Today consisted of much catching up type sewing. These smocked jewelry pieces have finally been worked out. I have worked on these off and on for a long time. Once done I would wear one for the day and that made me aware that they needed to be heavier, or needed a better backing, etc. It's been a journey just finding the proper glue but finally, this week, I got that worked out. So now they are finally wearable without falling apart and hang much better. I will make more in the future for gifts and bartering but until now did not feel they were "good" enough. Now I'm happy.
This is off white dupioni silk that I dyed, smocked and turned into this piece of jewelry. There are metallic threads. It is actually hard by the time I am finished all the processes on it. The chain is a pretty black/copper.
Same applied to this one. It has a leather backing and my signature in gold on the back. Has sort of a Southwest vibe, doesn't it? I hope to dye some more pieces soon to make more jewelry. I have big dyeing plans but will wait till warm weather. I like to do as much as I can outside due to fumes, staining, etc.
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The pink and orange felted wool bag is finished. I would do things differently if I did it again but its usable and will be a cute nod to the color blocking trend. Time to put the wools away!
I tried to needle felt the pink bow wool into the orange wool and it was just too much. I ended up triple zigzagging all of the edges instead and that worked fine. I tried hand stitching but it just did not look right. A peek at the lining was in yesterday's blog. I don't know if this is right or not but this is how I winged the lining, a bit different. When attaching handles to a lining it helps to work flat.
First I made and edgestitched straps. They were placed equidistant from the center of the handle and taped into position. Pins tighten them even further. See those big yellow heads?
Here you can see ONE side of the lining is sewn together so that the entire lining can be worked on flat. The top edge is folded under and the straps pinned in place. You MUST leave enough room for your edge stitching presser foot to fit between the top edge of the lining and the handles, a healthy half inch here. I then edge stitched the entire top edge of the lining to secure the straps in the right place. The open seam was then sewn shut and the lining finished like any tote bag.
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The pink and orange felted wool bag is finished. I would do things differently if I did it again but its usable and will be a cute nod to the color blocking trend. Time to put the wools away!
I tried to needle felt the pink bow wool into the orange wool and it was just too much. I ended up triple zigzagging all of the edges instead and that worked fine. I tried hand stitching but it just did not look right. A peek at the lining was in yesterday's blog. I don't know if this is right or not but this is how I winged the lining, a bit different. When attaching handles to a lining it helps to work flat.
First I made and edgestitched straps. They were placed equidistant from the center of the handle and taped into position. Pins tighten them even further. See those big yellow heads?
Here you can see ONE side of the lining is sewn together so that the entire lining can be worked on flat. The top edge is folded under and the straps pinned in place. You MUST leave enough room for your edge stitching presser foot to fit between the top edge of the lining and the handles, a healthy half inch here. I then edge stitched the entire top edge of the lining to secure the straps in the right place. The open seam was then sewn shut and the lining finished like any tote bag. 
I think next on the agenda will be that shopping cart seat for the baby shower. Good thing my nieces don't read my blog!...Bunny
You have been greatly missed, Bunny. Glad life is getting back to normal for you.
ReplyDeleteCissie
love the necklaces - and the bag is really cute too.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back :-)
Very creative, Bunny! You're always trying something new & different.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck today!!
Hugs,
Rett
Love your smocked jewelry. Very, very clever! And they say there is nothing new under the sun...well, I believe you've proven them wrong! Like the bag, too. I must tell you that you have got me making bags with the faux leather from Walmart. I love it! Some of my friends saw my bags and went wild for the faux leather. Look what you've started! I wonder if Walmart has noticed a spike in sales of faux leather? All because of you...
ReplyDeleteKeep up the posts, sewwhat from Kentucky
I saw the same faux leather that I get at Walmart in some home dec samples, forget the designer, and it was 29.99 a yard! Do you believe it? It is nice quality and I am glad you are using it.
DeleteThat smocked jewelry is bound to end up in a magazine! I need to find a Walmart that is carrying fabric so I can get some faux leather. Glad to see you back!
ReplyDeleteBunny - So glad you are doing normal things and distracting yourself from sadness. Love the necklaces, particularly the southwestern style one. I think the beading accentuates the smocking and contributes to the "jewelry" look. I can see where they might need some weight to display at their best. I don't blog,but I sew, and have loved hearing from you every few days for the past couple of years. I greatly admire your creativity (and energy!)
ReplyDeleteWow! What creative jewelry ideas. These are so neat and love the detail in them. Bravo!
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your posts - your work is always so well executed and inspiring. I have never personally felt desire to create any heirloom style work but these pieces are changing my mind. If you ever want to write a description of the basic process or share some tips on how to select good backing materials, this reader (at least) would be thrilled!
ReplyDelete