched until the end. For instance, a loop of cording (to go over a button) would need to be stitched into the opening. See step 10.
9. Now tri-fold your fabric, with the lining material in. Stitch along the sides that make up the envelope, leave the flap free.(I stitch from the bottom of the fold up to where the flap.) Stitch the sides however you want - whip stitched, with beads, whatever strikes your fancy. My camera has now died completely so I'll try to scan the last steps. http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAstep9.jpg
10. After the sides are stitched up, you now have your envelope! It may look a bit like a pouch with a flap. The bigger envelopes are especially saggy and you might try a mid-weight fusible interfacing to firm it up a bit. You can now attach your closure of choice. Stitch a snap inside, use Velcro (though one I recieved with stick-on Velcro did not work well, the sticky part of the Velcro didn't stay affixed to the fabric.), stitch a button on and a loop of cording, whatever seems fun to you. Some closures require you to leave that inside-out opening unstitched until after your closure is attached (like a loop of cording), so you may need to skip step 8 until now. http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAsteplasta.jpg
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/BChatterton-Luuring/MAsteplast.jpg
11. To keep your envelope's form, it helps to insert a sturdy card or postcard, though I didn't do it with mine. It's also nice for the recipient to have some personal note with the MA. If you are enclosing gifts (floss, etc.) I strongly suggest stitching the flap down with some sort of loose basting/whip stitch that the recipient can cut free. I use a button on mine.
Here's an example of my Mail Art, it's 100% hand sew:
Back:
Front:
Lining:
Oh my goodness, the work that goes into something like this! :O this is a beautiful tutorial thanks so much for sharing! Very nice! Beautiful! Thank you very much for sharing !!!
It's a very useful tutorial! Thank you very much! Exellent vork :) thank you so much...for tutorial :D Thanks you very much for the sharing! Thanks you very much for the sharing! Thank you very much for sharing! Thank you for the sharring Siguiendo este hilo Very informative. I would not be willing to send mail like that... So luxurious... The love letter (envelope)to the best love will be worthy enough. What we do here is that we formed a group of let's say 6-7 people and then appointed 1 person as the organizer and she decided who send to who. For example, she told A to send to C, B to E and F to A, etc. But the recipient will not know from who she will get her mail art. So, A didn't know that she will get from F. It's kind of nice surprise for everybody who participate. We also had some similar game called "mysteric gifts" several years ago. A group consists of 10 people. Each chose a design to stitch and mail it to a recipient. The mailing order is determined by a coordinator. The recipient will not know who is the sender before all the gifts arrive at the destination. It is very interesting:) Yes, and most of time, we do it during X'mas for special X'mas gifts :P i wonder finally the envelope belongs to? Yes, the envelope is so nice and beautiful, so everyone wish to have it...... That is amazing, I have never seen anything like that before!
Lovely work!:) Love it!
:)
