Tag Archive | dyed lace

Tips and Tea on Tuesdays

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!

tangerine zinger tea

Tea today is Sangria Zinger, a combination of tangy hibiscus, blood orange, pineapple, and additional citrus flavors. Doesn’t the color look so pretty here, in my vintage daffodil china cup? This is one of my mix-matched sets, with a beautiful floral saucer that lost it’s mate. They don’t match exactly, but I think that the colors blend well, and they seem happy teamed together.

Speaking of color, do you sometimes struggle putting colors together? Me too! So what do I do to address this hurdle, so I can get down to stitching???

Close-up Pistachio Moss

Pistachio Moss, is a gallery piece that you can see in my new book, Creative Embroidery, Mixing the Old with the New, by C&T Publishing. This piece was a bit of a challenge, and became a large growling monster, as I gathered my materials. I was working with small bits of fabric, and finite amounts of lace and ribbons.

Pistachio Moss Beginnings: the colors seemed to be disparate, the fabrics and beads were contemporary, but the threads, ribbons and buttons were vintage looking. So, what did I do?

Tip: Begin at the Beginning

This is the print that I used for the border of the piece. Conveniently, the manufacturer provided a color section of all of the colors that appear in the print. I started here, because sometimes greens can be a challenge for me. Another great tool that I suggest for you to use, is Stitch Palettes, you won’t be sorry!

Once I had my color palette selected, I found anther fabric that matched the first. Then I chose colors that matched and blended with the two fabrics, to use for the remaining materials. Before I stitched the base, I dyed the center section of silk fabric, the appliques, some of the silk bias ribbon that I used for the flowers, and all of the vintage laces.

Final Tip for Today: In my new book, I have included directions and tips on dyeing with Colorhue dyes, in the chapter Altering the Past. I also made a video introducing the book, and you can see this piece “up close and in person”!

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.

Day 20 of FLOWERS GALORE!

Day 20 of FLOWERS GALORE!

Lace in Bloom

This is a sampling of the flowers that I created for a class that I call Lace in Bloom. Several of the flowers are made with individual petals that are made from a “magic web” technique that I created using Solvy. The other flowers are made from a length of lace. All of the laces were dyed with ColorHue dyes. Fun, fun, fun!

Happy Stitching, enjoy~ Christen!

Day 4 of HEARTS: Hanky Heart

Day 4 of HEARTS!

Many of you know that I love hearts! I love the shapes and all of the possibilities. The base of the brooch is made from a vintage embroidered hanky, sewn over a Fast2Fuse base. The heart shape is adorned with vintage lace, silk ribbon embroidery and ribbonwork flowers, many of which were hand-dyed in my class Dyeing to Be Beautiful.

Happy February to you!

~Christen