If you've got a bag of fabric scraps that keeps growing faster than you can use them up, this tutorial is for you. I show how to turn those leftover bits — including ribbons, lace, shiny mesh, and odd fabric oddments — into finished embellishments for junk journals and mixed-media projects, all without die cuts or any special tools beyond what most crafters already have.
What we cover
Starting from a hand-drawn template on plain paper, we walk through the full process of layering fabric scraps onto a shape, sewing or gluing them in place, backing the piece with card stock, and finishing the edges with ink and a lighter. The tutorial covers multiple shape options — circles, trees, butterflies, mushrooms, hearts, and tags — and shows both sewing-machine and no-sew approaches throughout.
What you'll learn
How to draw and transfer a shape template without die cuts, including:
- Freehand drawing directly on plain paper with a Sharpie or bleed-through marker
- Using household objects (cups, plates) as guides for circles and regular shapes
- Folding paper in half to draw and cut a perfectly symmetrical heart
- Making a reusable cereal-box template for repeat shapes
How to cover a shape with fabric scraps, including:
- Laying pieces randomly for an organic, patchwork look
- Laying strips in straight lines for a more structured, striped effect
- Choosing a "focal point" fabric — something with a bit of shine or texture — to anchor the composition
How to secure fabric layers with a sewing machine, including:
- Using a zigzag stitch to lock down fabric edges before cutting
- Using a straight stitch to sew the backing edge after the card stock is applied
- Navigating wiggly, intricate outlines (like tree branches) versus simple shapes where sewing is straightforward
How to secure fabric layers without a sewing machine — applying glue all the way to the edges of every piece so nothing lifts once the stitching isn't there to hold it
How to back a fabric shape with card stock or a file folder — gluing the finished fabric piece face-down onto card stock, sewing or gluing the edges, then cutting the excess away to leave a clean, finished reverse side
How to finish and seal the edges, including:
- Inking edges with an ink pad to blend visible cardboard and unify the piece
- Trimming frayed fabric threads after cutting
- Singeing edge fibres lightly with a lighter for a clean, fray-free finish (with the caveat that this step can simply be skipped)
How to embellish completed shapes, including:
- Removing the shank from shank buttons so they sit flat, then gluing them with hot glue
- Adding sequins, gold stickers, lace, and ribbon as finishing details
- Deciding when to add extra embellishments before gluing the shape down to its backing versus after
How shapes can be used in a finished journal, including:
- As a focal point or embellishment on a journal cover
- As a journaling spot inside a journal
- As a tuck spot or pocket element on a page
Tips & gotchas
Use a marker that bleeds through to the other side of your paper — you need the outline visible on both sides, first to know how much fabric to cover, then to know where to cut. Plain paper works well for this; card stock won't let the marker bleed through, so skip it at the drawing stage.
Before you take a piece to the sewing machine, hold it up against a window. You'll immediately see any gaps where the design is showing through and can add a scrap of fabric to cover it. Much easier to catch this now than after sewing.
You don't need to sew the outermost edges of your fabric layout — all of that will be cut away. Focus your sewing on the edges that fall within the final cut line.
If you're working without a sewing machine, glue is your only structural element, so be thorough: spread it all the way to the edge of every piece. A brush helps here — especially with thin or sheer fabrics where a heavy application of glue can bleed through and show as a stain on the front.
When fussy-cutting intricate shapes like trees or butterflies, keep your scissors relatively still and move the piece with your other hand. It gives you much more control than chasing the outline with moving scissors.
If you want to add small embellishments — a button, a piece of lace, a ribbon detail — think about whether they should go on before you glue the shape to its backing. It's much harder to add things cleanly once the piece is already glued down.
To remove the shank from a plastic shank button, use whatever tool is to hand and snap it off. Metal shanks are harder to remove and may not be worth the effort. Once the back is flat, hot glue holds the button securely.
The lighter step — singeing frayed edges — works quickly and gives a very neat result, but it genuinely needs care. A light, fast pass is all it takes. If you'd rather not use a flame near your fabric pieces, just skip it; trimming the threads before inking gets you most of the way there.
A single-fabric piece in a rich, deep red reads completely differently from a boho layered circle with gold and lace. The technique is the same; the character comes entirely from what's in your scrap box. Which is probably why this is one of those projects that doesn't really end — you make a piece, you trim your fabrics, you make more scraps, and there's another reason to sit down at the table again.
