Ribbon Work Corsages

I love flowers and gardens, I love to look at them and wear them all year long! I have created a few classes and patterns using different ribbon-work techniques.

Afternoon Tea Brooch
Create a feminine brooch from a variety of ribbons, which include: velvet, vintage grosgrains, French jacquards, moire, dyed silk bias. Some beads were used for further embellishment.

Blooming Ribbons
In this pattern you will learn to create some traditional ribbon flowers and leaves and some newly created styles. The possibilities for design and decoration are endless. Make samples of techniques or turn your flowers into an incredible necklace, brooch, purse, or pillow adornment. The finished pieces are completed with ingenious beaded edgings.

Button Nosed Pansy
Learn how to make a pansy with a button center and a beaded edge. Good class or pattern for someone who wants to complete a project in one day!





Cloche Rose
Luscious ruffles of French wire taffeta ribbon are used both for the rose and the leaf. This is a beautiful, large and proud flower that will look stunning on a hat or purse.

One Hour Flower Corsage
This is a great beginning ribbon project to work on. Once you make one you won't want to stop, so be for warned! Learn the very basics of working with wired ribbon by making a gathered rosette with button center and a leaf.

Corsage Medley
Creative and exquisite group of corsages made from velvet and wire ribbons. Chose from three different corsages:
Free Love Corsage: components are 1960" Daisy and Bleeding Heart Leaf
Mc Murtry's Lapel Pin: Lilly, Gwen's Butterfly, and 1920's Leaf
Summer's Signature Corsage: Sunflower, Shadow Leaf and Bow Tie Butterfly.

Happy stitching, enjoy!

Ocean Rivers Bracelet 2- free form peyote

Ocean Rivers Sample 2:This is a sample of the class that I just finished teaching for Joggles.com.
The first sample was created in blues and purples. The stitching technique is one that I developed using free-form peyote on fabric.
The class was a success, and all of the students created marvelous examples of this creative embellishment technique.
I will be teaching two classes for the fall session, one will focus on ribbon work, one will be an art doll, so keep checking back for updates!
Happy stitching, enjoy!

Silk Ribbon Embroidery combined with Ribbonworked Flowers

Silk Ribbon Embroidery is one of my favorite forms of handwork, and adding in a bouquet of ribbon- worked flowers just seems so natural!

I have created a few classes and patterns using this technique. These projects are focused primarily on silk ribbon embroidery with additional flowers made from ribbon worked flowers.
(If you click the link it will take you to the page, where you will find information on the class or pattern for the instructions.)

A Walk Through My Flower Garden
The fabric base machine quilted with metallic threads. Machine stitched ribbons form a trellis; silk bias ribbon forms the "walk" or path for the floral motifs.
The "enchanted gardens" of silk and rayon ribbons and fabric flowers and leaves are stitched first, then attached to the fabric base. The vignettes are embroidered with smaller flowers and leaves stitched with silk ribbon embroidery, Brazilian embroidery and traditional free form embroidery techniques.

Afternoon Tea Brooch
Create a feminine brooch from a variety of ribbons, which include: velvet, vintage grosgrain's, French Jacquards, moire, dyed silk bias. Some beads were used for further embellishment.

Beribboned
The base fabric is first stitched with playful grids of randomly placed satin ribbons. These sections can then be embellished with hand dyed lace appliques resembling vignettes of baskets.
These baskets are filled with silk and satin ribbon worked flowers and leaves; further embellished with silk ribbon and traditional embroidery stitches and beading.

Elegant Additions Wall Hanging
The sample is comprised of 9 squares full of extraordinary examples of silk ribbon embroidery. Click on the image for a full page image of a larger image, then click on each square for a larger image still.
Embroidery knowledge is a must for this class. Seven stitches are a prerequisite for the twenty or more stitches that will be needed to complete the wall hanging: lazy daisy, French knot, stem stitch, straight stitch, pistil stitch, feather stitch, buttonhole stitch.
All the components and the designs can be adapted to a current crazy pieced or quilted project that you are working on.

Floral Brooches
Embellish a special piece of tapestry or silk with a few artfully placed flowers and embroidery stitches. The pattern includes directions for three different brooch shapes: a heart, paisley or tableau.
Beads and charms will add just the right touch to make this a contemporary piece of jewelry. You may be tempted to make one of each!

Silk Ribbon Embroidered Etui
Etui is French for "small ornamental case", and the one you will make with this pattern will hold your favorite needles, pins, and scissors in a size convenient enough to travel with. You'll be able to showcase these needle working skills on its cover: applique, ribbon-work, silk ribbon embroidery, traditional embroidery, beading on fabric.

Scrumptious Scraps
Bits and pieces of precious laces are melded and stitched together to form a single fabric. After the lace fabric is formed, it is then dyed, along with ribbons to embellish the piece with. The second part of the class will focus on silk ribbon embroidery and flower making, using the ribbons that you dyed in the first part of class and the base of lace fabric.

Vintage Redressed
This is a perfect venue for all of those vintage trims and buttons you have been saving to recycle onto wonderful.
The body of the vest is pieced in sections of woven ribbon and fabric. The body of the vest is embellished with silk ribbon embroidery, buttons and beads.

Happy stitching, enjoy what you do and the time that you have to create!

Crazy Piecing with Traditional Embroidery and Beading

I have been embellishing shirts, jeans and jackets with Traditional Embroidery from the age of six. Once I learned to sew, I had my mom's fabric stash to work with which was full of tiny bits of exotic fabrics, cottons and velveteens. Crazy Piecing these bits of this and that really appeals to my sense of use what you have on hand. Incorporating beads just seemed to be a natural addition to this form.

I have created a few classes and patterns using this technique.
(If you click the link it will take you to the page, where you will find information on the class or pattern for the instructions.)

Avonlea Revisited
I have a unique technique for preparing the crazy pieced sections. The basic technique of stitch and flip fabric-piecing method, will be covered along with a few tricks on getting yourself out of those difficult situations. A pieced fabric fan and fabric yo-yos will be demonstrated to further enhance your work. Traditional crazy-pieced embroidery using contemporary threads, with bead and button.

Beginning Embroidery with Bead Embellishment: BEBE
This is a great introduction class to crazy pieced traditional embroidery stitches. The fabric base is prepared at home, so class time is devoted to learning the stitches.
The base can be crazy pieced, or ironed onto a piece of muslin on a pre- printed crazy pieced square which is available through the store.
The stitches that are learned in class are traditional embroidery stitches that can be used in many projects. Beads can be added for extra embellishment.
Crazy Piecing 101
This class will guide you into a part of history where every precious snip of fabric, lace, and trim were important. The end result is a ravishing display of the crazy pieced square that can be turned into a pillow, wall hanging or if you are more a quilt. This class will prepare you for the classes with more advanced techniques that also include embroidery and beading.

Tied in Knots
Tied in knots -- that's the definition of tatting! Tatting is a lace comprised of a series of knots. Loops (referred to as picots) and chains are added for design interest.The project is a shuttle holder that is crazy pieced and embroidered with silk ribbon and threads.The tatted motifs are added into the embroidered design.

Travel Sewing Kit
This is a handy carrying case for needles, scissors, rulers and more. The face of the kit is crazy pieced with machine stitching and hand embroidery. The inside of the case has many compartments for all of the necessities. It is a perfect size to take on a trip or to classes.

Victorian Drawstring Purse
This opulent reticule, pieced from lustrous scraps of iridescent silk and cotton, is embroidered front and back with shimmering metallic threads, seed beads, buttons, and charms.
The techniques covered in project are crazy piecing by machine, hand embroidery with bead embellishment.

Happy stitching to you whether you are a crazy stitcher or a sane one!

Silk Ribbon Embroidery

Silk Ribbon Embroidery is one of my favorite forms of handwork, I truly feel so much a part of history every time I pick up a needle and create a bouquet of silk flowers!

I have created a few classes and patterns using this technique. These projects are focused primarily on silk ribbon embroidery.
(If you click the link it will take you to the page, where you will find information on the class or pattern for the instructions.)

Climbing Wisteria Vines: Purse
When you wear this elegant embroidered purse out you will be the envy of all your friends, and they will probably ask you to make one for them! The fabric is pieced first, in a simple striped fashion of silk, moire, or tapestry. The front and back pieced sections are then embroidered with feather stitch vines and silk ribbon-embroidered lazy daisy leaves. Beads and buttons provide flash and style, probably just like that favorite aunt would have done.

Covent Gardens Collar
Silk ribbon berries and blooms cascade in a gentle curve around this peter-pan styled collar with adjustable ties and decorative buttons. I display this collar with my collection of embroidered handbags and pillows. It is very feminine and beautiful.

Ellen Matilda's Rose Garden: Purse
This project was named after my grandmother and aunt with the same first name. They both loved roses and gardens. The purse (or pillow if you like) starts with a velvet or silk fabric as the base, which is embroidered with silk ribbon roses and other flowers and leaves. Beads and charms add a magical glimmer to the design.

Fleur de France: Purse
The graceful curves of this purse complement the enchanting arcs of silk ribbon embroidery and ribbon work rosettes that adorn the curved seams. The embroidery stitches used are woven rose, lazy daisy, French knots and more. The fabrics that you chose for your project can be anything from silk, velvet, moire, cotton and tapestry.


Garden Brooches
This pattern includes three different shapes and three different garden designs. Five of the basic embroidery stitches will be covered: woven rose, feather stitch, chain stitch, lazy daisy, French knot. The project is easy, and works up quite quickly, so it is a great gift idea!

Quelque Fleur
The body of the vest is curved pieced, with cotton, silk and tapestry fabrics. Each seam of the curved sections are embellished with either silk ribbon embroidery, stitched handmade trim, or bouquets of ribbon worked flowers. The ribbon worked sections are made from satin and novelty ribbons. These can be enhanced with lace trims, buttons and bead embroidery.

Renaissance of Ribbon Embroidery
This pattern encourages you to spend a day or two with the finer things in life: silk ribbon embroidery, tapestry fabrics, and (of course) some beads. The stitches that you will learn are embroidered on a piece of muslin so you can use for reference later. You will also learn to make a few flowers from satin ribbon to further enhance your creation. There will be a few beading tips as well.

Happy stitching, enjoy the time that you have to do these marvelous things!

Machine Embroidery w/ Hand and Bead Embroidery

Machine embroidery for me is always free-form, really I let the muse take me where she wants to go.... I usually start a project with a cotton or silk base, machine quilt or embroider the canvas and add by hand the embellishments which can be thread or bead embroidery, and sometimes both. Here are the classes that I teach, and the patterns that I have to offer.
(Just click on the link and it will take you to the website.)

Crazy Man
In this class the technique for crazy piecing is quite different than traditional piecing. Strips of precious and luscious fabrics are laid amongst sections of prairie points, and each section is stitched with it's own binding, so the piecing will never make you "crazy". Buttons, charms and beads can be added for pizazz, and can give you a great theme.

Currents
The base fabric is machine quilted with a double needle in some sections and free form stipple quilted in others. Machine embroidered sections of covered yarn resemble branches or vines, and provide an anchor for the additional embellishment of hand applied rayon cords.
Hand embroidered shisha mirrors are sewn amongst needle lace embroidery. Beads and buttons are used along with metal charm embellishments to compliment the sea theme.

Magic Web: Pin
This is a great technique project. I call it "Metallic Threads 101". It introduces the sewer to metallic threads which are used both in the eye of the needle and the bobbin. The lace fabric is made from scraps of fabric and trims, layered in "Solvy" which is a water soluble product. The lace is cut into a shape when dry, embellished with embroidery and beads and made into a pin.

Mardi Gras
The background fabric is machine quilted in metallic threads. Both hand and machine cords are applied to add interest; "Magic Web" appliques are made from precious scraps and machine stitched in place.
Further embellishment comes from the embroidered shisha mirrors, glass beads, metal charms and your wonderful stash of vintage buttons.

Medallion Treasures
Pieced strips of precious and luscious fabrics are laid amongst precious handwork sections. The center piece can be a lovely embroidered section, or other hand work these are pieces with strips of fabric with additional sections of prairie points and "moc" prairie points. Machine quilting ties all of these pieces together. Stitches of traditional hand embroidery are embellished with beads and charms. Shisha mirrors and buttons are added to for embellishment to make this truly a treasure!

Happy Stitching, enjoy all that you do!

Embroidery with Beads

I love working with beads, whether they be used in jewelry making or by adding them to garments or accessories. I have developed a few classes that focus primarily on embellishing with beads using traditional embroidery stitches as well as traditional beaded jewelry stitches. The classes are listed below, if you click on the link it will take you to the page that lists the class fees, as well as the pattern that can be purchased if you would like to learn the techniques for yourself.

Beadazzled is a class that I teach using traditional embroidery stitches such as: continuous beading, single seed and bugle stitching, chain stitch, feather stitch, looped stitch, woven stitch, single hole bead, beaded cascade.
The project that you work on can be a vest, purse, wall hanging, pillow, or something of your own creation. Once you start embroidering with beads you will not want to stop, and warning your bead stash will grow to wondrous proportions!

Beadazzled Somemore: Purse This is a class that includes the stitching techniques and the pattern for the purse. The stitches that are included are: free form peyote on fabric, free form bead embroidery, multi-bead embroidery, stitching on trinkets, buttons & charms
and more! The freedom of this stitch allows for a creativity without the constrictions that a pre-set design would have.


Beaded Ribbon Bracelet
This contemporary bracelet is a quick and easy project for any skill level. The buttons and beads add a bit of glamour to your project and enhance the already gorgeous ribbon to make a bracelet that you will wear forever.

Garden at Versailles: Bracelet
This lightweight bracelet is created with a base of vintage French jacquard ribbon from the '40's. The pattern on the ribbon will determine where the buttons will be placed, then they will be encrusted with embroidered glass seed beads and charms. The designs are added in with bead embroidery techniques similar to the Beadazzled class.

Happy Stitching, be thankful for your creative spirit, enjoy!