Velvet Embossing Instructions

You can achieve the luxurious look of crushed velvet with the simple process of velvet embossing!!

The proper velvets are a rayon/acetate blend, rayon/silk blend, or 100% rayon.  We carry all the varieties so that we have the color selection.  Every variety has different colors, and of course, we have to have them all!!

***Not all velvets, even with the contents listed above, are manufactured the same way.  Some 100% rayons will work, and others will burn and melt (we learned that the hard way).  If you do not purchase your velvet from us, be sure to look for the company names of J.B. Martin or Wimpfheimer American Velvet Company.

With your iron on cotton and dry, place rubber stamp wood side down on a hard surface.  Place velvet plush side down onto the stamp.  Lightly spritz water onto the back of the velvet--do not drown the velvet.  Place iron onto the velvet firmly and hold 10-30 seconds depending on the size of the stamp.  You may lift the iron to check on your progress.  On larger stamps you will need to lift and replace down the iron in two or three different sections of the stamp to make sure there are no steam holes on your project.  When you can see the outline of your image through the back of the velvet and all your water is dry, you are done.

If you are planning to do garments or home decor items, be sure to cut your pattern out before you do your embossing.  This way you will not end up with all your images in the seams, or with images placed where you would rather not have them.  Your item can then be sewn together.  Velvet is dry clean only and your images will stay in through dry cleaning!

Continued Instructions for Cards:

Color can also be added to any color of velvet with the use of pigment ink (ColorBox, Fabrico, Encore, etc).  Ink your stamp exactly the way you would to do normal stamping.  Lay the velvet plush side down on to the stamp and DO NOT SPRITZ THE BACK OF THE VELVET.  Spritzing causes the ink to run.  Continue with the above process.

Peel'n'Stick is the product used to back your velvet images.  Peel'n'Stick is an extremely sticky double-sided sheet that serves two purposes for the velvet.  First of all, it keeps the velvet from fraying as you cut out your image.  Secondly, you peel the back sheet off of the Peel'n'Stick and mount your image to your cardstock. 

Cut any excess velvet off before mounting  onto Peel'n'Stick.  Do not cut too close to the edge of your design.  Peel off the printed side of the Peel'n'Stick and place your image on the sheet.  After the velvet image is on the Peel'n'Stick, you are ready to do the detail cutting.  When doing your detail cutting, stay 1/16-1/8 of an inch out from the edge of the design.  If you cut too close to the edge of your embossing, you will lose the luminous effect of velvet embossing.

Peel off the back of the Peel'n'Stick and put your image onto your card.  If there is not a score line (and small pieces will not have score lines), carefully score the back with a scissors.  This will give you an opening on the Peel'n'Stick.

***You must, must have Peel'n'Stick.  There is no way you will achieve the looks we have achieved if you try to skimp and not use Peel'n'Stick.

***Note:  Because white, ivory, and pastel velvets are thinner, mount them on white or a similar colored cardstock so you under colors do not show through.  Also, if you are going to be using a very dark or bright pattern paper under your velvet image, you will want to mount any color of velvet on cardstock just to make sure your pattern does not show through.