New Necklaces & EBW Challenge

The embroidered medallions in these two necklaces were made to be used as parts of a larger necklace that I intended to create for the February EBW challenge "A Touch of Royalty". Jumping from one project to another, I realized that I would not be able to make all the parts I needed for the necklace in time to submit it to the challenge, so I decided to use the ones I already made in two separate necklaces. Time is the most precious thing.... ;)

Check out the EBW blog to see all 62 (!) entries. I am sure, that like myself, you will find it hard to pick just one to vote for from all the beautiful and original works created for this challenge!

Almost Finished

I am almost done working on this embroidered cuff. Of course I have to attach it to a backing material – Ultrasuede or genuine leather – I haven't decided yet. I am also not sure yet what kind of closure to use. But those are the easy part, arn't they? :)
I will post the finished cuff when it's ready, and after my photographer is back from his vacation (this not-so-good photo was taken by me with my son's camera ;).



Right after I will finish this embroidered piece, I am going to start working on embroidered squares for Jeanette Shanigan's beaded quilts project “Bead-It-Forward” Breast Cancer Donation Project. The theme this year is "Heart". Check out Jeanette's site and see the finished quilts she makes using beaded squares. You might want to take part in this project.
I am happy to participate in this project for this important, good cause and I already have an idea of what I want to make. I just hope that this embroidered work will be finished before the dead-line…

My Second-First Embroidery Work

OK, it is my second attempt at embroidery work, but it's the first I actually managed to finish so far. The first-first work is still in progress – turtle pace progress … I had to unpick almost half of what I did (see two posts below) and start again. I already know that the first (first) will not be a perfect work, but I decided to finish it anyway, one little section every few days, not only because I like the pattern but also because I think of it as a good training, especially of my patient... I succeeded to avoid using my scissors every time I felt frustrated and wanted to cut it into half, so that I'll have half that is almost finished – sort of fooling my self...;)
This second work is quite simple and was finished rather quickly, with no "disasters" (except from when I had to cut the extra material before finishing and almost cut the embroidered section… what a relief it was to see it was not damaged! :0)
I really enjoyed making it and am quite pleased with the result, although it's not perfect (it has "hills and valleys" where it had to be flat).
I still don't know what I am going to do with it. I just enjoy looking at it and feel proud of myself… :)

First Attempt at Embroidery

Well, here is a photo of my first WIP of embroidery, or more correctly, no progress…

I started with stitching small groups of black Czech 11/0 seed beads to make the curved lines. I decided to use small s/b, because I thought it would be easier to create curved lines. It wasn't easy, but I think I have done pretty well in keeping the lines curved.

Not the case when it came to filling in the areas between the black beads - you can see that the line of red beads is "broken". Not only this, but there are too wide spaces between the lines, where you can see the backing material. I don't know what I did wrong…I just worked the same way as with the black lines…

So, it looks like… shall I say a big mistake?... I had the image of the finished piece in my head (I wanted to use it as a patch to be sewed on a jeans bag), and what I have actually made is not even getting close to it…
I think I will leave this work and start another one, but this time more simple – something like a small brooch or a pendant, and leave the curves and waves of the image in my head for a later time, when I'm more comfortable and experienced with this technique.