Grids can be used to make beautiful Lacework on Parchment paper. There are different sorts of grids available, some are just a plain series of holes in either a straight or diagonal pattern. These can be used with a pattern to create borders and lace. Other grids such as Multi Grids or Siesta Grids have motifs and designs cut into the metal and can provide inspiration for your cards and projects.
If you are a beginner -building a collection parchment craft tools and equipment you may be looking at grids, wondering whether you need them or even how to use them. I hope this blog will help.
Traditional grids
The modern grids are steel whereas the original grids were ‘wire mesh’ enclosed within a plastic frame. The tools designed for the mesh grids are the ‘Diamond’ perforating tool and ‘Triangle’ perforating tool and also the ‘Arrow’ perforating tool. The mesh grids sometimes called ‘Easy Grids’ are no longer sold by Pergamano and are not easy to find, but sometimes you can buy these second hand or on sale. They will of course be mentioned in the older patterns but you should be able to replace them with a steel grid.
Pergamano Easy Grid
Pergamano Multi-Grids
Pergamano – Multi Grids are a series of stainless steel designer grids. They are A5 in size with one exception, grid no 28 is A4 size.
New to grids?
Types of Pergamano Multi-Grids
Pergamano plain, non-themed Multi Grids
A Pergamano Diagonal Grid has holes offset at 60degrees, the equivalent PCA grid would be the Honeycomb grid.
How to use Pergamano Multi -Grids
- Attach parchment paper to the grid with removable magic tape or masking tape.
- Place the grid on an embossing mat and emboss where required. Pergamano recommend that the Stainless Steel ball tools are used on the Multi Grids: Fine Stylus 10032 and Extra Small Ball Tool 10072. If no embossing is required go to step 3.
- Turn the Multi-Grid over, with parchment still attached, change the mat to a deeper perforating mat and perforate the pattern using a single needle tool 10241.
- Remove the the parchment paper from the grid and using parchment scissors or Perga Cutters cut out the perforations where necessary.
If this method does not work for you take the parchment off the grid after embossing, turn it over so that the right side is facing you and carefully match the embossing pattern up so that your perforations will be in the right place. Fix the parchment down on the grid with tape, make sure you have changed to a perforating pad and perforate where required.
PCA – Parchcraft Australia – FlexiDuo Grids
PCA HONEYCOMB GRIDS
How to use PCA grids
- Place an A4 perforating mat on the table.
- Place a tumble drier cloth on the perforating mat (optional) Tip – the tumble drier cloth lubricates the perforating tools so they don’t ‘stick’
- Place the FlexiDuo Grid on the top
- Place the parchment paper on the grid ‘right side up’
- Perforate with either a Unibold or a Unifine according to your grid and pattern.
Tip – make a little sample (one pattern repeat) of your design on scrap parchment, then you can use this to mark, perforate or check the holes are in the right places as you move through the pattern.
Embossing Dots on a PCA grid
- If your pattern requires embossing and perforating it is usually best to emboss before you do perforations, but follow your pattern instructions for best results. The parchment paper should be ‘front side down’ if you are embossing dots.
- Use an embossing ball tool slightly larger than the holes in the grid. (small ball for bold, micro ball for fine)
- You can emboss dots with the grid on a hard surface (no mat)
Siesta – Designer Grids
Siesta Designer Grids, Medium Grids and Small and Large Grids and Ruler Grids are also made from steel. The small and large grids come with a free perforating mat. The Ruler Grids come in a range of designs for making easy borders. The designer grids enable you to decorate parchment paper with motifs, borders, frames, corner embellishments and more. The Medium Grids have a range of flower motifs and patterns for a fan.
Most Popular Grids
From the sales at our online store the most popular Pergamano MultiGrid is no 4, the plain straight grid, also no 34Reindeer and 35 Ice crystals.
This beautiful card was made using Multi Grid 34 Reindeer
The most popular PCA grid is the Bold Straight.
The most popular Siesta Grid is the Christmas grid featured above and also Medium Grid no 10 below:
Tools required for Grids
Single needle tools can be used on all grids. It is best to stick to PCA tools on PCA grids and Pergamano tools on Pergamano grids. 2 Needle tools and 4 Needle tools can be used on some Multi Grids.
Parchcraft Australia (PCA) recommend a list of multi needle tools that can be used on PCA Honeycomb Grid and a list of tools that can be used with the PCA straight and diagonal grids
List of Books and a DVD that help
Grid and Lace Work DVD is an excellent instructional DVD by Christine Coleman -learn how to use PCA grids while completing several projects.
Best of the Best 2 GridWork by Kannikar Sukseree – a collection of gridwork designs to use in your projects
Handbook of Parchment Craft Basics by Tina Cox and Linda Williams – How to use the Pergamano Multi Grids
Parchment Craft the Techniques Volume 6 – using the mesh grids and Pergamano Multi Grids
Many people say that gridwork is their favourite part of parchment craft – please leave a comment and tell me what you think.