Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Silk Ribbon and Sequin Flower Tutorial

How to make a Silk Ribbon
& Sequin Flower
 
HARMONY*
 
We thought you'd like to know how we created the charming flower in the center of our Harmony canvas design. Here's a tutorial which can be adapted to a round flower on most canvases. Please enjoy.

 
· The first step is to create the base of the flower using Sundance Sequins #127c Cobalt Shimmer tacked into place with a size 11° Sundance Bead #587 Ocean Reef.
a. Come up from the back of the canvas at the outer edge of the painted blue center, add one sequin and one bead, cross over the edge of the sequin and go down through the canvas hole. The sequins need to slightly overlap each other. I found the best way to keep the ring of sequins symmetrical is to rotate the canvas with each stitch so you are always stitching from bottom to top (or from 6 o’clock to 12 o’clock) as you work your way around the circle. Continue around the circle until the area is filled.

b. The second row of sequins is added in a similar fashion as the base row with the exception of the beads, you will use three beads to tack these sequins down.
 
 
c. Position the second row so they sit up on the base bead and again they need to overlap each other. See photo below. Continue to rotate the canvas with each stitch.
 
 Now we move on to the pink petals. The silk petals are added with a Straight Stitch using River Silks 7mm#S56 Cactus Flower. Come up from the back of the canvas just under the edge of the base row of sequins, cross over the “spacer” and go down through the canvas at the outer edge of the painted flower. I used our smallest bead tube as a spacer to ensure gentle and even tension of the petals. You may choose to use a laying tool, dowel, or pen/pencil to achieve the look you desire. Again, turn the canvas with each stitch for pleasing flow of your stitches.
 
· The final step is to add the metallic detail— with a single stitch and a strand of matching metallic thread, come up through the sequin hole (base ring) and down into the silk ribbon.  You must be gentle as to not distort the ribbon petal.
 
 
 Lastly add the little flower sequin in the center and tack down with a single bead.
 

*The handpainted canvas, Harmony, is the exclusive design of Sundance Designs and is available through your local needlework store as are the beads and sequins. If you don't have a shop in your city, you may visit our website at www.sundancedesignsonline.com or contact us by email at  sundancenw@aol.com for information.

Information about River Silks may be obtained at www.riversilks.com


Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Sundance "Sparkles"

An adventure into new stitching territory


 
"Sparkles" is an embellishment trim from Sundance Designs that was introduced at TNNA (The National NeedleArts Assoc.) in January. It’s a tubular woven rope like product that can be stretched thin, scrunched big, and pressed flat. It can be couched, stitched, stuffed, shredded, twisted, and turned. It's about the size of a pencil and available in twelve colors and packaged in two yard lengths. The rich metallic luster combined with simple techniques will amaze even the most advanced needlepointer.

Sparkles display




 


 For some excellent examples using Sparkles, go to Barbara Elmore's Blog, Stitchpography. Here's the link: http://stitchpography.blogspot.com/2012/01/all-that-glitters-is-not-gold.html



 


Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Teaching Oaxaca at The Needle Works in Austin, TX

Another Sundance Teaching Opportunity

Oaxaca, Tree of Life

Individual design elements from Oaxaca

         Stitching Oaxaca was one of my most rewarding and happy needlepoint journeys. I'm so pleased to be teaching it once again, because it's also a happy class project. I'll be at The Needle Works in Austin, TX for a two day class, April 21 and 22.
For information, please contact Colleen at: http://www.theneedleworks.com/ 
 800-851-6931 or 512-451-6931

Oaxaca is full of wonderful techniques using the latest and greatest threads and embellishments. Once started, it's difficult to put down and when finished, 
it becomes a true work of original art.

To learn more about this design, go to my October 2010 blog.

Oaxaca is adapted for needlepoint from the original art of Jane LaFazio.
Visit her website at http://www.janelafazio.com/  

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Class at The West in Tucson

Arizona Wild Flower
I'm excited!  I've just made my reservations to go to Tucson to teach "Arizona Wild Flower" at The West. The class date is Friday, March 2, 2012. Our Sundance Designs' Trunk Show is currently on display at the shop. Additional information can be found by clicking on this link to go their website. The West 

This Arizona Wildflower design, also called Mexican Hat, is a fun project that can be completed quickly. It's one of those beautiful pieces that looks complicated but really isn't. The clever use of beads, open stitching, a uniquely padded stem, a dramatic border, and the final touch of a Bumble Bee bead make this a perfect stitching adventure.

See you there, Cassie