A Guide to Vellum Paper Crafts
Posted by Sophie on 8th Sep 2021
A Guide to Vellum Paper Crafts: 3 Crafts Projects You Can Try
Vellum is a wonderful paper material that adds softness and depth to your invites and greeting cards. Learn how to use it in your DIY projects with this vellum paper crafts guide.
Seasoned crafters know that vellum can completely elevate the look and feel of your invites and greeting cards. This translucent paper, which resembles frosted glass, is a favourite among stationers to add layers to invitations and create the illusion of softness and fragility. Many people also know it as tracing paper or see-through paper.
What Is Vellum?
Vellum traces its origins to parchment sourced from calfskin in ancient Egypt and Babylon, where it was used for writing and printing, scrolls and single pages. Thankfully, modern “paper vellum” is now made from cotton rag fibres and can be found in art and drafting supply stores.
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Vellum paper has a smooth, almost plastic-like texture — but it does not have any plastic. And while it looks delicate, vellum paper is surprisingly durable, so much so that it can be written and printed on with no problems.
Vellum Crafting Ideas
Now for the fun part. Vellum paper is a versatile stationery product often associated with wedding invitations (at least in the crafting world), but it goes well with just about any project.
At The Paperbox, we recommend using our vellum paper for these crafting projects.
1.Adding Layers to Your Paper Crafts
Vellum paper allows you to add depth or dimensions to your greeting cards, invites and save-the-dates without adding bulk or weight.
In the place card project below, we use trimmed vellum paper as a dreamy overlay card set against one of our Pine Green Flat Sheet Place Cards and held in place by a wax seal. Simple but far more interesting than an ordinary place card.
2.Vellum Wrap
We like using vellum as wrapping paper to keep the card and all inserts together; we then wrap each invitation set with twine and seal it with a wax seal before sliding it into an envelope. This makes your invitation feel more like a present than a regular card.
3.Belly Band
If wrapping your invitations with vellum paper feels a little too much, why not go with an understated vellum belly band instead?
If you’re sending invitations, you can print or hand-letter the names of your guests on the front of the belly band for that personalised touch.
Things to Remember When Using Vellum Paper
Vellum can be a challenging material to work with if you handle it incorrectly or use the wrong tools. Here are a few things to remember when using it in your projects.
- Wash Your Hands: Vellum has a habit of absorbing oil from your hands, which can leave smudges and blemishes on the paper’s surface. Wash your hands before handling vellum and after using any glue.
- Give It Time to Dry: Vellum’s plasticky texture can often lead to ink taking longer to dry. Whether you’re using a printer or lettering by hand, be sure to give it extra time for drying.
- Use the Right Glue and Adhesive: The less-porous surface of vellum paper doesn’t work well with wet glue. We recommend using acid-free glue sticks and applying the glue in a hidden area. We like using wax seals because it looks clean and adheres to vellum perfectly.
- Use an X-Acto Knife: Or a very sharp pair of scissors. Vellum is deceptively thick and can dull your scissors faster than ordinary paper.
At The Paperbox, we offer a range of vellum paper, available in different colours and hues. Be sure to explore our selection of greeting card supplies, card blanks, envelopes and accessories. Shop now and get free UK shipping on all orders over £3.50.