As usual, I have lots of small bricolage and embroidery projects going, so here’s a roundup!
My Beloved Friend-Muse-Patron Eva said something on twitter I thought made good sense, so I embroidered it as a motto.
On bug fabric of course! It was my first time embroidering text, which is harder than you’d think. I tried two new things.
First, I printed the text on regular paper and used my new LED lightbox to project it through the light cotton fabric. Then, when the piece was finished, I sprayed the hell out of both sides of it with craft fixativ.
On the rare occasions when I’ve done a piece this big, I have had problems with the fabric warping or wrinkling. Especially the big cotton octopus. So I am hoping the craft fixativ, which is an acrylic film, will help prevent moisture from making the fabric stretch.
If you would like to see truly excellent embroidering of (often salty) text mottos, visit my SIL Caitlin’s Insta.
Sacred heart embroidery bricolage!
I used a commercial heart appliqué as the base and sewed it onto velvet, then heavily re-embroidered it all and added crystals, beads and red plastic pearls from a New Orleans bead string with a lobster on it that had been in my materials stash for decades.
I like to make Sacred Hearts every year, because they are such a powerful symbol of faith. I guess I need a lot of faith this year, cause this is the second one I’ve made so far and it’s only May!
Dragonfly pillbox hat!
No filter, the colors are actually that bright.
I had had this dragonfly floating around in my crafts supplies for at least ten years, getting bent up and dusty. I rescued it, rehabilitated it, studded it with jewels, and attached it to this bright blue commercial pillbox base. I happened to have ordered some hat veiling with velvet dots and some purple pompom trim that all matched perfectly. It all came together delightfully and I really look forward to wearing it outside at some point, Goddess willing.
I believe in naps.