Embossing Velvet: The Stamps

Of course, we recommend our own stamps!

But there are many stamps out there. Here are some tips:

Stamps made of red rubber are highly recommended. They are created using a high-heat process, so they can withstand the heat of an iron for these periods of time without deforming.
- Some stamps made of other materials (like foam) can actually visibly deform with exposure to heat.
- Acrylic/polymer/clear stamps do not withstand the heat as red rubber does, discolor and can deform over time, and so I am also wary of what level of potentially toxic outgassing might be taking place with any heat exposure.
Stamps intended for fabrics or for use with clays will tend to have a deeper etch - the images will be raised higher off the floor of the stamp. This will allow you to get a crisper image on the velvet, as the floor of the stamp should not be pressing any of the fibers down.
Look for stamps with bold images. While many stamps work great on velvet, small details can sometimes get lost in translation, especially on velvets that do not have a dense pile - think of it like pixel density in an image: the fewer pixels/inch, the less detail.
You might also want to keep in mind that values will be reversed: the areas of velvet that are pressed down will be lighter in color than the rest of the velvet. So when you are looking at stamp images, imagine that every part of the image that is raised will result in a light color on a darker background.
You do not need your stamp to be mounted on wood, but is best if the stamp has some kind of backing that is trimmed to the size and shape of the stamp (such as mounting foam), so that it can be raised a bit off of the ironing surface. I have found that the 1/8 inch mounting foams are sufficient.
If you are going to be doing a lot of concentrated velvet stamping without cool-down time, the adhesive used to attach the red rubber stamp to the cushion backing and/or mount could heat a bit. This can result in the stamp image sliding on top of the mount or foam. If this happens, slide the stamp and cushion back in place, press together and allow to cool for half an hour or so. The rubber stamp itself should be fine. I have information posted on the Mounting Stamps page about materials for mounting/reattaching your stamp, cushion and mount.
- I have never had a problem like this with any red rubber stamp, and I have had plenty of days when I was an assembly-line of one as I prepared for shows. I have tested my own stamp sets with the standard and cling cushion. But if you experience any difficulty with my stamps, please let me know.
- I plan to do more research into which adhesives really are the best for heat and I will report back. One of the links I have in the Mounting Stamps page talks about an adhesive that is used for cars - so I am thinking that should be pretty heat tolerant! You should use a proper mask and be in a well-ventilated area whenever using any adhesives, especially spray ones.
You may also want to experiment with other kinds of materials with raised textures - as long as they are heat-safe!