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Bearie Antoinette’s Hat

Aug13
Bearie Antoinette

Bearie Antoinette

My dad always wore a paper bag on his head when he worked on the car, couldn’t mess up his look or get grease on those locks! It was a great hat, and as time wore on it really acquired a lovely patina…. So I thought about taking a long not so wide paper bag and try to make my own cool hat.

I had in mind the height of something similar to the wigs that Marie Antoinette wore. So I began crunching, munching and scrunching the bag into shape.

The next step was to add bits of lace pieces to cover the entire hat. These pieces were a gift from a relative, but were a little on the grungy side, so actually perfect for this project. I stitched the lace into place with crochet cotton. I also stitched the brim and the top of the hat.

Then I painted the lace and bits of bag that showed with four different colors of acrylic paints, I sealed the paint, then added Lumiere paints on top of this to finish off the coloring.

hat close-up

hat close-up

I embellished the top and the brim with ric-rac and vintage mother of pearl buttons. I added in a bow made from French wire ribbon for the decoration. This I embellished with a few flowers and leaves that I also stitched from French and satin wire ribbons.

The teddy bear was a long ago crib-mate of mine. Then I was not so concerned with names, hence the easy to remember “Bearie”. I think I was more concerned with comfort than conversation. At one point I must have been very naughty though, because she only has one ear! OOps I feel really bad about that!

Bearie Antoinette

Bearie Antoinette

The tatted baby bonnet could also be considered a hat of sorts. I purchased this a few months ago at an antique shop. I changed the cord that is used to tie the hat around the neck. I stitched several silk ribbon roses with ombre ribbon leaves and stitched these around the hat.

The collar that she is wearing is made from French wire ribbon that I ruched. The ribbon flowers are made from vintage Jacquard ribbon and these are decorated with vintage mother of pearl buttons.

I hope that you, the viewer, are not offended and don’t mind that I used Marie Antoinette as a model here for the “look”.

Enjoy! ~Christen

Melon Balls Vintage Ensemble

Jun10
Melon Balls Vintage Necklace and Earrings

Melon Balls Vintage Necklace and Earrings

This entire collection of accessories started with with the coral colored rectangular molded glass pieces set into earring findings, which I found at the Salvation Army for $.99.

The next piece I found was the bracelet (shown below found on ebay), several years later with the same carved glass pieces set into a metal finding.

I wore these two parts of the ensemble for several more years until I came upon the glass beads (used in the necklace, also from ebay) with the same carved floral design. A few months after that I found the lovely melon colored souffle finished oval beads at a quaint little bead store outside of Julian, CA. I mixed these with black bicones and seed beads to create the necklace. I used a vintage glass button for the closure.

Melon Balls Bracelets

Melon Balls Bracelets

The second bracelet is comprised of vintage glass sew throughs (these I had been saving for just the right project), vintage glass buttons for the closure, and the left-over beads from the necklace.

Then I got to thinking about a brooch for this set, and I started to play with my celluloid buttons and ribbons in the same colors of the necklace.

Deco Decadence Brooch

Deco Decadence Brooch

The brooch boasts a lovely display of “buffed celluloid” buttons. I just adore the black and tan combination. It took many years to collect the right sizes and colors for this brooch. The ribbon worked flowers are made from a vintage ribbed cotton ribbon and the leaves are from a taffeta ribbon.

The ribbon buttons and flowers are attached to florist wire wrapped in 1/8″ satin ribbon, and sit in a vintage jacquard ribbon vase. A pin back is stitched to the back of the vase.

I found a great Chico’s jacket at a thrift store to wear all of these treasure with. Finally the hat and purse that I had collected a while back had a purpose.

Melon Hat and Vintage Purse

Melon Hat and Vintage Purse

The hat is a vintage crochet raffia by Laura Ashley found at a thrift store. I trimmed the brim with a textured lace. I made ribbon worked flowers from French wire ribbons, and used a vintage velvet leaf trim for the background of the vignette.

The vintage handbag was found on a treasure hunt. It is from China, embroidered in coral, melon and gray threads with gold work details. The frame is encrusted with pieces of turquoise and coral.

Yeah, I just love it when things like that work out!

Happy searching, I hope that you find a treasure today that will turn into a wonderous adventure like this one! Christen

Rosette Corsage Medley- ribbonworked flowers

May30

Rosette Corsage Medley- ribbon worked flowers

Rosette Corsage Medley- ribbon worked flowers

This is a sampling of some of my favorite corsages and by changing the colors and leaves they each have a unique look.

Starting from the top left:

  • The flower is made from a 3″ wide vintage French ombre ribbon with vintage velvet leaves and a vintage glass button center.
  • The flower is made from French wire ribbon the center is full of stamens with a glass button.
  • The flower is made from French wire ribbon with a velvet rosette and vintage button for the center and vintage stamens. The leaf is made from 3-1/2″ wide French wire ribbon.

Happy Stitching, Christen

Strawberry Fields- crochet purse

May30
Strawberry Fields- crochet purse

Strawberry Fields- crochet purse

This crochet purse was so much fun to make. It is stitched in rows of double crochet using bits of this color and that, added in when one color ran out. I stitched a row of treble crochet close to the top for the cord to run through, and ruffled the top edge.

I am a fairly neat person but when it comes to skeins of pearl cotton, I tell myself I must wrap it in to a ball before I start stitching, but I rarely do. So the odd bits and messy balls end up in an old glass candy jar, at least they look pretty while stuffed in there.

So this was a project meant to untangle my bird’s nest full of pearl cotton #5 skeins. They were hopelessly tangled and mangled and seemingly knotted beyond recognition.

I spent a few nights in front of the TV, and a few long car trips (I was a passenger, not the pilot) and untangled and sorted the mess that I had created. I think that the untangling process took longer than the crochet stitches.

Hope that you too can create something from your tangles and mangles! Happy Stitching, enjoy- Christen

Mariposa- free form crochet shawl

May26

Mariposa- free form crochet shawl

Mariposa- free form crochet shawl

This shawl started out as a learning project. I was taught how to crochet in high school, but never really experimented with it until much later. I always had a problem following a pattern, a common enough problem.

The shape began as a circle in the center, and I stitched in a circular motion adding thread as I ran out. The yarns that I used in Mariposa are the Watercolor yarns because they are so soft. Watercolor is a 3-ply yarn that I split into single threads (tedious yes, but worth the end result) and just started stitching.

Often I switched direction, working my way around the shape using single, double and treble crochet stitches. I just loved the freedom of not working with a pattern, and soon I had a piece that grew into a butterfly shape. It took about four months to finish the shape.

I folded over the top portion to fit around my shoulders as a shawl. In a sweet, serendipitous moment I found a hand dyed metallic rayon fabric that matched the Watercolor yarns. I stitched four rolled roses from this fabric, and several leaves from French wire ribbon. These I added as a front detail, and use as a closure for the shawl.

Vintage Crochet Gloves and Embroidered Handbag

Vintage Crochet Gloves and Embroidered Handbag

I found these vintage cotton gloves at the Rose Bowl Flea Market that is held once a month at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA. My husband gave me this monthly trip for my birthday last year, we drive up, have lunch and just look at the goodies. I dyed the cotton gloves to match the shawl.

The vintage cotton purse is embroidered with lovely shades of rose and magenta, with olive colored leaves. The frame is decorated with peach and carnelian pieces of glass.

I have a program titled Vintage Redressed where I have created ensembles using vintage and new pieces, giving them new purpose, this piece is included there.

Happy stitching to all, enjoy your day. Christen

Lobelia Corsage- ribbon work flower pin

May21
Lobelia Corsage

Lobelia Corsage

I have long admired Candace Kling’s work, and I often peruse through her book The Artful Ribbon it is such a beautiful book, and it makes me happy just looking through it.

The flower here is of my own design, similar to the Cloche Rose,but made from silk ribbon rather than French wire. The leaf is from an article that Candace wrote for PieceWork Magazine July/August 1997 (which is no longer in print), but you may find something similar in vintage millinery books.

The flower is made from my selection of Hanah silk bias ribbon and the leaf from grosgrain ribbon.

Happy stitching, and enjoy your creative adventures! Christen

Kelp Scarf- free form machine embroidery

May17
Kelp Scarf

Kelp Scarf

Pictured here is one of six examples of what you can do with a little time (about a weekend), a little imagination, a sewing machine and bits of this and that.

This scarf is from my Kelp Scarf class which I only taught once. The base was a strip of Solvy fabric. I machine stitched ribbons, yarns, threads and bits of this and that for about 12 hours. After the Solvy was washed away, the ribbons appear to float on air in a pretty lacy effect. For the fringe I hand tied and sewed in lengths of ribbons and leftover yarn.

With a little bit of imagination, you can recycle creatively, and have fun while you are doing it.

Happy Stitching, make it count! Enjoy- Christen

Victorian Roses Corsage- ribbon worked flowers and leaves

May14
Victorian Roses Corsage

Victorian Roses Corsage

This corsage is an example of the flowers and leaves that can be made from ribbon. The ribbonworked flower is made from Hanah silk bias ribbon and the leaf is made from French wire ribbon. Vintage millinery glass balls were used, and a covered wire for the tendrils.

Happy Stitching! Christen

April Showers Bring Spring Flowers Corsage: ribbon worked flowers and leaves

May14
April Showers Bring Spring Flowers Corsage

April Showers Bring Spring Flowers Corsage

This brooch is created from a warm, soft pallet of dyed vintage cotton velvet, vintage ombre, hand dyed silk satin, vintage French jacquard and French wire ribbons.

The base is made from a hand dyed vintage cotton velvet ribbon, that I dyed along with the silk satin (double edged rosette) and 7mm silk ribbon (green/orange leaves). The hand stitched flowers and leaves are made with various ribbon work techniques and are stitched into a pleasing vignette.

A wonderful old brass butterfly presides over the flowers. I included seed beads and glass flowers for the centers of the flowers with glass and novelty beads that are interspersed throughout the piece.

The backing is leather, with a pin-back for the finding.

Happy stitching, enjoy- Christen

A Collection of Ribbon Work Corsages- ribbon worked flowers and leaves

May14
A collection of my ribbon work corsages

A collection of my ribbon work corsages

My love for flowers came at an early age. We spent many summers enjoying my grandparents garden and the wild flowers around our cabin.

My grandfather’s green thumb was passed down to me, only I cultivate ribbon worked flowers as apposed to those that bloom perennially or annually.

I have been teaching classes on ribbon work for over 15 years, and the bloom is still fresh. I believe that anyone can make beautiful flowers with very little experience or tools. The important thing to remember is that this is made from your heart and hands, so give it your best.

Happy stitching and thanks for dropping by… Christen