Here I will share with you my way of making my embroidered cards. They consist of two materials: heavy paper and cotton thread.
For the first card, I’ll take you step by step. Then the technique is the same so you will only have the pattern. So you can make the card yourself.
Summary
Post n°2 - Tutorial
Post n°6 - Grisha pattern
Post n°8 - Freedom pattern
Post n°13 - Hello pattern
Post n°15 - Miaou pattern
1. Prepare your materials to make your card
.
2 pieces of thick paper (between 180g and 240g)
1 pattern (pattern prepared)
1 spool of thread (I use cotton for embroidery)
1 soft backing to pierce the paper (I use polystyrene)
1 piercing tool (1 needle in half a cork of wine)
2. You have printed the pattern and cut the paper to the size you want for your card.
3. Hold both in place with washitape (paper tape).
4. Pierce the paper by perforating on the black dots.
5. Check that you have drilled all the holes.
6. Remove the template and turn over the perforated paper.
7. With a pencil, connect the holes to rewrite the pattern. This will prevent you from getting lost when passing the wire from one hole to another.
8. Take your needle. Take 30 cm of wire. Pass it through the needle. We always start the card on the reverse side. This is where we tie the thread with a piece of washitape.
9. When you are on a pattern like a word, start by tracing the outlines with the thread, doing above and below. Then you go back to complete the route.
10. Everybody makes mistakes. Here, you risk making knots. It does not matter. You just have to be careful that they stay on the back of the card. You can even put on a piece of washitape to prevent them from bothering you.
Be careful not to pull too hard on the thread to avoid tearing the paper.
11. Now that the outlines are done, you will be able to fill the pattern as you wish. The only imperative is not to go beyond the contours.
For a matter of taste, you can round off the angles.
This type of card never reaches its destination if it is not put in an envelope.
What a great idea! Can I ask where do you get the pattern for the lettering from?
The typography comes from a database where typographers put their creations in free access. Usually I change the typography slightly to make it easier to embroider, but not always.
I also sometimes do calligraphy.
Thanks for sharing how you make those beautiful cards!
This pattern was made for a card whose two papers are of these dimensions: 7.4 cm x 14.7 cm, and 8.4 cm x 15.7 cm.
Merci à toi pour le partage, c’est magnifique !
Thank you so much for sharing, it’s wonderfull!
This pattern was made for a card whose two papers are of these dimensions: 7,4 cm x 16.8 cm, and 9.4 cm x 18.8 cm.
beautifull card, how long did you finished for 1 card?
This is really cool! Thank you for sharing this tutorial, I’m definitely giving it a try! 
I wonder if one could glue a “postcard back” to the back of the card, to make it travel like a postcard? But it’s probably a little risky, and we don’t want to lose this kind of work of art to the mail sorting machines…
So … depending on the pattern and its size, it may take more or less time. It took about 2 hours for “Grisha” to create the pattern.
On the other hand, if I make a rosette, like the ones I have already sent, it varies from 2h to 3h. If in addition we have never done the pattern, it can take between 1 hour and 2 hours more. Because you have to be careful to follow the pattern. This is why I say to start with the outlines. So we can fill without thinking too much.
On the old forum, I was sending Pokemon embroidered with this method. Some cards took me up to 6 hours of work. This is why I take a little break from this project and that if I resume it I want to have an answer from each recipient.
For use as a postcard without an envelope, I strongly advise against it. Sorting machines really don’t like embroidery threads. I did a test and the card came to me too damaged to be worth it. Personally, most of the cards that I make never reach their recipient if they are not in an envelope (even in France).
On the other hand, it is possible to use a received postcard to put a few embroidery stitches on it, stick a piece of paper behind and give it a second life by sending it in an envelope.
It’s called “curve stitching”!!!
I made a card for a friend with the word “Hello”. This pattern is easier for you to use, because this word is used a lot in our postcrossing sends.
The pattern is intended for a 10 x 15cm card.
I hope you will like this model.
This was a fun idea! Thank you for sharing the tutorial.
I came across the profile of a cat on the postcrossing site. So I had fun writing the noise the cat makes in France on a card. I now share it with you.
The pattern is intended for a 10 x 15cm card.
This pattern is a little more difficult than the others because it is made in gothic-inspired letters. You have to follow the lines well so as not to get lost.
Oh c’est dingue! It’s crazy! Many thanks @Eden_Reliure for sharing. Hours and hours of planing and work! Each card a little treasure! Did you already reflect about taking a coloured paper on which you will embroider? For example MIAOU a paper with little cat heads (just so an idea of mine 
). Definitely work and GREAT work!
Thank you for the tutorial, so well explained, it’s fantastic!! The possibilities -once one learns the technique -are endless! Use many colours to embroider, embroider over a patterned paper (as said before) embroider a shape and then mix it with other techniques -for example a circle 
and decorate with little things like in scrapbook…
A big huge thanks!! 
Great @cleopatra-matta 
We can also use a bought postcard that is just not so a jewel and embellish it with some stitches around the motive of the dog or what ever. Fantasy is endless
@Eden_Reliure doing a well-done tutorial is a HUGE work!
Thank you all for your support. I think it’s nice to come up with an idea and figure out how to make it.
So yes @cleopatra-matta , it is possible to make a pattern on patterned paper. I do on plain paper by personal choice.
@Cathubodva, if you have a used card that you want to add a few points to, that’s totally possible. This gives a second life to the card.
I also use this technique on bindings. For example, since I’m not very good at English, I spend time writing my messages on sheets. I like to keep track of what I’ve sent without depending on the internet (which isn’t always accessible where I live).
