The bases for these two pillows were made from pieced silk fabric embellished with vintage jacquard ribbons. The embroidery is worked silk ribbon widths of 2mm, 4mm, and 7mm; cotton and silk floss, hand-dyed perle cotton, and silk buttonhole twist. These pillows can be found in the gallery section of my book, Embroidered and Embellished by C&T Publishing.
Happy Stitching, enjoy~ Christen!
Andalusian Flower Fields- crochet neckpiece
Well if you thought that I had fun making this ensemble you were right!
Crochet is not my first needle technique of choice, not even my second, third… you get the picture. I learned the theory in high school, but never could read a pattern, so my elegant chains never really were of any use.
A few years ago I took a class, I got a book, took a refresher class from a friend, and just started to play. I guess it is just like anything new, you have to work at it. So I did. The flowers and leaves are all made from patterns that I developed, because I still can’t read anybody else’s pattern, but I can read my own!
The neckpiece is assembled by stitching each flower to the other, the leaves are attached to the flowers. I used a vintage glass button for the closure, and I stitched a crochet flower for the loop. The bracelet base is a vintage jacquard ribbon with the flowers sewn down on the ribbon. I had a second glass flower button that I used for the closure of the bracelet, and stitched a buttonhole loop.
Andalusian Flower Fields- crochet bracelet
The ensemble was made to be worn with a vintage blue shawl the same color as the light blue of the flowers. It is from China and is embroidered with the medium pinks, yellow and peach colors that I used in the flowers and the darker green color that I used for the leaves.
I found a vintage embroidered purse that was made in Mexico to match the shawl. It is embroidered on black velvet with flowers in the dark blue, pink and deep peach colors with the lighter green color of the leaves.
Happy stitching, creating, and searching for those great vintage finds! 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
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
Christen's Creations 