Tag Archive | seed beads

The Cotillion Tassel- ribbons and beads

May27
The Cotillion Tassel

The Cotillion Tassel

This tassel is a most feminine tassel, perfect to adorn that special armoire or chest of drawers. I have made several tassels in my time, and I hang them on an old fence post that my husband attached to the wall.

This tassel is a sample from my Cotillion Tassel pattern. The tassel is embellished with hand made flowers and leaves using a variety of ribbons and trims including:

  • Rayon Velvet
  • Vintage French Jacquard
  • 10mm French Ombre
  • French Wire Ribbon
  • Hanah silk cord
  • Rococo Trim

The velvet ribbons were stitched into leaves and used at the top of the tassel as well as the calyx for the modified fuchsias which are made from the French wire ribbon. The vintage French jacquard has a disc at the bottom and is embellished with seed beads. The rococo trim is wrapped around the silk cord which is further embellished with beads and charms. Flowers made from the wire and the ombre ribbons are sprinkled around the top of the tassel.

To finish off the embellishments I added in stamens for the flowers, glass butterflies and leaves, and metal flower shaped charms.

Enjoy! Christen

Currents- free form embroidered vest

May26
Currents- free form embroidered vest

Currents- free form embroidered vest

The vest is made from a Hoffman Bali Batik fabric, in the colors of a rich cranberries and currents, shot with hints of mango, teal and mustard. I used these accents colors for the fabric yo-yo’s made from cotton velveteen, and metallic silk fabric. This was the sample for my Currents class.

The cotton base fabric is machine quilted with a double needle in some sections and free form stipple quilted in others. Machine embroidered sections of covered yarn resemble branches or vines (teal green), and provide an anchor for the additional embellishment of hand applied rayon cords.

Hand embroidered shisha mirrors are seen amongst needle lace embroidery. Beads and buttons are used along with metal charm embellishments to compliment the sea theme.

Happy Stitching, Christen

Brigadoon- silk ribbon embroidered vest

May26
Brigadoon- silk ribbon embroidered vest

Brigadoon- silk ribbon embroidered vest

Being an artist I am inspired by all that I see, past and present. One of my favorite things to do is turn on an old movie, a classic, such as Brigadoon for instance with Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. The colors of the fabrics used in this vest reminded me of the tartans worn in the movie and of course my mother’s own Scottish heritage.

The vest which is a sample of my Quelque Fleurs class and purse is from my Fleurs de France class. These are both made from silk, dyed cotton and tapestry fabrics that are curved pieced to fit the shape of the pattern. The ribbon flowers and ruching are made from satin and velvet ribbons. The vest has a few pieces of vintage lace around the seams and in the back with additional hand tatted flowers that I made from a vintage spool of buttonhole twist.

The flowering gardens of silk ribbon embroidery are embellished further with vintage sequins, glass charms shaped like lilies, buttons and beads; also used were new glass beads and glass charms. The back of the vest displays a vintage button, that had been a gift from a student. The button had previously been owned by her great aunt quite a lady who had traveled to the west coast on a covered wagon in her youth!

Happy Stitching, enjoy your memories, write them down! Christen

Dragonfly Brooch- peyote and brick stitch

May18
Dragonfly Tropics

Dragonfly Tropics

As a child I collected shells from the shore, and used them to create jewelry and small dolls. I loved the small white dentalium shells as they were so useful, and when I saw these lovely green ones I knew just what to do with them.

The base of this brooch is a wire covered with silk ribbon. It creates the perfect perch for a beaded dragonfly and a vine full of flowers and beaded leaves.

The dentalium shell body is embellished with a circular peyote stitch in size 15 seed beads; the wings are brick stitched in four separate sections with delica beads. Two small pearls are used for the eyes.

A beautiful abalone shell button is stitched in the center of the vintage bead vine, with small carved pua shell buttons stitched amongst the glass flowers and leaves. The silk vine is also enhanced with Hanah silk bias ribbon work flowers with beaded centers and brick stitched leaves that are made from delica beads.

Happy stitching, love what you do! Enjoy- Christen

PS: here are two additional versions of this brooch.

Dragonfly Moon

Dragonfly Moon

The second brooch Dragonfly Moon has the beaded dragonfly attached to an antique Mother of Pearl disc. This is then embellished with free form peyote vines with beaded leaves, vintage MOP discs and more glass beads.

Autumn Dragonfly

Autumn Dragonflies

The third brooch Autumn Dragonflies has a similar covered wire base as the first brooch. It is also encrusted with silk bias ribbon flowers, vintage and new glass beads stitched leaves, but for some reason I didn’t stop there! I then added more French wire, velvet and silk bias ribbon worked flowers and leaves for the background. So now it is a small wall hanging rather than a huge brooch!

Enjoy- Christen

Cobblestone Collar- Beaded Jewelry Ensemble

May18

Cobblestone Collar- Beaded Jewelry Ensemble

Cobblestone Collar- Beaded Jewelry Ensembl

The necklace is made from a unique stitch that resembles wagon wheels or bricks placed into a pattern. It was a marvelous vehicle for these wonderful vintage and new Tahiti shell buttons that I had been collecting. The necklace made from size 8, 11 & 15 seed beads, is also adorned with fresh water pearls.

The first bracelet “Cobbled Cuff” is stitched with the free form peyote stitch. For the center piece I used a vintage Tahiti shell buckle found on a treasure hunt through my mom’s button jar. I stitched the bracelet with size 6,8,11 & 15 new and vintage seed beads along with fresh water pearls. A filigree bronze button is used for the closure.

The second bracelet “Velvet Cuff” is made with vintage carved tahiti shell buttons stitched with vintage glass seed beads onto a base of velvet ribbon. I especially love the flower shaped button on the left!

Cobblestone Collar- Beaded Jewelry Ensemble

Cobblestone Collar- Beaded Jewelry Ensemble

Happy stitching, let the beading begin! Enjoy- Christen

Umbrian Vintage Ensemble- necklace, bracelets and earrings

May18
Umbrian Vintage Ensemble

Umbrian Vintage Ensemble

I have had a wonderful adventure collecting these vintage buttons with the grape and leaf motif for this project. I finally found enough to make a necklace with matching bracelets.

The necklace, an original design, is made from two silk cords, with the vintage glass and metal buttons and beads sandwiched between them. Additional beads, many vintage, were added to dangle below the buttons for embellishment.

The earrings are made from vintage findings with new and vintage glass beads.

The first bracelet “Truffles and Toadstools” is made from my “Klimpt Kollage Kuff” pattern. This bracelet made from a base of ribbon that is encrusted with vintage celluloid, and horn buttons inlaid with abalone. Glass buttons and metal charms were also used.

The second bracelet “Brandywine” is made with a right angle weave stitch. All of the buttons are vintage brass. The glass leaves and beads are new, as are the charms that dangle below the buttons.

The pin and the shoe clips are also vintage.

Umbrian Vintage Ensemble

Umbrian Vintage Ensemble

Happy stitching, let the beading begin! Enjoy- Christen

Garden at Versailles- bead embroidery on a bracelet

May17
Garden at Versailles Bracelet

Garden at Versailles Bracelet

Garden at Versailles is a lightweight bracelet created with a base of vintage French jacquard ribbon from the ’40’s. The pattern on the ribbon determined the embellishment choices. The yellow bronze buttons were stitched in place first, with the bead embroidery stitched around the buttons. Glass seed beads in sizes 8, 11, and 15 were used as well as glass leaf charms and glass leaves on wire stems. This bracelet is worn with my Easter in Paris ensemble.

Happy Stitching, enjoy! 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

Ellen Matilda’s Rose Garden- silk ribbon embroidered purse

May7
Ellen Matilda's Rose Garden Purse

Ellen Matilda’s Rose Garden Purse

Ellen Matilda my was my grandmother and she longed for a rose garden. There was never a lot time or extra money for this.

My aunt, her youngest daughter also loved roses, and was able to have a garden in her mother’s memory. It was beautiful and her mother would have been proud of it.

My aunt’s garden inspired me to create one in ribbon embroidery in memory of both my Aunt Ellen and my grandmother Ellen Matilda.

I used the maidenhair fern stitch for the base of the design using a variegated pearl cotton thread. The tips of this stitch are embroidered with 4mm silk ribbon using the the lazy daisy and bullion-tipped lazy daisy flowers. Spider web roses are stitched with 7mm silk ribbon, and carnations are stitched with 3mm ombre ribbon. French knots and bullion knots are used for the details and stitched with 4mm silk ribbon or silk buttonhole twist thread.

A vintage button for the closure; glass seed beads and glass leaf details; brass butterflies; and vintage glass beads on the handle add the perfect finishing touches.

Happy Stitching! Christen

Days of Wine and Roses- silk ribbon embroidered vest

May4
Days of Wine and Roses close-up

Days of Wine and Roses close-up

The inspiration for the colors of this vest came from the main fabric itself, which is from one of my favorite fabric companies, Hoffman Fabrics. The champagne-mushroom dyed background is liberally sprinkled with chocolate and rose colored ferns and leaves. I used these colors and added in a sage, celery and dark green for the ribbon worked flowers and leaves and the embroidery.

The front of the vest has a raw silk panel stitched in at a slightly off kilter diagonal angle. On either edge of the the cotton and silk seam seam run a display of whimsical floral vignettes. The ribbon worked flowers and leaves are made from a variety of new and vintage ribbons including: Hanah silk bias in 2-1/2″, 1″ and 5/8″; vintage cotton grosgrain and velvet ribbons; double sided satin ribbon; cotton and moire fabrics. The vignettes are embellished with silk ribbon embroidery in sizes 2mm, 4mm and 7mm silk ribbon. Silk and cotton threads were used for details and traditional embroidery stitches.

Days of Wine and Roses- vest

Days of Wine and Roses- vest

Happy Stitching! Christen