In my March 2013 Catch-up
post, I mentioned that I had used a glass-headed pin to perforate the wedding
card I made, and had, “managed perfectly well”. I’d like to place emphasis on
the word ‘managed’. Since making that card, I’ve realised that the use of a
glass-headed pin as an improvised perforating tool is fine short-term, but not
when one intends to make several cards. Therefore, I followed the suggestion on
the Stitching Cards website and
treated myself to a Pergamano single needle perforating tool (Product-ID: 10241), plus Pergamano extra-large perforating pad (Product-ID: 31417).
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| Pergamano single needle perforating tool |
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| Pergamano perforating pad |
I am utterly delighted with both items, as they have made such a
positive difference to the perforating process. The perforating tool is similar
to a soft-grip pen, which is ideal for designs that consist of many
perforations. The needle is finer and sharper than that of a glass-headed pin
(almost like a hypodermic needle), meaning that the perforations are smaller.
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| Pergamano single needle perforating tool |
The left leaf shape in the image below was perforated with a
glass-headed pin, whilst the one on the right was perforated with the Pergamano single needle perforating tool.
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| Perforation comparison |
The Pergamano perforating pad
I purchased measures 23.5 x 33.5 cm, with a depth of 0.8 cm. It is made from
sturdy foam, which means that when it’s in use, it not only offers cushioning,
but stability too. My only criticism is that it attracts the slightest speck of
dust (and whatever else) like a magnet.
Finally, the third item I treated myself to was an Extra Strong Permanent Glue Tape Pen by Crafter’s Companion, which is, “acid-free and archival safe”. I
bought it because I’d run out of the double-sided finger-lift tape I normally
use.
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| Crafter's Companion Extra-Strong Permanent Glue Tape Pen |
The
appearance of the dispenser (I mean ‘pen’) gives the impression that it’s
refillable; it’s not, but at a cost of £2.99 for 22m (72 feet) of glue, it’s an
absolute bargain! Unlike double-sided finger-lift tape, there’s no having to
search for scissors, or make endless trips to the bin to dispose of strips of
wax-like backing paper because there is none. With the double-fold cards I use,
the Crafter’s Companion glue pen
seems to do a considerably better job of sticking the two sides of card
together. What I’ve yet to establish is how well it works with Aida fabric.
3 comments:
Wow, excellent product reviews! That perforating tool looks like a neat craft tool to have generally. The comparison shot is absolutely amazing, and I bet the back of the holes must be a little bit smoother and even too :)
This is a really interesting technique. I've never tried anything like this before, but saw someone doing it once when we visited Kings Landing (a historical site that has volunteers playing the roles of the people during that time). This is all great info and you may have persuaded me to add another technique on my list of things to do. :) Great post!
Aurelia & Karen - Thank you ladies!
The perforating tool really has made the process of pricking holes so much easier, and I wouldn't be without it now.
In my opinion, stitching directly on to card can be a lot of fun, so I would certainly recommend it. Once one has mastered the hang of it, it takes very little time to stitch a design. From start to finish, a simple design can easily be stitched within a day.
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