goldwork tutorial

 I will show you step-by step as I do a satin stitched gold latticed and couched strawberry for the CQI Fools Gold, goldwork RR this piece is Maries 

                                                                                                     As you can see I've already couched down the gold tread for the steam using Krenik medium #16 gold braid and gold sewing machine thread to couch it with and have satin stitched the body of the strawberry with trebizond silk #4015 in scarlet.

this is how to sew down the padding under your strawberry one piece of felt will do.                                                    It's important to pad under something like this especially when you are going to be sewing over another embellishment like I am on the lower berry, this keeps your satin stitches even and straight                                                                                                                               then satin stitch over it using long lengths from top to bottom ( i find it helps to start from the middle instead of an end

the trickiest part of lattice work is keeping the crosshatches even so to go about achieving this I do them going one way the length of the berry then start on the other crossing bars and couch it down as I go.                                                                                                                                         this way if I have to "massage" the thread to make it look right I am not making to drastic a move that the lattice work starts to look wobbly or crooked.

now you need to pull the krenik trough to the back of the piece so you can start to couch it down around the outside of your berry.

take a big eye needle
(I don't know what# needle I use, just that it has a big enough eye to thread easily)



and as krenik frays easily so I sew it to the back of my piece. this keeps it secure


this also cuts down on bulk and keeps your ends neat



now it's time to couch down the gold thread around the strawberry.



again using the Krenik medium #16 thread
couch it down snugly to the outside of the strawberry


 see how close I get to the silk?


 it's also important to take a few extra stitches when going around corners this keeps you from getting gaposis or worse yet creep-up




 then tuck in your end and sew it down in the back



add some silk ribbon to the stem for green ends and your done!


I'll post a Picture when i have the whole motif done until then ta-ta for now!

feeling springy

 update on some things i've been working on that are destined for the ETSY shop when I get around to finishing them




the first one is very springy color wise.





 pink and olive green with a little purple thrown in for good measure




I'm getting better at the spiderweb roses! they are not turning out all lumpy and tight anymore and are starting to look more like roses

 the next piece is intended for either a wedding present or ditty bag.








 it's an 8" square and I have a box it will fit on or I could make it into an open top purse  I haven't decided yet.




I love the picture on this one, her dress is so form fitting and restrictive yet her expression is so cheeky! she looks like she could fly away at any moment.

Beauty and the beast is finished...Almost

 its like wesly, mostly done,

the piece needs it's Beast.

I have a wonderful picture of the Beasts mask from Truffault's B&B that my Mom took at the Muse des beau arts in france a few years ago but I can't get my new printer to work over our wireless network and it has no ports for wired so i'm a little stuck there.

anyway, here is Beauties cozy home on the edge of the woods
covered in clematis and the roses that grew over night



and the little blue bird that sings outside her window when her sisters treated her unkindly



here is the fire she warmed herself at and had her first meal, when she first arrives, after her frightening ride through the woods





here is one of the fans that go with the beautiful costumes she is dressed in, by the invisible servants.



the birds that keep her company in the gardens when she is left to wander by the beast






the bird that shows her the way back home when she visits



the statue of Diana in the green house that shoots Gaston, when he brakes in to steal the beasts treasures

Fools Gold #1-Barb's block

 I went with more swirlies since Barbara's instructions were to keep it light and airy.

these ruched flowers fell out of a bag of other trims i was going through and landed pretty much where I sewed them,  they really wanted to be where they are!

 more beaded forget-me-not's and couched braided trim

here is the whole thing finished!

bits and pieces

I have finished a few box tops, though I still need to prep and paint the boxes they will go on








I'm also working on the beauty and the beast block of what I hope will be a fairytale cq,

so far I have gotten a few birds,










the thatched house

the fireplace motif

and the statue of Artemis done 

I am also (impatiently) waiting for my next "Fools Gold" block so i can start on that.

I also have to start thinking about this months BJP. hmmmm. what to do 1st.

and the statue of Artemis done 

I am also (impatiently) waiting for my next "Fools Gold" block so i can start on that.

I also have to start thinking about this months BJP. hmmmm. what to do 1st.

BJP-march

 In chicago ST.Pats day is big, i mean really BIG.

everyone in the city turns out for both the city's parade on the saturday before the st pats and then they all go to the south side to celebrate the St.Pats day parade on ST.Pats day.

we dye the chicago river green, a highly redundant act since the river is already green to begin with!

I think chicago celebrates St.Pats day more than Ireland where he started out. not bad for a St. known for chasing out snakes!

 anyway my BJP is a celebration of the madness chicago gets itself into during the week of st.Pats day.

you have the south side and the north side depicted by shamrocks
and the west side by the flower to represent the city's motto "Herbs in Horto" (an urban garden) the green band is the river two branches, dyed its redundant green and the gold is for the city's grid system of streets

the mid blue is the lake and the double light blue and white with intermittent red represents the city's flag.

beauty is sometimes a beast

I'm working on a Beauty and the beast block for my Fairy tales cq.

so far I don't have much but a few birds.











my mom took a fabulous picture of the original beast mask from the Trufo movie
and i want to put that in the center on a silver lame mirror.

I am planning on depicting the fireplace with the faces in it from the movie,

I also have a cottage planned, lots of flowers

 and maybe even the statue of eros if there is still room!

Fools Gold RR-Kerries block

 I have finished Kerries block m first in he fools gold series




kerrie sent blocks made of bridal whites and in keeping with that I went for a romantic look I threw down a little lace

I couched down some gold banding in a loopy pattern, gave ii some butter roses and gold bead sprays








topped (bottomed?) with a gold embroidered bird




and here is the result!
I hope Kerrie likes it!

were Ideas come from

Isn't it funny were Ideas come from?
I get some of my best ones in that semi-conscious state between when you first wake up and don't realize you've fallen asleep again.





my latest brain storm for easter is Bunnies!
ha! go figure!
Janet Popish posted a picture, on FB yesterday, of the most ginormous rabbit I have EVER seen!






so bunnies are on my mind anyway.
and seen as easter is soon so I need to get cracken!