The beginner's guide to Edge'able dies

If you thought that there was only the front, back and interior of your card projects to embellish, you'll have to think again! Here at Crafter's Companion, we're all about adding a bit of pizzazz to the edges of our cards too, and we mainly do this through using our Edge'able dies. Now, while we all have a bit of an understanding about die-cutting, wrapping your head around Edge'ables can be a little bit difficult.

To give you all some hints and tips on how best to use your Edge'able dies, we thought we'd dedicate a whole blog post to them! We'll give you all the details you need to know and guide you on your way to creating the most stunning edge designs possible, so if that sounds up your street, keep reading!

What is an Edge'able die and why are they different?

Unlike regular dies, Edge'ables have been designed with no bottom cutting edge, which means that they don't cut out of the card or paper completely. The shape around the edge is cut out, but it remains attached, which makes them perfect for lining up on the edge of the card top, side or bottom to produce a fancy finish.

Some sets do include a separate bottom cutting edge die, giving you the potential to cut out the whole Edge'able piece as an individual embellishment. For example, with our Ornate Thick Edge'ables, you can either cut the design into the edge of the card or use the extra dies to cut the piece out completely. They're so versatile!

What are some essential tools to use with Edge'able dies?

• Low Tack Tape - to ensure that your die stays in place, low tack tape will be your best friend. As you'll see in the step-by-step how to portion of this post, you need to position your die quite carefully, so use this tape to temporarily secure it while it travels through the die-cutting machine
• Pokey Tool - if your Edge'able die features finnicky, small pieces, use a pokey tool to coax out any remaining pieces that don't fall out once cut. It would be a shame to damage your beautiful edge while trying to remove any pieces, but with a Pokey Tool, you'll have precision at your fingertips
• Magnetic Shim - depending on which machine you have, a suitably sized magnetic shim is an essential in your stash, even if you're not using Edge'ables! They'll help to keep your die magnetised and in place, and provide any extra layer of pressure to ensure a crisp cut
• Card in a variety of finishes - take your Edge'able design one step further with a pretty card finish. If you're going all out with a shaped edge, then why not use mirror, glitter, matt mirror or linen card for even more fun?

How to use Edge'able dies

There are so many effects that can be achieved with an Edge'able die, which we'll talk about in a minute, but this is the basic and most common method of using them:

1. Taking the size of your Edge'able die into account, cut your card base to size. For example, if your Edge'able was 5" x 2", cut a piece of card to 10" x 9", then score and fold down the centre to create a 5" x 9" base. You can also score at 2" across the back panel of the card and trim this away.
2. Using a pencil and ruler, draw a faint line across the 2" point (depending on the height of your die) on your card front.
3. Open up your card base and lay it on to your clear die-cutting plate with the pencil mark facing upwards.
4. Position your Edge'able die with the cut side facing down along the pencil line and use low tack tape to secure it in place. Stick the tape away from the non-cutting edge - that way, you can avoid tears.
5. Add your plastic shim, then your magnetic shim, followed by your final clear cutting plate, then run the sandwich through your die-cutting machine.
6. Remove the sandwich from the other side and set the plates aside. Carefully peel the die from the card base, use a pokey tool to remove any extra pieces and erase the pencil line.

With this method, you should be left with an edge design on the top of your card that lines up beautifully! This method can be adapted if you wanted to add an edge to the side of your cards - just remember to keep the size of your Edge'able die at the front of your mind when creating the card base.

For example, if you were using a 5" x 2" Edge'able on the side of your card, you would cut a piece of card to 14" x 5", which will result in a 7" x 5" base when scored down the middle. Cut away the excess 2" on the back panel, then die-cut the front side. Easy peasy!

What effects can you achieve with Edge'able dies?

While Edge'able dies look beautiful when used on top of a cardmaking project, there are several other ways that they can be used. It's all about experimenting and seeing what you can come up with, but here are some of our suggestions!

Use them on the side of your card for a unique alternative to a top edge
Create a gatefold card by using an Edge'able on either side of a card
Add a delicate bottom edge to an invite that can be pulled from a sleeve
Create several edges on scrap pieces of card, then layer them up for depth
Use a Rubber Embossing Mat to emboss the design rather than die-cut it
Create an aperture and use an Edge'able embellishment along the inside as a shadow box
Design an easel card where the easel stopper is an Edge'able

There are so many looks to be created with just one Edge'able set, so don't be afraid of them and give them a go!

We hope that this guide has answered any of your questions about Edge'able dies, but if not, ask us on Facebook UK, Facebook USA,  Twitter, Instagram UK, Instagram US, Pinterest UK or Pinterest US using the hashtag #crafterscompanion. We can't wait to see all of your completed Edge'able projects!