Method for making printed and/or embossed decorative grass

Abstract

Method for producing decorative grass, such as Easter grass, from a sheet or web of material having printed material and/or embossed patterns thereon. The printed material and embossed patterns may be in register or out of register with one another. A method for producing decorative grass having the appearance of a blend of decorative grasses is also disclosed.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for making a decorative grass having an appearance of a blend of different colored decorative grasses, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a web of material;    printing the web of material with a plurality of colored inks so as to provide a multi-colored web of material; and    slitting the multi-colored web of material to provide a decorative grass wherein the decorative grass has a appearance of a blend of at least two decorative grass of different colors.    
     
     
         2 . A method for making a decorative grass having an appearance of a blend of different colored decorative grasses, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a web of material printed with a plurality of colored inks so as to provide a multi-colored web of material;    slitting the multi-colored web of material to provide a slit web of multi-colored material; and    cutting the slit web of multi-colored material to provide a decorative grass comprising a plurality of segments having a predetermined width and length, the segments of decorative grass having varying colors so that the decorative grass appears to be a bend of two or more different colored decorative grasses.    
     
     
         3 . The method for making a decorative grass of  claim 2  wherein the web of material is provided with a thickness in the range of from about 0.1 mil to about 30 mils.  
     
     
         4 . The method for making a decorative grass of  claim 2  wherein the web of material is formed of a material selected from the group consisting of polymeric film paper, foil, iridescent material, optical effect material and laminations thereof.  
     
     
         5 . A method for producing decorative grass, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flexible material having an upper surface and a lower surface;    printing at least one of the upper and lower surfaces of the flexible material to provide a printed material;    slitting the printed material to provide a slit material; and    chopping the slit material into a plurality of segments to provide decorative grass wherein at least a portion of the segments contain the printed material.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the segments are provided with a predetermined length and width which define the boundaries of the segments, and wherein the flexible material is printed so that upon slitting the printed material to provide the slit material and thereafter chopping the slit material into segments, the printing lies within the boundaries of at least a portion of the segments.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of embossing the flexible material to provide and embossed and printed material.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the segments are provided with a predetermined length and width which define the boundaries of the segments, and wherein the flexible material is embossed and printed so that upon slitting the embossed and printed material to provide the slit material and thereafter chopping the slit material into segments, the embossed and printed material lie within the boundaries of at least a portion of the segments.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the embossed and printed material are in registry with one another.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein a portion of the embossed and printed material are in registry with one another and another portion of the embossed and printed material are out of registry with one another.  
     
     
         11 . A method for producing decorative grass, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a flexible material;    embossing the flexible material to provide an embossed pattern on the flexible material;    slitting the embossed, flexible material to provide a slit material; and    chopping the slit material into a plurality of segments to provide decorative grass wherein at least a portion of the segments are embossed.    
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the segments are provided with a predetermined length and width which define the boundaries of the segments, and wherein the embossed pattern provided on the flexible material is positioned such that upon slitting the embossed, flexible material and thereafter chopping the slit material into segments, the embossed pattern lies within the boundaries of at least a portion of the segments.