Tag Archive | sequins

National Sewing Month

Sep19

Day 19

Question: Do you like to embroider over a pattern or print: I like the fact that I can follow a guide, but mix it up a bit and add more color to the piece. You can find the following pieces in my book the Hand Embroidery Dictionary by C&T Publishing.

20″ X 19 1/2″

Glamour Girl by Christen Brown

This piece started with the fun print that was used in all four blocks. I loved the colors that were used and found additional fabrics in both stripes and prints in those same colors. I also incorporated a few precious strips of vintage batik fabrics. The piece is embellished with rickrack trim, grosgrain and novelty ribbons, embroidery, beads and sequins, and novelty buttons.

21 1/2″ x 12 3/4″

Big Leaves by Christen Brown

This piece started with the large linen leaf print. I chose Valdani perle cotton, from Rusty Crow Quilt Shop, for the embroidery stitches because of the ombre and variegated colors. The printed fabric gave me so many opportunities to use a variety of embroidery stitches. I used a wide grosgrain ribbon for the border, and embellished this with vintage wooden buttons.

12 1/2″ x 13 3/4″

Misty Blue Hills by Christen Brown

I used a printed upholstery fabric for the center that had great lines and colors that I could work with. I pieced the simple border with blue and creme colored printed fabrics. The embroidery stitching follows the pattern in the center, using a variety of stitches. I used a Sashiko style of stitching on the border fabrics. Many vintage glass, metal, shell and celluloid buttons were used for embellishments, along with two bone dragons.

Happy Stitching, ~Christen

By the Shore

Aug27

I love the sea, the shore, and collecting treasures along the sand, rocks, and tide pools. Growing up in Southern California is a gift that I treasure every minute of the day. Here are some examples of my interpretations of this life.

Sea Urchins
Sea Urchins

Sea Urchins, were made from synthetic felt, one embellished with mother-of-perle buttons, and glass beads; the other embroidered with hand-dyed perle cotton from Artfabriks, with a vintage brown muscle button in the center. Scattered amongst the sea urchins are a group of carved, vintage abalone buttons. This piece and the one below it, can be seen in my book, Hand Embroidery Dictionary.

Tidal Pool Rocks Group
Tidal Pool Rocks

Tidal Pool Rocks was a piece that I created, intending to add found objects, and other small embroideries. The rocks are made from synthetic felt, and are embroidered with a variety of solid and variegated perle cotton threads. The small bits of “sea ephemera” were created from ribbons, felt, and floral stamens. A ribbon trim poses as kelp, with found shells and starfish skeletons sprinkled around the rocks.

Tidal Pools

Tidal Pools was a piece that I created for my book, Beaded Embroidery Stitching. The felt base for this piece and the rocks above are based on the “Blowing Bubbles” project in that book. The base is made from synthetic felt, and is embroidered and embellished with seed and larger glass beads, miniature sea urchins made from silk bias ribbon, found shells, vintage buttons, charms, sequins, dentalium shells, fresh water pearls, coral beads, and abalone chips.

Happy Stitching to you! ~Christen

Day 24 of HEARTS! Serendipity

Feb24

Day 24 of HEARTS!

Many of you know that I love hearts! I love the shapes and all of the possibilities. The base of this heart-shaped wall hanging is made from two cotton batik fabrics, strip pieced together with a v-shaped section in the middle of the heart. The embroidered flowers and leaves are worked in silk embroidery ribbon, silk floss, and buttonhole twist. Sequins, glass beads, buttons and flower shaped rondelles were added in for details. Rayon cord was couched around the outer edge. The stitches and example can be found The Embroidery Book.

Happy February to you!

~Christen

Day 1 of HEARTS: Embroidered from the Heart

Feb1

Day 1 of HEARTS!

Many of you know that I love hearts! I love the shapes and all of the possibilities. Here is a sampling of hearts from my class Embroidered from the Heart. The class instructions include 5 large and small heart shapes, that can be combined to create these wonderful ornaments. Thread and bead embroidery are used to embellish each heart.

Happy February to you,

~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