What more can I say? I love, love, love buttons, I am not sure that I love anything in my work room more than my buttons! Unless my hubby or daughter are in there!
I chose a few of my favorite types of buttons to share, then pieces that I used these types of button on. The finished pieces that I am sharing today all come from my book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing.
Here is an example of some of my crochet buttons. The pieces below all have some form of thread covered buttons.
Rococo Pillow was a gallery example that I created for my book, Ribbonwork Gardens, by C&T Publishing. I used a variety of ribbons in the piece including: silk bias ribbon, woven ribbon, and vintage jacquard ribbon. I embroidered the flowers with silk ribbon embroidery stitches.
Blue Jean Baby was also a gallery example that I created for my book, Ribbonwork Gardens. I used a heart-shaped applique for the base, and filled it with ribbonwork rosettes, posies, and leaves. The tiny quilted kitty was a gift, and I think that she is quite happy here in her forever home.
Lace, Doilies, and Appliqués, Block 1Lace, Doilies, and Appliqués, Block 2
Lace, Doilies and Appliqués is one of the Projects by Design, from my new book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New. I combined ribbonwork flowers, with fabric yo-yo’s, buttons, charms and beads to create a floral display. The project has two block designs, which are repeated, and then stitched into a 4-block wallhanging.
Champagne and PearlsWelcome Home
Champagne and Pearls and Welcome Home are gallery pieces from my book Beaded Embroidery Stitching, by C&T Publishing. These pieces are variations of Feminine Fancies, Project A: Bouquet of Flowers. I used buttons for the base of the flowers, and embroidered the petals with beads, and beads, and well dare I say, more beads!
Tatiana’s GardenFlowers in a CuffSage and Cornflower
Tatiana’s Garden is a design example that I created for my book, The Embroidery Book, by C&T Publishing. I used two vintage cuffs and other pieces of flat lace to create the basket and the handle. I embroidered the piece with silk embroidery ribbon in sizes 4mm and 7mm, buttonhole twist, rayon twist, perle cotton #12, seed beads in a variety of sizes, glass charms, and buttons.
Flowers in a Cuff is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece, from my new book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New. I died a vintage lace cuff and grosgrain ribbon with Colorhue Dyes. I filled the basket with rosettes made from the grosgrain ribbon, cloth and mother-of-pearl buttons, and a few glass charms. I embroidered the piece with a variegated #8 perle cotton thread.
Sage and Cornflower is a new gallery piece that I created, based on the Projects by Design: Lace, Doilies and Appliqués, (see first row of images above). The base started as half of a stained doily, which I dyed with Colorhue dyes, as well as the lace and rickrack trims. I used Finca Mouline perle cotton, Valdani variegated perle cotton, and dyed perle cotton by Artfabriks. I embellished the piece with seed and larger glass beads; vintage glass and celluloid buttons; and brass charms.
I have always been an advocate for re-purposing and turning something old, and worn, and forgotten into a new treasure, I have a lecture (with handout) on Creative Spark, Upcycle It with Embellishments that shows you many examples of ways that you can rescue, update and revive your own wardrobe.
And why not do this yourself, with your wardrobe? What better way to honor Earth Day, and be creative at the same time? Here are a few pieces of mine that I have updated, embellished, and refreshed.
Phred’s Jean Jacket
Phred’s Jean Jacket
My friend Phred, created this jacket from 6 or 7 pairs of jeans that he found at several different thrift stores. He made this jacket in the 70’s. At some point he gave it to me, and it has been worn at various times, by both myself and my daughter. As you can imagine the raw edges of the jeans had frayed through the years. So I sat down one week, and trimmed off all the frayed edges, and then repaired any rips that had occurred. I then took 2 colors of perle cotton #5, and hand-stitched a running stitch around the edge of each square. I added in some white vintage buttons, and a few corsages that I made from old ties. VOILA a star was re-born.
Shabby Chic Jean Purse
This is a jean purse that I just loved, I used it over and over again. But at some point, the brass findings had left rust spots on the purse. I cut off the tabs that the findings had been attached to, and pulled out my box of vintage crochet doilies. And then I got busy! I added in rosettes made from lace and ribbons, large ruched flowers made from denim strips, zipper roses, crochet flowers, and buttons.
Old Rose CorsageVintage Milliefiori Jewelry Ensemble
Old Rose Corsages
These corsages are made from vintage silk ties, so get to rummaging through your stash, and get busy! I have included instructions in the lecture handout on how to make a version of the one on at the top right of the picture
Millifiori Jewelry Ensemble
This jewelry ensemble represents many hours spent on eBay, looking for all of the vintage parts and pieces to complete the group. I strung the necklace with new and vintage glass and metal beads. I just love how all of the colors pop when worn with the jacket.
If you would like to learn more about re-purposing and updating your wardrobe, see my lecture, (with handout) on Creative Spark, Upcycle It with Embellishments.
What more can I say? I have a selection of pieces to show you today, from my upcoming book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing. Some of the pieces are gallery examples, some are examples of the projects included in the book. All with wonderful buttons!
Vintage linens like napkins, hand towels, embroidered cotton doilies with lace edges, can be combined with lace doilies and trims to create a collage base that can also include fabrics, ribbons, and trims.
Faded Shades of Rococo Days: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. I pieced a base of a charm packet of Moda prints, and additional printed cotton fabrics. I stitched with a nine patch square for the center, framed this with a strip of a printed cotton fabric, then finished off with a pieced boarder of the remaining charm squares. I placed a lace doily in the center section, and layered cotton flat lace throughout the base. I highlighted the center section with a velvet ribbon. I embroidered and embellished the base with threads, beads, buttons, and ribbonwork flowers and leaves.
Butterfly Fields: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. An old Battenburg lace doily was cut into sections to form the three trees that are stitched to a batik background framed with a strip-pieced border. Embellishments include ribbonwork and lace flowers, beads, sequins, buttons, and charms.
Doily Bunting: This is a Stash Project, that is a great way to use up your collection of embroidery and printed doilies.
Girly Girls: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. This entire collection of doilies, napkins, and small serving placemats was given to me by friends and family members. The kid glove belonged to my grandmother, and my mother stitched the oval floral pieces. The earrings came from my husband’s grandmothers and the jacquard ribbon from his mother. The vintage buttons, jewelry, perfume vials, and glass beads were purchased at thrift stores and online.
Here is a video that I shot at the C&T Publishing Studios, that focuses on the new book, and some of my favorite pieces.
I have a new book coming out in March 2023, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with The New. The emphasis of the book is to create something new from your vintage and new stash of fabrics, hankies, table linens, doilies, laces, appliqués, trims, ribbons, threads, buttons, beads, notions, and more.
Book Blog and Social Media Tour Details
The following hosts of the blogs and Facebook pages listed below, are offering a chance to win a free copy of the eBook. Visit each listing on the day of the tour that they are hosts, and enter the drawing for a chance to win!
Today you have a chance to win at Create Whimsy, Facebook.
To help me promote the book, I asked a few good friends to participate in a Round Robin Group block exchange. So, what is a “Round Robin”, and how did this project get started? I asked each artist to create a 10”- 12” pieced square, using any type of fabric and color combination. The construction could also include doilies, laces, or ribbons, and then the embroidery and embellishments stitches included in the book. Once the block was created, they sent the block to the next person in the group, including the threads and embellishments that they wanted to include on their block. Then the block traveled on to the next participant in the group, and then back to the owner.
The participants of the first Round Robin Group, Washington to Oregon to Texas were founder, artist, and teacher Lynn Woll of Create Whimsy, and her friend and colleague Chardel Gibson Blaine, an artist, teacher and owner of Flying Goat Studio, who teamed up with my friend of many years, Patti Medaris Culea, a fiberart and cloth doll artist, teacher and author.
Here is Lynn Woll’s block. She started with a square of linen, a green fabric doily with a multi-color crochet edge and a smaller crocheted doily. Inspired by Mandalas, she attached the green doily onto the linen, then stitched the smaller crochet doily into the center. Her block traveled to Patti Medaris Culea, then to Chardel Blaine.
The block is now back with Lynn and she says: “Who knew that two vintage doilies could create such a peaceful embroidered work. I find the piece calm and comforting and plan on finishing it as a small wall art piece.”
What more can I say? I have a selection of pieces to show you today, from my upcoming book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing. Some of the pieces are gallery examples, some are examples of the projects included in the book.
Vintage hankies can be layered to create a collage base or can be combined with other fabrics. These are often made from cotton, cotton batiste, linen, and silk fabrics.
Bella Fleur Mouchoir (Beautiful Flower Handkerchief): The base of this wallhanging is made from vintage hankies that had belonged to my mother. I combined the hankies with scraps of vintage feed sack and new cotton fabrics, and satin ribbons. I embroidered stitches around the edges of the hankies and ribbons and the seams of the pieced fabric. I made ribbonwork flowers using vintage cotton bias tape and woven ribbons. This piece is adorned with vintage and new plastic buttons.
Tea Cozy frontTea Cozy back
Tea Cozy: This is a Stash Project that uses hankies, ribbons, and bits of fabric. Three embroidered hankies and one printed hanky were combined with vintage feed sack fabrics to create the front and back of the base. Vintage jacquard and satin ribbons were used to cover raw edges and to make ribbonwork rosettes. The embroidery is worked in perle cotton, cotton floss, and silk embroidery ribbons. Vintage mother of perle buttons are sprinkled throughout the front and back of the cozy.
Hanky and Lace Collage: This is a Project by Design, and starts with a printed fabric, a hanky, and varying widths of vintage lace and jacquard ribbons. The collage design is embroidered with silk embroidery ribbon, silk, and rayon floss. Embellishments include rosettes, buttons, sequins, and beads.
For Elizabeth: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece, that started with a white cotton batiste handkerchief embroidered with the letter “E“, pieced with two colors of moire fabric. I dyed vintage lace and appliques with Colorhue dyes. I made ribbonwork flowers from vintage velvet and hombre woven ribbons. I worked silk ribbon embroidery stitches around the flowers and appliqués.
Hankies and Rosettes: This is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece, that stared with two cotton hankies, one with a crochet trim. I cut the hankies into quarters, and layered them on a vintage knitting pin. I covered the pin with an hombre ribbon, so that it would match the colors of the crochet trim, embroidery stitches, and the ribbon rosette flowers.
Here is a video that I shot at the C&T Publishing Studios, that focuses on the new book, and some of my favorite pieces.
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. This month they are going to be from my new book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New, by C&T Publishing.
Into the Garden: The base of this project started with a group of disparate fabrics, which included a collection of small strips of a few floral upholstery fabrics, two cuffs from a linen jacket, and a few squares of a printed polished cotton. I just started to randomly patch- and strip-piecing the base, fitting the pieces together, starting form small to large. Once the piecing was completed, I hand-quilted the base with perle cotton #12.
As I was contemplating my next move, I thought with all of the floral prints, this piece seemed to me to want to showcase a garden, with flowers, and birds, bugs, and more. I found some wonderful metal hangers, and some wooden clothespins, who doesn’t remember mom hanging the sheets out to dry in the warm summer sun?
I then rummaged around the button box, and found an eclectic mixture of old and new sew-through and shank buttons. I used the buttons as the centers for both the ribbonwork and embroidered flowers. A few were sewn as the body of the spiders and button bugs.
I found a great group of printed ribbons, burlap ribbon, printed rickrack trim, and vintage rickrack and loop trims. I used these as seam treatments, and for the ribbonwork flowers on the frame of the wooden hanger. I also found some rayon knitting ribbon and soutache braid for the stems of the flowers.
In the top left corner I stitched a sun, with rays shining down into the garden. Little stitched extras (which you can find in the book) include a birds nest, yo-yos, and penny circles. The little birds resting in the nest are made from spun cotton with beaks and wings made from dried mushrooms.
I filled the garden with buttons and charms of dragonflies, butterflies, and ladybugs. And of course spiders and their webs. I couched some old cotton twine for branches, on both the vertical edges, with a vine of couched silk ribbon to showcase the bright mixture of plastic, metal, and glass buttons.
I kept the embroidery fairly simple, so that the imagery could shine through. Included are: running stitch, chain stitch, stem stitch, couched stitch, lazy daisy stitch, fly stitch, French knot stitch, and straight stitch. You can find all of the embroidery stitches and the little stitched extras that I used in my book.
Here is a video that I shot at the C&T Publishing Studios, that focuses on the new book, and some of my favorite pieces.
What more can I say? I have a selection of pieces to show you today, from my upcoming book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old With the New, by C&T Publishing. Some of the pieces are gallery examples, some are examples of the projects included in the book.
Doilies, appliqués, and wide flat lace can be used as a starting point to make a pretty basket that you can then fill with ribbonwork flowers, buttons, embroidery, charms, and beads.
Notions of Spring: A Stash Idea Inspiration piece. I cut a large doily in half, and used one half for the base. I cut a smaller doily into four sections, which created the heart shaped pieces in each corner. I filled the vase with the flowers and leaves included in the chapter Altering the Past. I even used and old tool that belonged to my mom, called the “Daisy Maker” which was used to make a flower from yarn. I substituted a lace hem tape for the yarn, and it worked out perfectly! I embellished the piece with several sizes of rickrack, a vine trim, a coronation cord, sewing notions, buttons, charms, and bells.
Lace, Doilies and Appliqués: Is one of the Projects by Design. I combined ribbonwork flowers, with fabric yo-yo’s, buttons, charms and beads to create a floral display. The project has two block designs, which are repeated, and then stitched into a 4-block wallhanging.
Flowers in a CuffAunt Murt’s Garden
Flowers in a Cuff: Is a Stash Idea Inspiration piece. I hand-dyed the cuff, and the grosgrain ribbons that I used to stitch the ribbonwork rosettes. I had been saving those fun character buttons for years, waiting for just the right project to come along. I also used vintage dyed mother-of-perle buttons for the centers of the flowers.
Aunt Murt’s Garden: Is an example of the Stash Project called Scrap Pins. I used a section of vintage crochet lace for the basket, and stitched it onto a dyed silk base, finished with vintage flat lace. I stitched machine-made appliqués, vintage buttons, plastic leaves, glass roundels, and glass beads into and around the basket. I used a vintage knitting pin for the hanger.
Hoop Frame: This is a Stash Project. The base is a piece of decorator fabric set into a vintage hoop frame, which is adorned with a beautiful lace doily, and another piece of vintage crochet lace. I embroidered stems with the feather and couched stitch, leaves with the lazy daisy stitch, and French knot stitch details. The flowers are vintage mother-of-pearl and muscle shell buttons, with ladybug and dragonfly charms sprinkled throughout the bouquet.
Christen's Creations 