Kuchi Koo Take Two - Stenciled Bracelet - for the Artist Tribe

Kuchi Koo Take Two!

The Artist Tribe is featuring Kuchi Patches from Gwen Lafleur's shop. I've already featured one, a small round one, in a fiber art brooch. (Interested? Click here.)

Look at this beauty! The color. The design. The geometry. I was smitten, but couldn't decide what
to do with it. 

That is until the day I looked up from what I was doing and saw this. The color of the Strathmore Printmaking paper cover was a perfect match. I had been saving it because, well, it's good paper and I keep such things to reuse. Also on my desk that day, was an empty cardboard roll which had been relieved of its duct tape. 

I cut the paper half an inch wider than the cardboard roll. You may want to leave 3/4 of an inch to make putting it together a little easier. 

Using a ruler, mark a quarter inch from the edge on the back side. Then using a paper punch for making tiny holes pierce the paper every quarter inch along the line. 

Now for the fun! 

I chose Gwen's stencil Art Deco Borders Stencil because I felt it would echo the angles of the kuchi patch. I lined the stencil up with the edge of the paper and applied black acrylic paint. This was where I had to make some additional design decisions. The paper was very porous and so I did not get a clean transfer. What I got was a lot of bleed. No matter, there are ways to address this. 

Next, I used the middle element and used a prismacolor marker that picked up some of the colors of the kuchi patch. 

The results looked like this. 

So far I was loving it but wanted more. Turning the paper over, I added the original stencil using black to the other side. I think you can see some of the bleed here. Next, I went in with gel pens in a contrasting color and went through the stencil again.

Here you can see the result of using the stencil in two different colors and styles and four colors of accent gel pen. 

Before attaching it to the cardboard, I checked the kuchi against the paper. When I was happy with the results I added a layer of gel medium to protect the paper. I cut a piece of felt for the interior of the circle, lined up the paper and the felt and sewed them in place using red embroidery floss using a blanket stitch. 

Remember the raffia I bought at the Bonzai supply store and used in my Welcome Wall Hanging? It was a perfect color to use on this project. Taking four strands, braid a long piece, tie off and sew to the edge of one side. Repeat for the other side. 

Here it is! I can't decide whether to trim back the raffia. What do you think? 

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Products needed for this project:

Kuchi Patch

Art Deco Border Stencil

Empty roll of Duct Tape

Cover from Strathmore paper or paper of your choice

Acrylic paint in colors that complement your Kuchi Patch

Gel pens 

Gel medium

Piece of felt

Embroidery floss

Raffia

Love those Kuchi Patches? There is still time to cash in on the sale. 

and Gwen's having a Birthday Sale! 
Check in on October 30 - 31.