There are a few products out there that are so…WOW…that you just have to try them out for yourself. The i-Top custom brad maker is one of those tools! I’m a fabric gal from WAY back, and I just LOVE making custom buttons from scraps…but brads? WAH?
Small brad daddies, the i-top, and punch
Yes, it’s true. This fabulous little do-hicky makes paper- or fabric-covered brads for use in scrapbooks, card making, altered arts, and yes, even fabric crafts, and it does it in three sizes, 16mm, 22mm, and 28mm. (The tool comes equipped with the 16mm and 22mm heads in the package, but the 28mm one comes as a separate purchase.) I also found out that in addition to brads, there are MAGNETS you can make, as well. Wow.
So here’s how it goes: you select your paper, lightweight cardstock, or thin fabric, and you trace out the shape using a template. (Or you an splurge and buy the punches- I recommend that if you don’t dig cutting out those little pointy bits.)
Then you place your paper and the top of the blank in the tool and SQUEEEEEZE. It forces the paper around the cap part. Then you tuck the little tabs into the cap with your finger. You put the bottom part of the blank into the tool (the one that has the paper-fastener-looking thingy) and give another squeeze. Out pops the brad!
I tried it out using copier-weight scrapbooking paper, cardstock, and fabric. The paper and fabric I tried were AWESOME- no problems at all. The cardstock I used in the above photo was a little stiff and left some crinkly lines around the edges. In this next series of photos, you’ll see how I used a color copy of a photo:
I used the punch to cut out the face in the middle.
I made a 28MM brad with it.
Attached to an art doll a friend made for me!
I think this gizmo it pretty cool- I REALLY love it with fabric, too:
Fabric-covered brad on a yo-yo hairclip!
But don’t just take MY word for it- here’s a little video from Sarah Moore at CraftCritique.com-she LOVED it:
And here’s one more little tag pocket I made with it:
So- do you have one? Do you want one? They’ve got them at a great price over at ConsumerCrafts.com! Happy Crafting!
6. April 2010 at 9:32 pm
I had no success with my ITop until I found your site. You did a MUCH better job illustrating how to use the I top than their spokeswoman did..Thank you!
7. April 2010 at 3:55 pm
Wow! Thanks for the complement, really!
15. May 2011 at 5:42 pm
Incredible, this is precisely what I was searching for! Your article just spared me alot of digging around
I’ll make sure to put this in good use! Tweeted for the awesome content