Brads to be straight and even

[Chineseeyes]

Hi, Everyone
Hope you can help with this I have a ton of brads and eyeletts. They never come out even? on my cards and pages. Is there something I am doing wrong. Is there a tool. I do have a crop a dile for the eyeletts.
Thanks.

[bonapartelady]

I just use a piece of plastic canvas.....make a light pencil mark to mark your spots, then use a hole punch to cut.

[krystie lee]

I use the SU! mat pack. I use the grid to mark the holes so they're straight and evenly spaced.

Hth!

[steubner]

Originally Posted by krystie lee

I use the SU! mat pack. I use the grid to mark the holes so they're straight and evenly spaced.

Hth!

Ditto! Love that thing...best $10 I ever spent!

[isewquilts2]

Yup, I use the Stampin Up mat too. If you get small grid plastic canvas, it should do the trick for you. Just make sure the holes aren't too large.

[PattiLynn]

I'm going to go with the consensus....the SU Mat Pack is the best $10 you will ever spend!!!

[Yapha]

Originally Posted by krystie lee

I use the SU! mat pack. I use the grid to mark the holes so they're straight and evenly spaced.

Hth!

Doing this was one of the best pieces of advice I ever got! The mat pack (actually I have the Crafter's Tool Kit) and the Stamp-a-Ma-Jig are the two pieces of plastic that make the biggest difference in my stamping!

Yapha

[buggainok]

I'm jumping on the bandwagon for the Mat Pack, too. When I ordered it, I had some second thoughts about paying $10 for a piece of plastic with holes, but I have used it so much!

When I'm piercing holes of any kind, even if I'm not using the guide, the little foam mat and hard protective mat are such a handy size.

[Allistamps123]

I've had the mat pack for about a year...kind of forgot I had bought it and really didn't remember what it is for...all along I had trouble lining up brads and then about two months ago I realized what the mat pack was for and could have been saving myself lots of trouble..hmmmmmm.

[Gatomom]

Originally Posted by bonapartelady

I just use a piece of plastic canvas.....make a light pencil mark to mark your spots, then use a hole punch to cut.

I also use he plastic canvas but I use my piercing tool instead of a pencil.

[Cook22]

I use the Tim Holtz ruler with the holes in it, and a piercing tool. Variation on the same them as everyone else, really.

[cardsforacause]

I had this problem too until I recently ordered the Mat Pack from SU. What a difference, now I don't know what to do with all my cards with crooked brads!!

[bobkitten]

Make it another vote for the SU! mat pack!

[biblesistersmom]

The mat pack and the crop a dile. Love that little measuring thing on the crop a dile, although those holes are too big for brads.

I'm with the OP on all those old cards with crooked brads (or crooked anything). What to do with them?

[pammers]

I'm cracking up as I'm reading this thread...I have had a mat pack for about 2 years and just figured out this past summer how to use it as the measuring tool it was intended to be! I never paper pierced so I never did use the plastic grid until one day...the lightbulb came on! LOL!!!

[smitty2004]

Originally Posted by krystie lee

I use the SU! mat pack. I use the grid to mark the holes so they're straight and evenly spaced.

Hth!

amen! use it EVERYTIME! (you can tell when i rush and don't)
that little mat and grid are joined to me at the hip!

[bjaayoung]

I just got the mat pack too and use it every day!!!!

[jeannie barron]

Make it another vote for the SU! mat pack!

[stamphappy1650]

I use the mat pack also but my favorite tool is my C-Thru ruler. It has a grid that is great for alinging anything and they are inexpensive. I have 3 sizes but I use the small one most often.

[bb&kk]

I also use the SU! mat pac but when I misplace it I use the top holey perforated part of a SU! order form. Works great in a pinch and I have a bunch of those I can find.

[Joan B]

I just bought a large piece of canvas grid plastic -- about the size of a placemat for .59 at AC Moore. I am going to cut it up into some standard sizes I need to pierce holes.

I love the SU mat, but it isn't big enough to go around a card without moving it. So I am hoping this will be easier.

[TriboHearts]

I'm going to get the SU Mat Pack just as soon as I can, but until then I have been using a see-thru ruler. I mark the dots then punch them out with the smallest hole punch that I have.

Have a happy stamping day!

Trish in Wisconsin

[lbirus]

Originally Posted by pammers

I'm cracking up as I'm reading this thread...I have had a mat pack for about 2 years and just figured out this past summer how to use it as the measuring tool it was intended to be! I never paper pierced so I never did use the plastic grid until one day...the lightbulb came on! LOL!!!

I agree! It's such a fantastic tool but it should come with a users guide IMHO!! I'm sure there is even more I can do with it than I'm already doing. As it is I reach for it almost every time I stamp! And I agree with Joan, it should be the size of a standard card front!

[momis mama]

Originally Posted by lbirus

I agree! It's such a fantastic tool but it should come with a users guide IMHO!! I'm sure there is even more I can do with it than I'm already doing. As it is I reach for it almost every time I stamp! And I agree with Joan, it should be the size of a standard card front!

to the OP... YUP!! the mat pack is a MUST HAVE... for me anyway!


lbirus- you will prolly appreciate THIS then! i know i did! what a clever clever girl!

[psychkim]

How funny...I have had the SU mat pack since it came out but have never used it. I need to do some brads on my Christmas gifts that I am working on this week...guess I will get it out and try it

[Julie in Indy]

Originally Posted by bb&kk

I also use the SU! mat pac but when I misplace it I use the top holey perforated part of a SU! order form. Works great in a pinch and I have a bunch of those I can find.

This is what I do - thanks to my demo making the suggestion!

[QueenPam]

Ok! I am putting this on my list of things to buy thanks.Mat Pack.

[lbirus]

Originally Posted by momis mama

to the OP... YUP!! the mat pack is a MUST HAVE... for me anyway!


lbirus- you will prolly appreciate THIS then! i know i did! what a clever clever girl!

Wow Momis Momma you are right, I LOVE this! Like I said, more to do with that thing than I can imagine.
Thanks,
Lynn

[Barbarar20]

That's exactly waht I did and it works great!

[chedder]

I also use the stampin up mat pack but to pierce the hole i use a steel tip dart. you can get them at walmart for about $2 for 3 darts. share with a friend, thats what i did. its nice because the dart has a great grip to it. i just dont put the flight on it. i guess you could so its easy to find. i also find the cropadile holes just a bit big for some of my brads plus with the dart and mat system you can make your hole anywhere on your project!

[Phillis]

I agree on the Mat Pack! BUT before I bought "holey" thing (LOL) I used to fold my paper over, making sure I didn't crease my paper, then I would hold it and punch it with a regular round paper puncher. This way it was even at both ends.

[stampinspy]

Originally Posted by chedder

I also use the stampin up mat pack but to pierce the hole i use a steel tip dart. you can get them at walmart for about $2 for 3 darts. share with a friend, thats what i did. its nice because the dart has a great grip to it. i just dont put the flight on it. i guess you could so its easy to find. i also find the cropadile holes just a bit big for some of my brads plus with the dart and mat system you can make your hole anywhere on your project!

Great idea! I was just thinking about replacing my piercer because the end is bent and it's irritating to work with. I will look for steel tip darts the next time I'm out. Thanks for the tip!

[musicmarth]

Originally Posted by krystie lee

I use the SU! mat pack. I use the grid to mark the holes so they're straight and evenly spaced.

Hth!

Now seriously, why haven't I ever thought of that?!? I use the moveable guide on my crop-a-dile but never thought about the mat pack holes!!!

[lynnscrapn4fun]

I too love my Mat Pack, it is one of the most have.

[amiles573]

I use and swear by the plastic canvas. I had some laying around the house, and cut it into the size of cards and just love it. If using brads I use my paper piercer, but if using eyelets I make the hole with a pencil then use my instant setter from MM. Works great for me.

You can even get the different shaped templates so you can get some interesting guides.

Amanda

[alanasnana]

Another vote for Tim Holtz design ruler, $6 bucks.

[vegaswife]

subbing

[Cynamom]

Where can you get the Tim Holtz design ruler?

[lawrence]

I've never seen the SU mat pak, but I do use the plastic canvas and LOVE it. It's cheap and does the trick. Plus you can buy it in a larger size and cut it to the size you need. Very versatile.

[Ginger_P]

Originally Posted by Gatomom

I also use the plastic canvas but I use my piercing tool instead of a pencil.

I also use it this way and it work great too.