Uses for Parchment Craft

Beginners in parchment craft usually start with creating greeting cards, but the stiff, opaque parchment paper lends itself to several other uses. You can make bookmarks, trinket or favor boxes, raised decoupage, framed pictures and even lampshades using parchment craft.


Basic Techniques

The first parchment craft technique for beginners to learn is embossing. Once you trace the chosen design, usually with either white ink or pencil, you dry emboss the parchment paper with a dedicated embossing tool which has a blunt, ball-shaped tip. Use short, flicking strokes to create a soft, feathered effect.
Following basic embossing and shading of the outlines in the design, you can use more advanced techniques to perforate, cut or color the paper with oil pastels. Painting, dabbing and stenciling are all applicable to parchment paper.
Beginners usually start with tracing and embossing and gradually add more complex techniques as their skills progress.

Basic Tools

An array of different tools are applicable for use in parchment craft, all designed to do different tasks, from basic, ball-ended embossing tools which come in a variety of sizes, to perforating tools with several needles and special scissors or cutters to create lacy effects. You can use grids, which consist of wire mesh frames, to evenly perforate patterns in the paper for easier cutting techniques.
To make embossing and perforating possible it's necessary to use a padded mat under the work. This gives a firm but yielding surface for both the bruising effect of embossing and the stabbing action of the perforating needles. Specialist mats are available but other household items can work just as well.