Wild Garden - a fiber wrist corsage . . .

I decided to try a little plaiting.
I had first intended making a simple sari silk plait bracelet - but as usual got carried away. I will make those simpler versions - but this is the one that just wanted to be a little wilder !!

(1) First I spent a bit of time plaiting sari silk - I just love braiding, a very relaxing and satisfying thing to do. Just cut three equal lengths, tie one end to a door handle and off you go.

Here is pre braided sari silk pic and then post braided pic.

(2) I choose a particularly yummy raspberry purple sari silk  .  .  .  .  but then I could not resist adding in a strand of knitting yarn - the colour mix was perfect. The knit yarn is 90% wool 10% acrylic and made the final plait thicker and more textured. 

(3) I picked three Czech glass bellflower beads, a lucite trumpet bead, some raspberry and purple shimmer seed beads and a deep purple ribbon for the base.

At this stage I brought all the elements downstairs and put on a movie.

I wonder does the choice of viewing influence how the piece turns out?

I prefer to work while watching something I have seen before - I like to keep my

attention on what I am making and just be able to look up from time to time!

( I was watching - Thelma and Louise, so maybe that is why it grew a little wild !! )

(4) I sewed the fiber mix along the ribbon - twirling into a circle at the centre.

I added extra twists of plaited sari silk for more texture.

I put in the Czech and lucite beads and attached them with the seed beads.

5) I felt it needed something else. I looked at buttons / charms / keys but they all looked too bright. It cried out for a dark colour to anchor it. 

I finally settled on a lovely piece of black Victorian lace c1880 for both the extra depth of colour and a little bit of history.

So here it is - a little silk, a little wool, a mix of beads, some new ribbon and some old lace . . . . . 

a very ‘wild garden’ (very Thelma and Louise) wrist corsage.

I got it covered . . .

I’m always on the look out for interesting buttons to use on my fabric cuffs.
Often it is difficult to find just the right look.
So I have started to make my own ‘new/old’ ones using antique and vintage lace.
I have recently added some to my etsy shop.

It got me excited about the whole ‘button’  idea - a small capsule dip of design - like a mini painting. I love that you can add a detailed designer button to a plain top or bag and make it unique.

I now want to experiment with embroidery on linen and also on antique lace and to have a section in queenofcuffs for them.


These first covered buttons are made onto a silver tone metal button base -  first a layer of modern cotton and then over that some beautiful pale cream antique 1910 lace.

More buttons this time with lovely pale pink antique c1920 open net lace. It is only a little bit pink and looks very stylish. They make a wonderful statement and are a nice big size.

Hope to be adding some embroidered buttons soon.

First of July - RABBIT !

public domain image from ReusableArt.com

Our family has a tradition (and superstition) which states that a person should say ‘rabbit’ out loud upon waking on the first day of the month, because doing so will ensure good luck for the duration of that month.
I thought when I was younger that it was just our family but later realised that this little quirk goes on in many parts of the world. In fact the folklore can be found in writing as early as 1909 with many famous and historical people admitting to taking part.
Some people repeat ‘rabbit rabbit’ others ‘white rabbit’ or a combination.
Whatever is said  - it is just a case of getting in there first and grabbing the luck !!
But be careful - it can become competitive.
As we grew up we have altered the rules to allow for the fact we are not all under the same roof.
Why not make your own rules - bring it up to date - do texts and e-mails count ?
So here, on this blog post ( live at one minute past midnight ) .  .  .  .
.  .  .  .   is my Rabbit  for July 2012 - note to my little sister - Got Ya ! )

Keeping it Simple . . .

.  .  .  I am trying to introduce some light simple wrist wraps into my etsy shop.

The urge to bead - embroider - and then bead some more, is very strong

and a hard habit to break. I find beading relaxing and fun but not everyone

likes that much detail in a fabric bracelet.

So with this in mind, I challenged myself to make some wrist wraps using

my favourite elements -  vintage and antique lace (but not a bead in sight)

-  to keep it simple.

I sourced a selection of lace approx one inch wide ( I enjoyed ever second of

that search) tracking some down in markets and some more on the web.

I choose lace from 1920's and 1930's to add a soft vintage look and because

it is so stylish, so very Downton Abbey. 

To add something decorative, I printed beautiful vintage images of butterflies
and bees onto cotton and sewed a light backing. 

I picked these images as they were very popular at the time a lot of the

lace would have been made. I also like some of the common associations;

Butterfly with long life / transformation / soul  / remembrance

Bee with luck / wisdom / diligence.

I was surprising how much I loved these simple pieces when they were made.

Some are tied with a small shell button - some with long ribbon.

So more of these are on the way soon for the shop.

Lesson learnt - sometimes keeping it simple is just as pretty and as much fun.

A nest for a Raven . . .

.  .  .  I just love Ravens.
Can't work out exactly why I am drawn to them so much, maybe it's my dark side!
Although I love soft shades and use pale fabrics and lace in my work, I have never been a 'powder pink' sort of girl and black would be my default choice to wear - (against all the hopeful urging of my family wanting me to break out and be colourful).

Darkly mystical - who can doubt the power of the Raven.
It's glossy deep plumage has sparked legends both dark and brave.
Often feared but also much revered - in mythology it was the Raven that placed the sun in the sky ! Truly a bird to have on your side.

I often include dark birds in my art and for this piece I printed a portrait onto cotton. It's 'nest' is black antique Victorian lace (c1890) and then nestling inside I put a Victorian glass button, wonderfully shiny, with so many sides catching the light.

The loop over the chain is also antique lace on which I have sewn seed beads in small flowers. Seed beads surround the Raven in a mixture of matt black and iridescent blue. I added a further piece of Victorian lace at the back.

I love making quirky pieces - with a little history.

Fancy Window Lady cuffs up !

Rubanesque in Dublin's Powerscourt shopping centre gives artists and designers each month the chance to showcase their work in a prominent window in their shop. I was thrilled to be given the month of April to exhibit a selection from my queenofcuffs.

Then came the task of just how best to display the pieces  .   .   .   .   .
I admit to a terrible weakness for 'overkill displays' you know the kind that squashes as much as possible into the space. But I am told less is more and really I should know better !
When displaying my work at the lovely Marlay Park Christmas fair I realised that not everyone is familiar with fabric cuffs. Some people looking at them asked me if they were garters! So I felt I should display a pair just to show how they were worn. I decided a life size lady was needed to show them off. Not being prepared to sit in the window for a month 'a la Amsterdam lady' I had to find a substitute.
I bought several lovely images of Edwardian ladies and through trial and error and printing faces and hands on my home printer, I choose one. For a few days my studio was like the XFactor as I stuck the images on the wall trying to pick. Having apologised to the rejected girls I sent the winner to be printed onto a foam backing and cut out to shape.

I placed a glass bell jar on one of our sitting room tables to finish the look.

I look forward to getting feedback from passing views - and hopefully opinions.
If you are in Dublin in April please drop by Rubanesque and have a look.
Say hello to my lady and why not have a look at the lovely ribbons in the shop.

Titanic Anniversary thoughts

There is sooooo much at the moment about Titanic it is starting to get to a 'tipping' point of interest!
I have recently heard people say that they have heard enough about it - seen enough about it - seen too many TV series etc etc !! So I started to wonder - firstly why is Titanic so much taken to heart - why is this sad event so ingrained in our minds that it has become a story we all know and (mostly) do not tire of hearing about? Also, where is the line to be drawn of 'good taste' with Titanic? I admit I have linked some of my lace cuffs and pendants to the ship in my etsy shop by the titles I used. This is because of the Edwardian lace and images from that era I had incorporated in these pieces. I hope I have done this tastefully - but can't help feeling - just a little  - that I in my small way am also cashing in on the tragedy. I respect many of the links to the anniversary and see how they are still keeping the memory alive but now and then I see items that border on the 'not such good taste' and that makes me uneasy. Is the real tragedy lost in the tragic glamour?
The fantastic Belfast Museum tells the story - Titanic parties, unless carefully done, might miss that.