Embroidered Purse

I'm still catching up on showing some previous projects on this blog. Today I have one of the embroidered purses I made a while ago.

I've used a variety of materials in making this purse, beads, cheese cloth, yarns of different types, mostly just playing around.  The bird was made by covering a thick interfacing with fabric.

 These little purses are like interactive works of art, which is an idea I really like.

Hopefully there will be more purses in the future because I really like them!

Sheep Fabric Box

This one I made last year. The sides of the box are made out of Timtex which you can use to make all sorts of shapes.

These two pictures are when it was in the WIP stage.

As you see, I used all sorts of fibers and fabrics to get different textures. And here is the completed box:

 I used a this stumpwork sheep project for the top that I had sitting around for a long time.  It seemed like a good place to use it.

The box was a lot of fun to make! I could imagine doing another one eventually because I really like the interactive aspect of a box, but this one is kept tucked away in a glass cabinet. I'm too afraid to interact with it much. ;)

Let them eat cake!

I'm surfacing again! The cross stitch projects are done for now, and I'm working on some new things. One of them is something I started many months ago. I ran into some road blocks because my idea for how to assemble it didn't work, so I needed a little time to figure it out. Or a lot of time as it turned out!

I got this idea for a different sort of project when I saw someone's art project that had a whole room set up with with places settings like for a party. Each plate had a different sculpture on it in some kind of clay or some such material. It made me think of doing something with needle work and food.  And since there is no better food than cake, so I thought I might start with that.

I decided to begin with fairly simple embroidery on this untested idea. I used fabric paint for the colors of the cake.

I sewed the pieces together by hand.

This project is not a "softee". There is sturdy matboard giving it shape inside.

I made the cream blob out of fimo. The plate and the spoon are part of the project. They are not just props for the photo. Unfortunately, I haven't had time to go scouring flea markets for the ideal plate, which would be some nice little china piece with delicate flowers around it. The spoon is a silver spoon from Mr Floss Box's grandmother. I will replace it with a cheaper small fork though. So I don't consider the project quite done yet, but it's time to post it anyways.

This was fun to do. I could imagine doing a whole series of them. I am not sure I will make it, but I will at the very least do another that is more elaborate. A family member who saw my cake actually thought it was real!!!!

Sewing and Creating a 3D Canvas for Embroidery

I used to sew quite a bit of clothing. I made all sorts of different garments, even a wedding dress for my sister. I am not sure what made me stop, maybe less time, and the outlets had decent quality for the price. Times have changed though. But first, my creation!

I have sewn a simple tiered skirt. I followed a pattern, and it was no problem. I wanted a bit of embroidery, but with this kind of print I thought I should start simple, so an initial would do the job. I haven't ever done any embroidery on clothing, cross stitch over waste canvas on clothing, yes, so this is a little different for me, and  something I would gladly do more of.

I have a whole pile of antique embroidery books full of letters for marking clothing and linens, but after looking at them, I thought I could do my own letter.  That way it would have the look I wanted. I sewed it on a scrap of fabric with crewel threads with interfacing on the back. Then I appliqued the patch on. Maybe next time I will embroider right on the garment, but this is good. I can remove it should I feel the urge. I know there is much more I could have done with this, but I made the decision that I would put a limited amount of time on this first project, so the embroidery is purposefully simple, but it's just a beginning!!!

As for why I decided to make my own clothing again. I really do not like the way the garment industry is run these days. Cheap and cheaper, no quality, horrible working conditions. Sure, you can buy quality, but it will cost you dearly. This is all only part of it though. I think as part of my "artistic awakening" I have realized (something most fashionistas knew a long time ago), that your clothing choice is part of your self-expression. I will ever be a fashion horse, I like comfort a little too well, but it's still a way to express something that is inside me. I can make my own fabric choice, create a customized garment, and to use it to do one thing I have been thinking about for some time now: showcase embroidery.

I kept thinking I should go shopping for a garment that I could do some embroidery on, but every time, I hit a mental wall. So, there was nothing to do but make my own! Everything is in your own hands. And most importantly, it's the perfect way to create a 3-D canvas to put embroidery on and show the world how amazing it is.