Archive | April 2009

La Vie En Rose- embroidered handbag

Apr23
La Vie En Rose by Christen Brown

La Vie En Rose by Christen Brown

The November/December 2007 issue of PieceWork Magazine, included an article on my collection of vintage handbags: The Glamour of it All Collecting Vintage Handbags and La Vie En Rose the purse shown here to embroider. The version in the article shows the back of the purse, and the instructions are for a smaller embroidered floral vignette.

During my research for the article I collected quite a bit of additional information and I have written two other articles that may be of interest if you collect vintage purses.

This purse is made from black silk shantung fabric. I embroidered the stitches in #5 pearl cotton thread, using six colors for the flowers and three for the leaves. I used a variety of traditional embroidery stitches including: bouillon knots, woven rose and spokes, cast-on, lazy daisy, feathered leaf, French Knots, and Peking knot.

Happy Stitching! Christen

Winter Symphony- French wire ribbon corsage and headdress

Apr21
Corsage and Headdress for Winter Symphony

Corsage and Headdress for Winter Symphony

Collaged Memories is a new category that I have added both to my blog and my web stite. It is dedicated to re-cycled, up-cycled and re-purposed creations. Winter Symphony is listed there.

This French wire ribbon worked ensemble was made to accessorise an embroidered silk shawl and purse, images below.

Both the headdress and corsage are made from 1″ and 1-1/2″ French wire ribbon with gold stamens for details. The headdress is stitched to a vintage millinery leaf, and wrapped floral wire. The corsage is backed with three leaves. I wore my hair in a bun at the back of my head, and the headdress fits on top and around it. The corsage I used to keep the shawl closed and around my shoulders.

The shawl and purse accessories were purchased separately, one on ebay the other at a thrift store. The embroidery and coloring were great but the colors needed some help to match the rest of my ensemble. I added in ribbon worked flowers and embroidered silk ribbon leaves on the shawl, using 3/8′ and 1/2″ ribbons with silk ribbon added in for the leaves. I added in ribbon work flowers on the purse, leaving the embroidered leaves and vines and beaded centers to show.

Happy Stitching! Christen

Winter Symphony Shawl

Winter Symphony Shawl

Winter Symphony Purse

Winter Symphony Purse

Ocean Rivers Bracelet- free form peyote

Apr21
Ocean Rivers Bracelet by Christen Brown

Ocean Rivers Bracelet by Christen Brown

This was a class project that I just for Joggles.com. The base of the bracelet is a grosgrain ribbon, embellished with shell buttons and covered in beads stitched with the peyote stitch.

Happy Stitching! Christen

Aubrey’s Autumn Afternoon Vest- silk ribbon embroidery

Apr21
Aubrey's Autumn Afternoon by Christen Brown

Aubrey’s Autumn Afternoon by Christen Brown

This vest is another created from the class that I teach, Renaissance of Ribbon Embroidery, using a tapestry fabric for the base of the project, and stitching in silk ribbon embroidered stitches to embellish the print.

I fell in love with this tapestry mainly because of the sunflowers, I loved the bold colorful brilliance. Unfortunately I forgot to check where the sunflowers were going to land the first time I cut out the pattern pieces, well you can probably guess where they wound up, yes big bulls eyes at breast level. So I had to re-cut the pieces, made two purses from the other pieces and learned a very expensive lesson!

Close-up of Aubrey's Autumn Afternoon

Close-up of Aubrey’s Autumn Afternoon

I used mainly 4mm silk ribbon for the stitching with silk button hole twist for the vines and details. I incorporated a few tatted flowers here and there. I also used Japan Gold thread to detail the petals of the sunflower, as you can see in the lower left hand corner of this image.

The center column of flowers was added after I realized that the pattern no longer fit me. Ugh! But I have to admit you do grow and learn from these design dilemmas!

I used vintage velvet trims, like the garnet colored one sewn down the front panel, and the garnet and green on the back of the vest. I also used several wonderful large pieces of vintage lace on the back panel.

Down the center panel and on the back of the vest I incorporated silk bias and French wire ribbon flowers with dyed fabric leaves. The front panel also has several vintage and new buttons mingled amongst the flowers with charms and other beads.

Happy Stitching! Christen

Small Wonders- ribbon worked flowers and leaves

Apr21
Small Wonders Vase- ribbon worked flowers and leaves

Small Wonders Vase- ribbon worked flowers and leaves

I chose for the vase a healthy squatty round gourd that a friend had dyed with shoe leather dyes.

The flowers and leaves are made from a variety of silk, woven and French wire ribbons, none larger than 5/8″ wide. They are attached to wire stems that have been covered in 4mm silk ribbon.

There are roses made from both woven and silk bias ribbons; ruffled edged ribbon rosettes; and satin ribbon leaves. I used a vintage glass button for the center of the large ruffled flower and a stuffed bias ribbon for the center of the sheered flower to the right of it.

My favorite is the morning glory vine to the right of the picture where I used silk bias flowers with an 1/8″ ombre ribbon for the leaves, and millinery stamens for the centers.

The entire grouping stands 2-3/4″ tall.

Happy Stitching! Christen

Daisy’s Gatsby Days Vest- detail of silk ribbon embroidery

Apr20
Detail from Daisy's Gatsby Days

Detail from Daisy’s Gatsby Days

The title for this garment came to me as I was working with these soft pastels, which reminded me of summer dresses worn by women during the 1920’s.

This is a close-up view of one of my favorite vests, see the full view here. I wear it with a blue linen skirt, and a cream colored cotton blouse. It looks great with jeans too!

I started with a simple woven print, and embroidered silk ribbon flowers and leaves; sewed on ribbon worked flowers and leaves; and stitched traditional embroidery stitches with a variegated cotton thread; bead embellishments were added here and there as finishing touches. I used a vintage blue and yellow ribbon for the flowers and some of the 4mm silk ribbon I used was hand dyed; both elements added to the vintage look of the piece.

The techniques I used for this vest are similar to the Renaissance of Ribbon Embroidery, by using a base fabric with a floral design and embellishing it with silk ribbon embroidery.

Happy Stitching! Christen

Indian Roses- French wire and silk ribbon worked flowers and leaves

Apr6
Rose Beret by Christen Brown

Rose Beret by Christen Brown

Indian Roses is an ensemble that I recently created to accompany a vintage piano shawl that I bought many years ago. I include this in one of my lectures, Vintage Redressed. The ensemble includes the beret, a ribbon worked neck-piece, an embellished pair of vintage cotton gloves (close-up below), vintage celluloid earrings and bracelets, and a gold lace bracelet.

The beret, pictured here incorporates a lucious display of colors and textures in hand dyed silk ribbons and French wire ribbons. I used mainly 1″ and 1-1/2″ ribbons which were stitched to a crinoline base. I then hand stitched this to the brim of the beret.

Close up of ribbon worked flowers and leaves

Close up of ribbon worked flowers and leaves

This is a close-up view of the tiny ribbon worked flowers and leaves that I stitched onto the vintage cotton gloves.

These flowers and leaves are also used on the ribbon (an embroidered piece from India) that I used as the base of the necklace.

I used French ombre, picot edged ombre, and ruffle edged ribbons here, all between 1/4″ to 3/8″ wide. A hand dyed ribbon is stitched along the top of the glove.

I am sure whoever wears this will truly feel the beauty of Spring when surrounded by all of these glorious flowers!

Happy Stitching! Christen

Beribboned Vest-silk ribbon embroidery with ribbon worked flowers and leaves

Apr6
Beribboned by Christen Brown

Beribboned by Christen Brown

Beribboned is a class that I teach using both silk ribbon embroidery stitches with ribbon worked flowers and leaves in small vignettes created with dyed lace appliques and sections.

I used many different sizes of silk ribbon: 2mm, 4mm, 7mm and 13mm. I also used a few snip-its here and there of a vintage ombre ribbon that was given to me by a friend (see the bow below the heart). I used Hanah silk bias ribbons in sizes 7/16″, 5/8″ and 1″; I used several sizes and types of satin ribbons and a few shear ribbons here and there.

I included vintage and new buttons, beads and charms to further enhance this piece. This is truly one of my favorite vests to wear, and I did so enjoy working on it!

Berribboned Front Heart

Beribboned Front heart

Happy Stitching! Christen

Renaissance of Ribbon Embroidery Vest: silk ribbon embroidery

Apr6
Close up view of silk ribbon embroidery with ribbon worked flowers

Close up view of silk ribbon embroidery with ribbon worked flowers

This is a close up view of a vest that I made when I first started teaching silk ribbon embroidery. The class is named after the vest Renaissance of Ribbon Embroidery.

I used a tapestry base for the project because this was created as a technique class, which involves learning quite a few stitches. With the tapestry base, design was a simple issue, just embellish around the pattern that is already there.

I used many, many, many yards of 4mm silk ribbon, in fact so many I jokingly said that I could no longer afford to send my daughter to college! I used silk buttonhole twist for the feather stitch and detail stitches. I also included Japan gold for the outline of the leaves.

Satin ribbon worked flowers and leaves are also included in the floral vignettes. There are a few tatted flowers thrown in for good measure, and dyed appliques, though these techniques are not included in the class. The flowers are also embellished with fresh water pearls and semi precious beads.

Happy Stitching! Christen