mold on a blueberry
This pillow is comprised of two pieces of felt using a reverse applique technique. the top blue piece has holes cut out through out so that the green piece behind will show through. I then embroidered six different stitches using 10 colors of stranded floss.
Happy Stitching! ~Christen
Strawberry Fields- crochet purse
This crochet purse was so much fun to make. It is stitched in rows of double crochet using bits of this color and that, added in when one color ran out. I stitched a row of treble crochet close to the top for the cord to run through, and ruffled the top edge.
I am a fairly neat person but when it comes to skeins of pearl cotton, I tell myself I must wrap it in to a ball before I start stitching, but I rarely do. So the odd bits and messy balls end up in an old glass candy jar, at least they look pretty while stuffed in there.
So this was a project meant to untangle my bird’s nest full of pearl cotton #5 skeins. They were hopelessly tangled and mangled and seemingly knotted beyond recognition.
I spent a few nights in front of the TV, and a few long car trips (I was a passenger, not the pilot) and untangled and sorted the mess that I had created. I think that the untangling process took longer than the crochet stitches.
Hope that you too can create something from your tangles and mangles! Happy Stitching, enjoy- Christen
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
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
Celtic Flowers Pillow
I have two book shelves on either side of my sewing table, and I placed an old pantry door on top to create a shelf. I placed many of my dolls in groups on top of this shelf, and the smaller pillows such as this one reside there
The fabric is a silk shantung, embroidered with pearl cotton thread. The stitches I used are:
After the pillow was sewn and stuffed, I added a rayon cord to the edges to finish off the piece.
5-1/2″ wide x 6 ” tall
Happy stitching, enjoy your creative adventures! Christen
Marie's Boudoirs Pillow-1
When I first pieced the fabric for this pillow it was origionally to be a purse, but then I decided I would be able to look at it more often if it were a pillow. I cut a plain fabric for the back, and I am embroidering the other half of the purse that will be a second pillow.
The entire pillow is made from silk, excluding the vintage jacquard ribbon (and the stuffing). The striped and solid color fabrics and lace, and the embroidery ribbons and thread.
The embroidery ingredients are:
The embroidery stitches I used include:
I just love working with silk ribbon because it is so elegant and feminine and I feel that I am a part of history: where the ladies were beautifully dressed and demure and the gentlemen noble and well mannered…. another time and place!
6-1/2″ wide x 8″ tall
Happy stitching and dreaming! enjoy- Christen
Kelp Scarf
Pictured here is one of six examples of what you can do with a little time (about a weekend), a little imagination, a sewing machine and bits of this and that.
This scarf is from my Kelp Scarf class which I only taught once. The base was a strip of Solvy fabric. I machine stitched ribbons, yarns, threads and bits of this and that for about 12 hours. After the Solvy was washed away, the ribbons appear to float on air in a pretty lacy effect. For the fringe I hand tied and sewed in lengths of ribbons and leftover yarn.
With a little bit of imagination, you can recycle creatively, and have fun while you are doing it.
Happy Stitching, make it count! Enjoy- Christen
Shabby ‘n Stitched Vest
This was a wonderful project to work on, just me, 12 colors of pearl cotton, a needle, a thimble, a pair of scissors, and about 75 hours of stitching.
I wish that I had had the for site to photograph this vest when it came in the mail. I bought it on ebay and the listing said that it was a shabby chic vest.
So I imagined that it was a little rough around the edges. The pictures were not clear, so I took a chance. When I opened the package I thought to myself, “Must ask for better pictures next time!”, as it was more than just a little rough.
The red cotton of the vest had either ripped or had been torn by more than a few rough washings, most of the satin stitch embroidery had unraveled, and many of the mirrors were broken. I had my work cut out for me, to save my $4.99 investment.
I picked through my embroidery thread stash, and found some colors that I thought would liven up the vest. I started to embroider, and really just had a great time enhancing someone else’s creative stitching.
I stitched right through the lining, not worrying about burying the stitches or knots. I plan to add additional lining to the front pieces (to hide my stitches on the wrong side), and add seam binding around the collar and center edges (as the raw edges are showing).
With a little bit of imagination, you can recycle creatively, and have fun while you are doing it.
Enjoy, and see you at the thrift store! ~Christen
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 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
Happy Stitching! Christen
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