Thursday Tip: Don't Be a-FRAYED!

 Hello, crafty friends!
Have you noticed that burlap is everywhere these days? You'll find it on all kinds of home decor pieces, banners, cards, gifts, and much more. It adds a natural, informal texture to your projects.

But if you've ever worked with burlap, you know that by its nature, it FRAYS. Sometimes the fraying is a good thing. In fact, sometimes you WANT the burlap to fray along the edges to create a fringe.

 You can even intentionally fray the edges of burlap, then tie the fibers to create cute table runners that won't completely unravel before dinnertime! :)

But at other times, fraying is not such a good thing. If you want to die cut burlap into shapes, the fraying will make you crazy! Take a look at my pitiful die cut flower, which was fraying at such a rate that it soon became a weirdly warped circle!

Turns out that, with a little advance planning, fraying is easily managed with a handy product called Multi Medium Matte. It has the look and consistency of a thick white glue but dries perfectly clear. It has a multitude of uses -- and it prevents burlap from fraying!

Put a small amount of Multi Medium Matte into a bowl and add just a tiny bit of water to thin it. 

 Place your burlap on a splat mat. (I was working in my kitchen so grabbed a piece of waxed paper.) Paint one side of the burlap with the Multi Medium Matte. That's all there is to it! (Remember to clean your brush immediately.)

 

You could probably leave your burlap flat to dry, but I thought that hanging it would be a better option so air could flow through it. I hung it up overnight and it was ready the next morning for crafting! If overnight is not an option, I would allow at least 3 hours drying time.

 

 See how cleanly it cuts? No fraying at all!

I ran a small piece through my Big Shot and behold! It actually looks like a flower!!

The Multi-Medium Matte makes the burlap somewhat stiff, allowing you to easily ink it.

In addition to the Multi Medium Matte, we carry burlap in small pieces, rolled up and ready for crafting, so be sure to pick some up next time you're at Memory Bound. I hope you'll give this simple little trick a try!

Happy crafting!
Janet