Cutting leaves of silk organza - Help

Jul 24, 2006 5 Replies

I have a project that requires several hundred actual-size tree leaves cut out of silk-organza and I need help producing them.



Of course I can cut them all by hand but that would be terribly labor-intensive and I fear having to deal with raveling of the cut edges.



It would seem it would be better if they were heat-cut than scissors cut, but how???



Questions??


  1. Are there any sources I might check for precut, stock leaves?


  1. Have you every attempted to heat cut silk organza? I had thought to try something like a hot cookie cutter.

  2. Do you know of any laser cutting services that would do this small order?


  1. Do you know of any laser cutting machines for home use?



If you are really using silk rather than poly organza, heat cutting will be no help in preventing ravelling. For heat to work it requires the fabric to melt, which silk doesn't. They would still have to be cut one at a time, too...

For speed you could get them die cut if you could find a place with thr right ready made die.

This may be a totally stupid suggestion...but I keep thinking of all the artificial "trees" that interior decorators use. Perhaps a manufacturer could be persuaded to sell the desired quantity of leaves, unattached.

Doreen in Alabama

That was kind of my thought... A "silk" bush or stems of "silk" leaves... All of the crafts stores are just starting to bring in the fall color ones... Really bright orange and gold "oak" and "maple" leaves are here... but they aren't organza...

Cappy

Just a thought Cappy------I have not tried it but can you Iron on something like wonder-under to the yardage back and then cut?? It will trap the fibres so they do not fray, and will sheer enough that you will not notice it on the back of the leaf......

Pat

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