Playing with Kraft-Tex
Looks like paper, sews like fabric, softens and ages like leather, is printable, stampable, paintable...and washable?! I had to try it for myself and make an envelope to send a sweet little parcel on it's way...
Otherwise known as Kraft-Tex...which I found at Spotlight for about $25...but it seems to be found all over the place in different sizes and colours if you're up for a Google! I picked white because I knew I'd be printing on it...and painting, drawing and stitching...because why not?! :)
Also it should be noted that my printer is nothing fancy...just a little Canon inkjet...MP990...from years ago...it's very forgiving of all the experiments I put it through!
The name Sophie was painted in watercolour on a watercolour pad, then scanned and digitised and printed onto the Kraft-Tex so I could neaten it up and size it any which way. The border around where the address will go was one I've drawn in fine-liner in a sketch book previously, digitised and coloured then ink jet printed. I tested out a bunch of colour swatches on the side from the printer...and also from my watercolours...but eventually settled on soft grey as the only colour I would actually paint directly onto the Kraft-Tex with. The top photo shows that painting...and then I couldn't resist some polka-dots in pen as well. I cut out this scallop shape to eventually seal up the envelope along with some stitching.
The Kraft-Tex I found came in a 48cm x 140cm roll (approx). I rolled it out and flattened and then cut rough A4 shapes that I could feed through the printer. I added little strips to the sides of the A4 sheets to make the envelope slightly wider and longer in order to fit the contents...and sewed these kinda patchwork style onto the edges with a sewing machine. The little arrows were drawn by me then printed on. The more I handled it the more wrinkled/softer it became which I liked. It reminded me a little of leather with the soft creases and increased pliability.
This is it almost finished. It'll be interested to see how it fares in the postage system...but it's pretty tough (and apparently washable...though I guess it depends how you would decorate it!) Next time I would probably mess with some stamps...I am really craving making some zippered pouches with it too! I wish I could send every parcel this way :)
Have you tried it yet?!
Click through to visit my store where you'll fine 8x10 prints for littles and bigs! The design of the above envelope was based on the print on the far right :)
If you were on my mailing list this week you would've gotten this watercolour print (and matching desktop wallpaper) to download for keeps. Follow the link if you want to be on the list for next time :)