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How-to: Metal Stamping 201 // *fml! Necklace

September 17, 2012 3 Comments

Last week, I shared a metal stamping 101 tutorial and video showing you guys the basics of how to stamp metal. Since making that video, I’ve gotten to practice my stamping a little more and have a few tips for making your metal stamping even better using office supplies most people have around the house.

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

Supplies

ImpressArt metal stamping kit

metal piece/medium to stamp on

sturdy work table

masking tape

ruler/measuring tape with metric system (mm, in particular) markings

marker

ball point pen

paper towel

ear protection (optional)

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

Directions

Gather all of your supplies and the letters you’ll need for your project. Place your metal medium onto the steel block and center it. Use some pieces of masking tape lined up parallel to the top and bottom of your steel block to not only secure your metal piece, but also to provide a straight line to help keep your stamps straight.

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

On the bottom piece of tape, mark every 5mm. On each cm mark, I used a permanent marker, and for every 5mm (1/2 cm), I used a ball point pen. I used the two pen types for the markings to make my life a little easier while stamping.

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

When you’re ready to stamp, gather your stamps in the order in which they’ll be stamped. I guess I worked on this necklace when I was in a grumpy mood, so I made a *fml! necklace. Metal stamping is super therapeutic if you’re grumpy. I recommend considering ear protection while you metal stamp because I definitely got sensitive to the noise after awhile.

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

Start from the middle of your design. Ensuring your stamps are right side up, place your stamp in the middle of the metal piece, right above the middle line. Align the stamp and swiftly pound into it with the kit’s hammer. For a refresher on what this looks like, check out my Metal Stamping 101 video on YouTube.

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

Working outward toward the edges of your design, stamp the next letters. In the FML necklace, that’s F and L. The hardest part is getting them the same distance from each side of the M, and also getting them straight. My biggest tip is to take the time to get everything lined up before hammering because it’s not like you can press the delete key on stamped metal :).

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

When everything is stamped, you can use a marker, as I did in the metal stamping 101 video, to make your stamps pop. Basically, you color over it and rub off the excess ink before it’s dry to get the effect you see here. If you have any questions, leave a comment and I’ll be happy to answer it!

How-to: Metal Stamping 201 | HandsOccupied.com

The kit featured in this tutorial was provided by ImpressArt. Click to learn where to get a kit like this for yourself.

Filed Under: DIY Style, How-to, Metal Stamping Tagged With: 201, diy, fml, impressart, kit, metal stamping, necklace, tag, tape

About Heidi

Heidi Gustad is a craft book author, designer & creator specializing in yarn crafts like knitting, crochet, latch hook & macramé. Her first book, Latch Hook: 12 Projects for the Modern Maker, is out now.

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Comments

  1. Percy

    June 10, 2013 at 10:46 pm

    This is the best metal stamping tutorial I’ve ever seen! thanks so much for sharing. Do you sell your jewelry anywhere? I’ll be in the Chicago area in a few months and would love to check out your collection. Thanks again!!!

    Reply
    • Heidi

      June 11, 2013 at 8:45 am

      Nope, I don’t sell any crafts anywhere, I exclusively blog about crafts & write original tutorials. I’m glad you enjoyed this post! Thanks!

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. 12 Terrific DIY Metal Stamped Pendants - i can make says:
    February 28, 2014 at 12:07 am

    […] a little more, shall we say, cheeky?  Try this ‘fml’ pendant from Hands […]

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Heidi Gustad from Hands Occupied / Craft Book Author and Knitting, Crochet, Latch Hook and Macrame Designer

Hi! I’m Heidi (she/her/hers), a craft book author & pattern designer specializing in knitting, crochet, latch hook & macrame. Really anything with yarn! ❤️  My work combines vintage and modern design elements, featuring bold colors and graphic motifs.

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If only knitting a whole project took 39 seconds… 😮‍💨 
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In this video, you can see how the Intarsia Flower Pillow pattern knits up - two flat panels, one with intarsia, both are blocked, and then they’re seamed. Find the pattern on @hi.ravelry & my website, just search Intarsia Flower Pillow. 🌸 
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P.S. I’m really smiling in this video while seaming the pillow, so I guess I’m proving last week’s claim that I truly enjoy that sometimes-dreaded task. 😆🫣
In knitting, a Left Lifted Increase (LLI) lets you In knitting, a Left Lifted Increase (LLI) lets you add a stitch in between two columns of stitches that leans to the left. Similar to an M1L, LLIs allow you to increase nearly invisibly.
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To learn more about lifted increases, including when to use them and how they differ from Make 1s, head to the 🔗 in my profle. 
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Have you ever used lifted increases? I used M1’s almost exclusively for a long time when I needed to inc between stitches, but when I designed the Intarsia Flower Pillow pattern, I needed something that would allow me to increase a lot near my cast on, and M1’s resulted in edge curling. The more you know! 🌈 
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Yarn: @lionbrandyarn Wool Ease from my Stash / Neddles: @boyeyarncrafts - Just remembered these are the needles I learned to knit on at age 8. 😂
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Last week I got to hang out with my family & helpe Last week I got to hang out with my family & helped babysit my red-headed niece and nephew. So here’s some plane knitting, and a couple pictures (shared with permission) of my babysitting adventures.
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Lessons learned: 1️⃣ Trying to knit around 2 toddlers, 2 cats & 2 large dogs is pretty hard. 2️⃣ I learned during water color time that pink and black make “colorful black.” 🩷🖤 3️⃣ Toddlers do NOT care about your rainbow sorting of their toys. 4️⃣ Toddlers are very good at finding mischief in a very short amount of time, what a surprise. 😂
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Weaving in ends & seaming with mattress stitch are Weaving in ends & seaming with mattress stitch are both so useful for garment knitting! But for me, weaving in ends can feel like a chore while the latter feels like I’ve successfully done magic. 🧙🏻‍♀️ Does anybody else run into this phenomenon? Are you the opposite? Any theories as to why they feel different? 
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In this video, I’m finishing my brand new Intarsia Flower Pillow. 🌸 I’m working with @universal_yarn Uni Merino & the pattern is available at the 🔗 in my b1o. 
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I independently released a knitting pattern today, I independently released a knitting pattern today, my first in 5 years! The Intarsia Flower Pillow is a 16” (40cm) round pillow knit with an intentional combination of intarsia, stockinette, garter and seed stitch. This pillow has everything you need to level up your intarsia technique while also knitting something you can use. 
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This pillow allows you to practice knitting intarsia while simultaneously increasing and decreasing. The Intarsia Flower Pillow pattern was designed to be a little knit-nerdy for learning and a little cute, arming you with many of the skills you'd need to knit an intarsia sweater. 
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Intarsia Flower Pillow is available in the Hands Occupied Sh0p and on @hi.ravelry . You can read more about the pattern on the bl0g, the🔗 are where you’d think.
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YARN: @universal_yarn Uni Merino in Antiquity, Fjord and Conch / NEEDLES: US 2 (2.75 mm) / PATTERN: Intarsia Flower Pillow by Heidi Gustad
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