I made this one a little differently by making 3 of the larger flower blobs 2 of them the silver fabric and 1 is lace fabric. Then in the center I also did lace fabric strips but I also created a tassel using a thin black lace and silver metallic thread then attached that to the center gathered it up and then added a button to the center!
I saw a really pretty flower tutorial and just had to try my version of it!!! Here is a link to the Shabby Flower Tutorial. I didn't care for the center of hers so I did it a little differently by adding a tatted flower that I made a long time ago and it sat in my stash waiting to be used and a pearl thingy-ma-bob (it's not a button but it's not a bead either but it had a metal eye sticking out one end).
I found a Fabric Flower Tutorial that I loved and decided to make some! I liked the look of the double flowers in this flower tutorial in a smaller fashion but prefer the method of petal mading in this flower tutorial. The bottom layer has 6 petals, and the top layer has 3 petals with a button or bead in the middle! Then I either sewed a loop of fabric or elastic onto the back, but pretty much anything can be attached to the back to use them in tons of ways!
The smaller flowers I used a spool of thread for the circle.
This bigger flower I used a 1/3 Cup measuring cup for the circle it has a fabric loop on the back and I slipped it onto my pink pearls for a pendent.
Here's another on my dog Madie's collar it also has elastic on the back. She didn't like the bigger flowers so I made a small one using a spool of thread for the circles so that she barely notices it on her collar.
I also made one for Bekah in a blue floral fabric with a big blue bead in the center and made it a headband by attaching a large elastic loop custom fit for her head.
I've been getting questions lately about where I get my stash so I thought I'd put together some links of places I like to shop at online.
Lookie Lookie!!! I got another Tea Swappy home! And I love all the contents of this one too! Click on the photo to see everything better. Check out the silkies everyone gave me I love all of them but I really admire those 2 Victorian ladies in the upper right I think they will need a special project! Also got some interesting trim that has butterflies on it in the lower left, the wings go out off the edge of the trim, it's really neat! I took a few close ups of the vintage stuff that needs close ups to be fully enjoyed!
Love it a monogram in white I will surly be using this! I always look through the hankies for our monograms but I don't always find them and then pretty ones at that!
And just look at this lace!
And this one! It's a half but that is very generous for such beauty!
Also this whole crochet doily! I don't think I can cut it...LOL!!! Ya know though that brought me to thinking, all those pretty doilies I collect for CQ that I can't bring myself to cut, I think I'll make blocks that are solid with a doily on them to showcase it and add to the size of my bedspread/or throw! That way they can be enjoyed and I won't have to cut them! I can even embellish them! I love that idea!
Today just must be my day! I got a sweet, sweet giftie from Carol L. over at Hand Embroidery Group! She sent me some berry fabric with yummy strawberries on it and some sweet red heart sequins that can be used as strawberries on a block and some little flower sequins to go with them for the little strawberry flowers! So I'm all hooked up! I just need a sewing "mood" to strike and before ya'll know it I'll have a strawberry block made! LOL
WooHoo!!! This was a fun Tea Swappy we did it like a RR where we send on a baggie and each lady add items to your baggie as you are adding and sending on their baggies too! As you can see we swapped teas and stash! So lots of tea drinking and stash admiring for me! If I had to pick just one thing (I know hard to pick just one huh! LOL) to be my absolute favorite it would have to be that vintage lace cuff that has roses...Wowie when I saw that, I just flipped and I'm such a nut that if I had the other matching cuff I'd wear them!!! LOL But really everything is wonderful thank you so much to each lady you all are just the sweetest!
Sweet Pea inspired colors! My favorite Sweet Peas are blooming and I've been enjoying them so much that I thought I'd try and recreate the colors this one turned out a light version of the colors. The photos really don't do it justice! I also did some of the fabric too!
Then I did a nice periwinkle shade that has purples and blues.
Antiqued Pink has shades of pink, mauve, and brown.
Wendy and I agreed to split a bead order from Fire Mountain Gems to cut costs and get a better deal and just look at how much is there! More than plenty for the both of us! Mostly it is size 15 seed beads because they are harder to find in stores. I also added some little Czech glass heart beads and some Nymo beading thread. I got light tan in size 0 and white in size 00, and I now understand the 00 is my favorite size Nymo thread for beading, I think the color of beading thread I use most is the light tan it acts like it's clear most of the time unless I'm sewing something white then I need the white thread. Fire Mountain Gems even added a little free gift of some Mother of Pearl butterfly pieces.
Then today I took a trip to the On-Post Thrift Shop and scored some good stash! Here is some of the clothing I picked up. I think a couple of pieces are silk and then the dark pieces one is a dark blue velveteen and the other is a black lace dress. I got these for only 25 cents a piece.
I grabbed this shirt for the tiny little green sequins...on closer inspection they were glued to the shirt but I can easily pluck them off and they are still good and usable!
As we walked into the Thrift Shop BAM we saw this Wedding Dress for only $20 so I snatched it up! Plenty of lace appliques and beads and white satin to go around! It's got some dirt marks and smudges here and there but I figure it's still good for reclaiming since I can cut around those in the fabric or dye the lace applieques.
I saw a bin of lace and grabbed some! I got all this for only 20 cents total!
As I was cutting out these motifs from the wedding dress I noticed that it was a vintage dress that was home made. I also noticed the lace looked hand embellished as well. It looks like someone took normal lace fabric and couched cording around the design to give the raised effect and then stitched on beads. I don't know if the lace was bought that way or if the person who made the dress also made the lace? But it sure is pretty! ***Update: I just found out that the lace is called Alencon Lace. I also received a comment that it is not Alencon Lace, I would have to agree that it is not true Alencon Lace, but if you want to by some that looks like this it's called Alencon even though it's technically not. My sample is only vintage not really antique or anything so it's the same as the kind you'll find in bridal shops.
Wendy let me take home some old wedding dresses her mom had picked up at thrift stores for her to cut and use and she is so generously sharing the stash with me!!! I'm thrilled to get to reclaim it!!!
I got a surprise in my mailbox from Jill! She so sweetly shared some of her favorite pink silk velvet with me!!! And it IS yummy! Also she sent a pretty vintage hanky, some silk Dupioni that has beautiful embroidery on it, a length of a silk ribbon braid, and a vintage jewelery finding! I feel so spoiled!!! I've always wanted a vintage finding like that too but have never went ahead and bought any! I want to make something special out of these goodies, but I'm not sure what it will be yet.
First I would like to say Thank You to Cheryl who so kindly sent me a squishie of River Silk ribbon to try and the most Yummy velvets for my stash! A photo just doesn't show the delicious texture and suppleness of the velvets! Thank you Cheryl!
Since a pattern for the doily I found is no where to be found I just printed out the scan and counted the stitches and used that as a diagram. It's a very simple pattern no special techniques needed to do it all you need to know how to do is ring, chains, and joins. This doily would also work well for needle tatters.
I'm tatting it up in size 80 DMC tatting thread, which I love since it tats very nicely. Since the original doily is tatted in what I believe is size 10, it will be a lot smaller and delicate looking.
This is a little sneak peek at the block I'm making for a Cream on Cream RR that is just starting up! I pieced it last night because I was too anxious to get started, but I still have a little finishing up before it heads out. I'll blog it later on when it's ready, and let you know what it will become when it is complete.
I also like to reclaim the trims, straps and ties because I can use straps and ties as handles or for tie closures on purses.
Here are buttons I've reclaimed. I love the crystal looking ones even though they are either plastic or acrylic.
This is the reason I had initially gone to the thrift shop to look for fabric, I needed bright pinks and greens to make a crazy quilt purse for my friend Christina for Christmas, but my stash was sorely lacking in those colors. So here is all the fabrics and trims I've pulled out to use for creating the purse. It's going to be a small purse just enough for a cell phone and wallet since I know Christina has wanted something like that. I also decided to throw in a tad of orange to the mix so it will be shades of pink, green, and orange.
This Thank You goes to Pat Winter who is such a sweet and generous lady! What a wonderful gift of Crazy Quilt stash! There is beautiful fabrics, hand dyed lace, silkies, beads, sequins, ribbon, silk floss, hand dyed silk ribbon, and hand dyed cheese cloth!
So many textures! This really broadens my fabric selection on the quilt! I was just floored when I saw what she sent!
She even included a few other colors just because.
This large piece of lace is from an antique handmade tablecloth that was given to her mother and passed to her! That is so special, I think I will use it to make a decorative throw pillow.
More lace, vintage lace and another piece of the tablecloth!
And check out that vintage cluny lace, it's so delicate and tiny! I will be using that on the matching non-washable wall hanging.
