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| Sample scherenschnitte patterns from a Better Homes and Gardens book, "Christmas from The Heart" Volume 9. |
Scherenschnitte (German pronunciation: [ˈʃeːʁənˌʃnɪtə]), which means "scissor cuts" in German, is the art of papercutting design. The art work often has symmetry within the design, and common forms include silhouettes, valentines, and love letters. The art tradition was founded in Switzerland and Germany in the 16th century, and was brought to Colonial America in the 18th century by immigrants who settled primarily in Pennsylvania. (wikipedia.)
Scherenschnitte make lovely Christmas gifts. The traditional color combinations are black on white or the reverse of white on black. For Christmas however, I prefer to cut scherenschnitte from natural colored, acid free papers and mount them on bright red or green background papers. These look lovely in folk art frames.
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| Pair of Angel Schenrenschnitte |
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| Shepherd Scherenschnitte |
Scherenschnitte also make light weight, detailed ornaments that one can hang on the weakest of branches. Cutting such delicate work takes patience and practice, but once you've mastered the skill, you will be able to decorate an entire tree for mere pennies!
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| Sample scherenschnitte ornament from, "Treasures for the Christmas Tree" by Carol Taylor |
Links to professional scherenschnitte artists:
Where to find more scherenschnitte patterns?
Papercuttings by Alison Video of the "Scherenschnitte Snow Queen"
