I admit, it has been quite a long time since I posted here. Mainly because I was working on house projects - painting practically the whole inside of the house - and partly because I was working outside more. I didn't do much crafting or artwork. Fortunately, all those inside projects are finished, and with winter coming, chores in the garden are pretty much over. It was time to get back into the craft/art/writing groove.
There was a very good reason why this light jacket was my first project. Actually, it was one I started a couple of months ago. This jacket is to replace the first one I made for my friend for her birthday a year ago. She and her partner lost their house, and everything in it, this summer to one of the California fires. Along with helping them replace some books and DVDs, I was eager to make another custom piece for her, to replace the one destroyed.
And here it is. Goodwill T-shirt cut up the front, banding sewn on with embroidery thread in the feather stitch, and beaded with small, matte silver beads, and rough, flat, ceramic beads that came from a broken necklace (these beads had also been used on the jacket that was lost) I loved the shirt pattern, as it made me think of storm clouds.
This is the beautiful jacket that was lost in the fire. The necklaces she managed to save when they evacuated.
So now it is time for some new projects. With that in mind, I wanted to up the ante in my beadwork skills. Almost exclusively I have been beading over stencils. The only embroidery being sewing binding on to T-shirts or jackets, like the two above. Months ago, while at Barns & Noble Bookstore, I found a wonderful book titled "Bead Embroidery Chinese Style" by Han Yu. It was just the thing I was looking for. Lots of new techniques to learn - along with patience (not my best virtue) - that I could apply to the clothes I love to make from recycled T-Shirts. The idea of adding embroidery in conjunction with the beading and stenciling has me very excited. Many of the projects in the book are three-dimensional, which is a complete departure from how I am used to working.
Having gone years without doing any intricate embroidery, I had to go buy supplies. JoAnn's here I come! Well, there I went, anyway. I bought a hoop, DMC thread in fun colors, and a package of assorted embroidery needles. Luckily, I already had a yard or so of organza, one of the fabrics recommended in the book, in a beautiful antique gold. So, now I am all set to play.
Needless to say, along with learning this new skill, I will also continue writing (I really need to finish that book!), and have decided to hook up with a trainer so my horse and I can learn dressage. That's pretty exciting as well.
Looks like it is going to be a busy, but fun, winter.
