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National Sewing Month

Day 12

Question: Do you sew functional forms or fabulous frivolities?

8 1/2″ x 5 1/2″

Gypsy Treasures by Christen Brown

This little purse is made from a beautiful cotton batik fabric by Hoffman (who else?). The fabrics were heavily quilted and textured, using a twin needled for the quilting. Surface techniques include a vine created from yarn, covered in gold metallic threads, fabric yo-yos, and machine couched novelty yarn details. The sections of fabric are embroidered with raised and textured stitches, beaded embroidery stitches, shisha mirrors, and buttons.

This piece can be seen in my book Embroidered and Embellished by C&T Publishing. Textured and Treated Reticule, is also a PDF class lesson.

Happy Stitching, ~Christen

National Sewing Month

Day 10

Question: How do you choose a color pallet for a project? I start with the fabric, and work from there.

13″ x 13″

Beautiful Beaded Blooms by Christen Brown

This project started with two colors of moire fabric, and a cotton print that came with a bounty of an array of greenery options. I paired the foundation pieced block, with lavish amounts of embroidered beading, vintage buttons and charms to create an opulent-looking wall hanging that hints of an earlier era.

This is a project in my book Embroidered and Embellished by C&T Publishing.

Happy Stitching, ~Christen

National Sewing Month

Day 7

Question: When you design a project, do you like to use what is in your stash, or do you prefer to go to the store and search for materials? I usually work with what I have on hand, then go to the store for additional materials.

17 1/2″ x 16 3/4″

Eastern Influences by Christen Brown

This piece started with the small scrap of fabric that I used for the center. It had been sitting in my stash along with the print that I used in the border, waiting just for the right project to come along. Additional fabrics were a machine embroidered cotton, and plain black cotton. Glass seed beads were used for the embroidery, along with vintage bugle and hand-blown glass beads, and nail heads. Vintage buttons are sprinkled throughout along with large glass beads and charms.

This piece can be found in my book Beaded Embroidery Stitching by C&T Publishing.

Happy Stitching, ~Christen

National Sewing Month

Day 3

Question: I like to sew strips, and straight seams. What do you like to sew?

15 3/4″ x 15 7/8″

Sizzle and Pop by Christen Brown

This is a strip-pieced base comprised of Hoffman and hand-dyed batiks as well as cotton floral prints. The lines and seams are embroidered with beaded stitches, with buttons and sequins used for additional embellishments.

This piece can be seen in my book, Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing.

Happy Stitching, ~Christen

Day 11 of FLOWERS GALORE!

Day 11 of FLOWERS GALORE!

Summer Blooms Bracelet

The base of this project is made from a a grosgrain ribbon, with a length of hand-dyed ribbon stitched down the middle. The embellishments include ribbonwork rosettes also made from hand-dyed ribbon, beaded embroidery stitches, and a vintage button for the closure. You can make this project with any type of ribbon it would not need to be hand-dyed (which are not included in the instructions).

Spring in Bloom

The base of this project is made from a blue cotton chambray fabric. The base is embellished with a cotton lace, and adorned with buttons, glass beads and flowers, and my favorite tiniest wee little butterflies.

Both of these simple projects are included in my new book Beaded Embroidery Stitching by C&T Publishing.

Happy Stitching, enjoy~ Christen!

Day 5 of FLOWERS GALORE!

Day 5 of FLOWERS GALORE!

Welcome Home

This is a wall hanging that I made using two cotton fabrics, a blue chambray and a fun print with bees in flight. I included some vintage lace for the vase and the center frame, and a novelty ribbon for the outer corner frame. The buttons are really the star here, and they are all vintage, with the exception of the bees that are mingled around the frame of the chambray square. All of the beaded embroidery stitches can be found in my book Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing.

Happy Stitching, enjoy~ Christen!

Beaded Embroidery Stitching Blog Tour: My Turn!

Next stop on the blog turn is ME!

Here is my new book, Beaded Embroidery Stitching, which includes 125 bead embroidery and bead woven stitches, using beads, buttons, charms and more. Once you practice the basic stitches, there are 8+projects for you to work your magic on!

I have included a section on the types of beads and embellishments that you will be using for the stitches, and the other items that can be included in your creations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many of the stitches included in the book are interpreted from traditional thread embroidery stitches.

I have included a look into my Design Process, and how a project will start.

I have included several versions of a design in different color ways so that the reader could see the possibilities.

Champagne and Pearls

Welcome Home

Spider Webs

Along Came a Spider

There are loads of inspiration for you to look at, with examples ranging from wall hangings, sewing caddies, pillows, bracelets, brooches and more.

I want to thank all of the magnificent participants that were kind enough to leave a post on the blogs. You can read the past posts here, and see what they thought about the book.

If you would like to win a free ebook version of my book, just leave a comment below, you will need to check in tomorrow to see if you have won. Good Luck!

Happy Stitching and Enjoy~ Christen

Beaded Embroidery Stitching Blog Tour

I am proud to announce that my book on bead embroidery and bead weaving is HERE! Within the 160 pages of Beaded Embroidery Stitching you will find information on the types of beads and embellishments that you can use in the 125 bead-embroidery and bead-woven stitches. There are over eight projects, ranging from beginning to advanced, including wallhangings, a sewing caddy, jewelry, and more. I have included additional inspiration for each project, showing a different color way, or a different take on the design, and a gallery section for more ideas.

There are some amazingly talented people that are participating in this tour. I want to thank each and every one of them for agreeing to participate in the launch of my new book.

Please visit their blogs to read what they have to say, and for a chance to win an ebook of Beaded Embroidery Stitching.

Happy Stitching to you all!

Enjoy~ Christen

The Embroidery Book by Christen Brown

The Embroidery Book

theembroiderybook

Here is the cover of my newest book, which came out in November of 2016. The book includes step-by-step, visual guide to 149 embroidery stitches, motifs and extras. The book takes you beyond basic color theory– with robust color charts take the guesswork out of choosing thread, silk ribbon, buttons, beads, and trims. Then I show you how take your embroidery to the next level with luxurious seam treatments and stunning stand-alone designs! I include both traditional and contemporary techniques in the projects and gallery pieces that are showcased throughout the book.

book of stitches cover

I have included a detailed project in the book which is called the “Embroidery Journal”. I think that every stitcher should have a log of stitches, one to refer to when working out an embroidered design. There are 12 sections of embroidery stitches, which are listed by category in the book.

book of stitches

There are two examples of for each category, one at the beginning of the book in the table of contents, and then one in the section with the embroidery stitch techniques. Here is an example of the stitched samplers for the blanket stitch and variations and the chain and looped stitches.

Happy Stitching, ~ Christen

The Crazy Corner

Crazy Corner with Christen Brown

crazycornersample

The Crazy Corner, a master class by Christen Brown, takes the student from a pile of fabric to a finished CQ block in 16 weeks. In each 2 hour lesson you will learn comprehensive information that can be applied not only to crazy piecing, but in other aspects of your creative work.
Due to amount of information covered in each class, the student is required to have the experience and expertise listed in the description under each week’s class listing. Hand embroidery and sewing skills are a must; some ribbonwork and bead embroidery knowledge is also helpful.

If you are new to embroidery may I suggest my book Embroidered and Embellished and my class The Embroidery Corner Series.

Week 1: Organizing Your Components and Color Theory 101 $20.00

lesson1square1Learn how to choose fabrics; combine textures and colors; and how to bring in additional colors with ribbon and lace. Explore the embroidery choices with thread, silk embroidery ribbon and beads. Identify and assign color names and numbers to your fabrics, trims, threads etc.

Week 2: NO-Sew Square $20.00

lesson2square1Create a CQ base that does not require any machine sewing. Some hand-sewing may be needed, but for the most part the fabrics are adhered to a muslin base with a fusible web.

Week 3: Custom Dyeing Laces and Ribbons $30.00

lesson3square1Learn to dye laces, ribbon and threads using ColorHue dyes. I will bring the dyes for you to use during class time. *Please note: this class is a 3 hour class.

Week 4: Baskets and Spider Webs $20.00

lesson4square1Create baskets from lace, ribbon and embroidery stitches. Embroider a variety of spider web shapes. Student must be familiar with hand sewing skills, and these embroidery stitches: blanket, chain, coral, couched, fly, pistil, outline, stem and straight stitches.

Week 5: Fans, Yo-Yo’s and Rosettes $20.00

lesson5square1Create a vintage looking Dresden fan from ribbon and fabric; create a crazy pieced fan and fabric yo-yos; create a ribbon rosette. Student must be familiar with hand sewing skills.

Week 6: Embroidered and Couched Vines $20.00

lesson6square1Create vines using the split stitch, couched stitch, chain stitch and a single crochet stitch (Christen’s own needle stitch). Student must be familiar with the first three embroidery stitches, and single chain crochet before class.

Week 7: Border Rows: Embroidered $20.00

lesson7square1Create a mini square from your leftover fabrics to audition color chart choices on (this will be used later as a pocket on the back of the CQ square. Then learn how to document progress using a diagram of CQ square, and graph paper. Then embroider border row stitches and their variations. Student must be familiar with embroidery stitches before class.

Week 8: Birds Nests, Baubles and Buttons $20.00

lesson8square1Learn to create a woven, tatted or lace bird’s nest that can be filled with pearls or beads. Create ribbon baubles and buttons to stitch into vignettes. Student must be familiar with hand sewing skills.

Week 9: Vignettes of Flowers and Leaves $20.00

lesson9square1Create ribbonwork and silk embroidery ribbon flowers, ribbonwork and embroidered leaves. Student must be familiar with hand sewing skills, and be familiar with silk ribbon embroidery.

Week 10: Decorative Stitches: Embroidered $20.00

lesson10square1Embroider lazy daisy, fly, chain, closed blanket and bullion stitch variations and designs. Student must be familiar with these embroidery stitches before class.

Week 11: Decorative Stitches: Beaded $20.00

lesson11square1Embroider beaded flowers, sequin flowers, beaded leaves and more. Students should have some knowledge of beads and their sizes before class.

Week 12: Detail Stitches: Embroidered and Beaded $20.00

lesson12square1Embroidered French, Colonial and Chinese knots and straight embroidery stitches. Beaded centers and details will also be covered. Student must be familiar with the embroidery stitches before class and have some knowledge of beads and their sizes before class.

Week 13: Bugs and More! $20.00

lesson13square1Create butterflies, bees, spiders, lady bugs and snails with embroidery or ribbonwork techniques. Students must be familiar with the lazy daisy, fly, chain and French knot embroidery stitches, as well as ribbonwork techniques before class.

Week 14: Beaded Extras $20.00

lesson14CQCreate tiny beaded extras that can be sewn into a vignette including beaded flowers, leaves, stars and more. Students should have some knowledge of beads and their sizes before class.

Week 15: Vignettes: Buttons, Beads and Charms $20.00

lesson15CQsquareGrouping, displaying, and sewing buttons, beads, charms and more. Bonus extra: learn to create a specialize charm or button using a photograph or special card.

Week 16: Bindings, Finishing Touches $20.00

finished cq squareLecture: Variety of bindings, stabilizers, and finishing touches.

Student: Personalized suggestions, support and answers for each student.

For a look at past students work, please see Crazy Corner: Students Work.

Class Details:

These classes are listed with the price per visit.

Date and time: This class is not currently on the schedule.

For information on the series, please contact me: thestoreonthecorner@gmail.com

The above class fees reflect the content, the handout and any supplies noted in the description of each specific class. Once the fee of a class is paid for, you will receive a handout in an email, which will need to be printed and brought to class.

Happy Stitching! ~Christen