Day 21

Question: When you create a strip-pieced base, do you embroider the seams, in the seams or over the seams? For me it depends on the design of the piece, and the materials that I have to work with.

Beautiful Beaded Blooms, by Christen Brown

This project started with two colors of moire fabric, and a cotton print with a wide array of greenery options. I paired the foundation strip-pieced and triangle blocks, with lavish amounts of embroidered beading. The stitches are paired with vintage buttons, sequins, and charms, and are worked over the seams, with a border of stitches on the outer edge of the pattern. This is a project in my book Embroidered and Embellished by C&T Publishing.

California Dreamin’ by Christen Brown

This wall hanging started with a simple strip-pieced design using two marbled fabrics and bleached muslin. The center square and third section of strips were cut from the muslin, and were then entirely embroidered with decorative and details stitches. The second and fourth section of strips were cut from the two marbled fabrics, with each strip, embroidered with chain and French knot stitches. Vintage green sew-through beads were stitched along the border. You can find this piece in my book the Hand Embroidery Dictionary by C&T Publishing.

Mystic Twilight by Christen Brown

I chose the pattern and colors of the strip-pieced batik background to simulate a worn wooden fence. I machine quilted each strip with a wood grain pattern. I chose the large clear glass buttons in a variety of sizes for the flower centers. The outline of the large-and medium-sized buttons were shadowed with thread and bead embroidery; the border row stitches that represent grass and vine were worked in perle cotton and then shadowed with the same stitch in cotton floss. You can find this piece in The Embroidery Book by C&T Publishing.

Happy Stitching, ~Christen