I love jewelry, and the combination of shells, pearls, and beads, well enough said, drop the mike, I am all on board!
Summer’s By the Seaclose-up view button shells
Summers by the Sea, is a beaded neck-piece that I made, using the free-form peyote stitch technique. I incorporated a variety of treasures using a pallet of soft colors that reflect the sea and shore. I stitched vintage and new glass seed beads and novelty shaped beads with clusters of fresh water pearls, brown muscle shell charms and beads, abalone shells and chips, and my favorite the button shells (they look like small cowrie shells).
Winter Solsticeclose-up
Winter Solstice, is another beaded neck-piece that I made, using the free-form peyote stitch technique. I have incorporated fresh water pearls, vintage shell and glass buttons, and vintage glass sew-throughs with vintage and new seed beads. In the close-up you can see the variety of pearls, glass buttons, glass sew-throughs, and seed beads that I used. The light blue beads (almost gray) are vintage beads found in the Hudson Bay area, they are over 200 years old.
Happy Stitching to you, enjoy what you do and make everyday count. ~Christen
On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!
Tea today is going to be Ambrosia Plum, just because the name matches the colors in my mug! Hah! The calendar is an old one, but the colors here too seemed appropriate. And as luck would have it, I am wearing a purple sweatshirt. Styling it here at my desk!
So, let’s talk about color and design. I think that everyone who creates asks this question: what colors should I work with, what design should I use? When my students ask this question, I suggest to start with colors that please them, or match their home decor, because if you start with something you don’t like, it is just that much harder to finish!
Wild Persimmons 13 1/2″ x 13 1/2″
Wild Persimmons
This is a gallery piece featured in my book Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing. I used it as an example to explain my design process. For me, each project has a story to tell, and all of the parts and pieces you chose to create with, help to tell that story. I chose a crazy-piece base design, because my fabrics were all very small or scraps left over from other projects. Notice how the colors of the base, differ slightly than the embroidery and embellishment materials. In some cases I used both lighter and darker components, allowing these pieces to be seen as well as the pieced fabric base.
Tip: Have a Plan
Once you have gathered all of the components for a project, make a swatch card of fabric, threads, and beads. Then decide how to tell the story, through color, design, and the components you chose.
Theme/title: this may start with the colors that you choose, or the embroidery or embellishments.
Color: the colors of the palette can be traditional, subtle, or complex.
Fabric: this is the most important component, but should not overpower the embroidery and embellishments.
Construction: is determined by the quantity of fabric you have, and the piecing techniques you want to work with.
Embroidery design: the embroidery and embellishments can follow the design of the base, or flow around the design.
Embroidery materials and embellishments: select a variety of threads, beads, and other components to work with.
Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen
PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.
In these posts I want to share some of my favorite pieces, which will include wall hangings, small works, pillows, purses, and just because pieces, enjoy!
8 1/4″ x 8 1/4″
Sweet Roses and Posies
I created this piece for my book, The Embroidery Book, by C&T Publishing. I used two different colors of Hoffman Batiks for the the strip-pieced base. I added in hand-dyed vintage cotton lace and dyed mother-of-pearl buttons for the details. The embroidery was first worked around the center square, with a row of stitches mirroring the square. Vignettes were worked into the center, and corners of the middle section. The embroidery was worked in Wildflower thread by the Caron Collection, and 6 colors of silk embroidery ribbon and silk floss.
Embroidery Stitches Used
Border row and vines: blanket stitch, feather stitch
Color, color, color and more colors. I love them all. When I work, I let the fabrics and other components tell me what they want to be when they grow up. Today, I am going to share two pieces from my cream and beige collection.
9″ x 10 1/2″
Creme de la Creme
This piece was featured in my book The Embroidery Book, by C&T Publishing. It was an example of a monochromatic color palette. There are shades of cream, off-white, candlelight, beige, and pearl. The base of this piece is a doupioni silk, layered with many treasured bits of lace, that I had collected over the years. The embroidery was worked in silk ribbons and perle cotton threads. The embellishments include, beads, mother of pearl buttons and charms, and fresh water pearls. The frame is comprised of carved bone purse handles.
13″ x 13″
Splattered Scattered Tatters
This piece is from my new book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New. I crazy pieced the base using odd scraps of muslin, added batting to the back and quilted a random pattern with perle cotton #12. I gathered small bits of machine made lace, tatted and crochet lace, and appliques. Some of the tatted and crochet pieces were made by my mom and myself. I also found a home for a collection of crochet and thread woven buttons, mother of pearl buttons, and bone underwear buttons. The embroidery is very minimal, so that the lovely components could speak for themselves. To bring all of the shades of cream together, I spatter dyed the base with Colorhue dyes.
I hope that your day is colorful! Happy Stitching to you all! ~Christen
On Tips and Tea on Tuesdays, I will cover a topic and hopefully provide you with some tips that will be helpful! And just as an afterthought, tea may occasionally be a cup of Joe!
Tea and Pleasentries
Tea today will be Stash Wild Black Current, after I finish this post. The bone china cup, the tea pocket, and the teaspoon with roses on the handle, were gifts from a previous Tea on Tuesday group! As I was admiring my “Mintons” tea-cup, I noticed that it was similar to this plate that I had purchased at AM Vets many years ago. The maker label is hard to make out but it says The Rowland, Staffordshire and has the initials RMS in the middle.
When I first started collecting china bits I just bought what I could afford and liked, not worrying if they matched anything. I usually make a trip once a month perusing my local thrift stores, giving myself a spending limit of $20.00. As I rummage through the bins, drawers, and shelves, I let the muse strike me, letting the array of items speak for themselves. I also like to check out eBay, and am often found searching for goodies, for way too many hours! On one of my searches, I just typed in china, and to my surprise I came up with doll parts and pieces. Well now I had a new hobby, and had fun searching for the pieces and other parts below.
Winifred’s PincushionHand MaidenThreaded Lady
Tips: Re-purposing Unexpected Bits
Today’s tip is all about re-purposing broken or discarded doll parts in a fun way. Gather together a collection of ribbonwork flowers and leaves, lace, trims, and additional ephemera. Use a strong glue like E600, to glue all of the pieces together.
Note: Glue the pieces together in a well-ventilated area, let dry for at least 24 hours. I leave any glued item like this in the garage until the strong glue order has dissipated.
Find, or make a pincushion, then glue a doll head to the top. Glue ribbonwork flowers around the neck, to hide the edge.
Find a doll arm, then fill the opening with ribbonwork flowers and leaves attached to florest wire.
Find a spool of thread (mine was a bit dirty, but that just added to the quirkiness); glue a doll head to the top. Glue the top of a salt shaker to her head for a hat.
Free Pincushion Instructions: Please feel download this free PDF. This is a basic pincushion, but I have given you suggestions on how to insert a doll head at the top. Please note that this is a gift to you, and should not be used to teach a class, sold, or to make a profit from. ~CJB
I was laughing with my husband one day, at how absurd my job must seem to others! He works so many hours outside of the house to bring home the “bacon” and I work 15 hours never leaving the house and occasionally play with dolls….. Somehow it doesn’t seem fare, but he doesn’t complain, and I am really lucky to be able to do what I truly love. Hope that is the case for all of you as well….
Happy tea drinking and stitching to you! ~Christen
PS: If you have any questions or thoughts, just leave a comment! See Tips, Tricks, the Basics, for more helpful ideas.
In these posts I want to share some of my favorite pieces, which will include wall hangings, small works, pillows, purses, and just because pieces, enjoy!
6 3/4″ x 7 3/4″
Merrily We Go Around
This piece was featured in my book, The Embroidery Book, by C&T Publishing. I started with a square of linen fabric, and machine stitched a spiral in a variegated green thread. Then the slow stitching started. The embroidery is worked in cotton floss: four colors of green, and 13 flower colors. There are five flower designs, each with a a stalk and leaf, two vine designs, and one small flower. The eight stitched components were repeated over the spiral.
Embroidery Stitches Used
Stalks: outline stitch, lazy daisy stitch
Flowers: lazy daisy stitch flowers (3, 4, 5, and 6 petals) using the lazy daisy stitch and lazy daisy bullion tip stitch
Detail stitches: 3-wrap French knot stitch, straight stitch, fly stitch
Small flowers: French knot stitch flower, lazy daisy stitch
Christen's Creations 