Shamrocks Dozen Stitched A7 Card

Choose twelve favorite St. Patrick's theme 

or green paper prints, arrange in shaded order, 

then attach center creases to the front card overlay 

matching stitching holes of each. 

With needle and twine or perle cotton, stitch the shamrocks 

in place for a dimensional card like no other. 

Measures approx. 5x7 when top-fold closed. 

ASSEMBLY: 1. Identify and cut the shapes:
card base, front panel with needle holes,
12 shamrocks with center needle holes

Prior to cutting the shamrocks, it may be helpful

to collect, select and order the paper prints.

Below is the group used for the model,

graded light (left) to dark (right).

Comparing the prints to the layout above,

you can see that they were positioned roughly

from light at upper left corner to dark at lower

right corner.

2. Prepare the 12 shamrocks by bending

forward along the center perforation marks

and stitching holes.

3. Thread a 28" length of "thread" onto the finest
blunt tapestry-style needle that will accept it.
(The model uses no. 3 perle cotton. Other choices
include 6-ply embroidery floss or soft twine.)
Anchor the tail on the backside of the center panel
behind the upper left corner.

4. Apply adhesive to the backside of the first

shamrock on the ridge of the crease ONLY . . .

. . . then position it on the center panel with
the needle holes of each lined up - top hole
of shamrock at top hole of panel column,
and glue in place.

5. Insert the needle and thread up through the top

hole, push needle through completely,

and draw thread through completely,

pulling up all slack (here and throughout).

Insert the needle down into the next needle hole

in sequence to complete the first stitch.

Then repeat to complete the four stitched

contained in the shamrock.

6. Complete the in-between stitch below the first
shamrock.

7. Repeat the gluing and positioning step
for the second shamrock,
then repeat the stitching steps to attach it,
and the in-between stitch.

8. Position and stitch the third shamrock in
the first column in place in similar fashion.
9. Continue the assembly by working UP
 the next column . . . 

. . . positioning and stitching as before.

Here you can see that the thread was brought
across the space in between the first and
second columns on the backside of the card.

10. Continue to position and attach the shamrocks

in the same manner, moving across the top

to begin the third column, then across the bottom

to begin the final column.

The final stitch will take the needle and thread

to the panel backside.

11. Clip excess thread leaving a 1" tail . . .

. . . which is anchored in place with a small piece

of cellophane tape.

12. To ensure that the dimension is maintained,

pull the sides of the shamrocks upward slightly.

13. Position and attach the front panel assembly

onto the front panel of the card base,

leaving equal offset margin all around.

Here is the completed card.