Sneak Peek

Just a quick peek at the latest design - a journal cover called Fanciful Flowers. What do you think? Hope to have a kit ready in about two weeks as I'm still writing the instructions.  I've used a mix of Shimmer tape, silk velvet, wool felt, crinkle chiffon and sequins.

Pins and Posies - pincushion

Happy New Year to you all and may you be healthy and full of creativity.

I have just finished this silvery lavender silk pincushion fashioned on the top of a pressed glass Mason Jar.  I filled the pincushion with crushed walnut shell to keep your pins sharp. The walnut shell seemed to make the shaping of the cushion easier. The posy of silk ribbons is worked on a slip and draped around the cushion. It makes an elegant storage jar as well.  What colour  can I make next - I'm completely addicted!!!

It will be available as a kit soon.

Strawberries On Ice

A cone in embroidered silk topped with my Hanah silk ribbon flowers and silk velvet strawberries all dressed for the festive season.  Strawberries On Ice  
I didn't realize in how many of my designs I had used the silk velvet until I was looking at them to share.  I guess it's a love affair!  How about you - what textures do you love?

Divine Pears

Working with hand dyed silk velvet has to be one of my favourite things especially when it is lushly embroidered with Hanah silk ribbon flowers, chenille and ribbon leaves and enhanced with sequins beads and diamonties. The silk has such a beautiful bloom that you often don't see until it is made up.
I've sculpted two different coloured pears because I just love the colour plays.
                                          www.larainesoncapri.com.au

Wonderful Spring Colours

There's lots of new shapes and colours to choose from in my range of sequins. The tiny 3mm. multi coloured cup sequins above, sit prettily on a square of hand dyed Colour Streams felt with silk ribbons in colours to match. They all work perfectly with the Mokuba flower trim. Yum!

                          
There are wonderful colours available in the hand dyed felts and felted fabrics, silk threads and Hanah ribbons.  My easy to do brooch kits combine all the elements of the felt, silk threads, sequins and wild fibres in a stylish way. A great way to begin stitching for spring.

Vintage Cabochon Rosebud

When in Paris we visited the Botanical Gardens and I had to take a photo of this little climbing rose as it reminded me of the cabochon roses I used to make. I love ribbons of all kinds and it inspired me to get out my stash again and revisit some of the older works I had stored away.

The cabochon Rose is one of my favourites. I learned this technique from the book "The Artful Ribbon" by Candace Kling.

The rose at the bottom is a piece of mine that was published in The Embroiderers Cookbook in 2001.

I have used Hanah silk ribbon in a 25mm. width because the bias cut enables the petals to fold easier.

Make a loose knot a small length of ribbon and tack it to the fabric. Sometimes I made two knots - one on top of the other.

The petals are cut 50mm. or two ribbon widths each. You may make 3 - 4 or 5 petals. Dampen your fingers and roll the outer edge of the ribbon tightly using up to a third of the ribbon. Pin down the ends to hold the roll in place. Stitch in a half circle beginning in the roll and finishing in the roll. Draw up your stitches softly. Cup the petal around the knot and tack under the edge of the knot on the back. Overlap the petals as you go.