Embossed Quilt Batting Journal

Use natural bamboo quilt batting to create an embossed cover for a journal. The batting is dyed, layered and embellished with brass findings for a beautiful result.

Materials:

• 1/3 Yd. Fairfield Nature-Fil™ Bamboo Batting
• Vintaj Natural Brass Co. Findings:  #C4H20, #DP45, #F420, #F285
• Composition book
• Metallic acrylic paint in several colors (Liquitex® or Jacquard)
• Pearl Ex pigment powder, Brilliant Gold
• 12” lengths of lace (various widths)
• 18 Kt. Gold Leaf pen
• Textile medium (Liquitex® Fabric Medium)
• Fabri-Tac™ Fabric Adhesive
• 1 sheet decorative scrapbook paper with script design
• Pigment ink pad (optional)
• Iron
• Water
• Spray bottle
• Baking parchment paper
• Other supplies: Decorative edge scissors, lace, ruler, scissors, cosmetic sponge, flat paintbrush
  

Instructions:

1. Cut a piece of batting slightly larger than the size of the composition book.
    
2. Mix 1 part textile medium with 1 part water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle.
    
3. Cut 2 pieces of parchment paper slightly larger than the size of the batting.
    
4. Place the batting onto the parchment paper and mist it with diluted textile medium. The batting should be moist but not saturated.
    
5. Place lengths of lace or vintage doilies onto the misted batting.
    
6. Cover the lace with parchment paper. At this point, the batting and lace should be sandwiched between 2 pieces of parchment paper. With iron set to cotton setting, press the parchment paper, ironing firmly onto the batting. Turn the parchment/batting over and press again.
    
7. Remove the parchment paper. Gently pull the lace from the batting to reveal an embossed lace image.
    
8. Mix 1 part acrylic paint with 1 part water. Spray the mixture onto embossed batting. Let dry. Keep spraying layers of acrylic onto embossed batting until completely covered, letting each coat dry before adding the next. Several colors of acrylic can be used when layering. When dry, pigment ink can be sponged across the embossed batting to highlight the embossed design.
    
9. Using a disappearing marker, trace book onto the wrong side of embossed batting. Cut on traced line with decorative edge fabric scissors and adhere to book with Fabri-Tac. Edge journal with gold leaf pen.
    
10. Repeat steps 2-8 completing one 3” x 4 ¼” and 4 ½” x 6 ½” size pieces of embossed batting. Pieces can be cut with decorative edge scissors. Paint batting with contrasting colors of acrylic paint. Edge pieces with gold leaf pen.
     
11. From script paper cut one 5 ½” x 7 ½” and 2” x 2 ¾” size pieces. Edge papers with gold leaf pen.
     
12. Refer to photo, adhere completed layers onto the front of journal.
     
13. Refer to photo and adhere Vintaj findings and lace embellishments onto the front of journal. Using flat brush, dust Vintaj findings with Pearl Ex Brilliant Gold pigment powder.

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