I mentioned several times that I had been working on a secret project, but I couldn't share any photos. Well, now I can. The project was a challenge and a fundraiser for EAC Seminar 2016. Participating members purchased a Mystery Bag and the challenge was to create a 5" x 7" piece using some of every item in the bag, plus 1 optional item.
The contents of my Mystery Bag were : 1 piece of burgundy leather, 1 piece of patterned pink organza, 5 pink, plastic discs with a center hole, 3 pink and two purple small ( silk? ) paper pieces, some perle pink thread, a second crisp pink thread, a sample of Highland Heather thread, and a piece of white, even-weave fabric all contained in a fabric bag. The optional item I chose was a variegated thread. The colour varied from a pale pink to burgundy.
Deciding that the theme of my piece would be a fantasy garden, I began by making organza flower petals, using the variegated thread.
Once the petals were stitched, I cut them out, then singed around each one.
I tatted a center for the flower, added the plastic discs, then stitched on the petals. Two flowers were made in this way, plus a third one, using the purple paper to create the look of a flower bud just beginning to open.
I'd decided to use the fabric bag as t he support for the garden. I created two openings, stitched with buttonhole stitch to secure the fabric.
The even-weave fabric piece was used to create the garden bed, using stitch to manipulate the fabric. The pattern is dragonscale using a smocking technique. ( re Daenerys Targaryen's dragonscale dress from Game of Thrones, embroidered by Michele Carragher)
Next, the burgundy leather was cut into shapes for stems, calyx and leaves.
The stems and leaves were attached to the fabric bag front using buttonhole stitch and most of the Highlands Heather thread.
The small flower in the upper right used almost all the fine, pink thread in the kit. A leather center is attached with buttonhole stitch, then surrounded by layers of buttonhole lace.
You can see the flower in bud using the purple paper and petals of the pink organza below the buttonhole lace flower.
The pink papers were used for the flower stalks. On top of the papers, I added gathered lengths of singed organza topped with tatted Josephine Knot clusters in the variegated thread.
The same thread was twisted to create the flower stems. Some feather stitch and double feather stitched stems were added, along with a few flower sprays. French knots secure the manipulated fabric to the fabric bag. More Josephine Knot clusters edge the bottom of the manipulated fabric.
I stitched up each side of the fabric bag and placed it over an acrylic photo frame to display my piece for the Mystery Bag competition.
I did not win a prize, but I did have a lot of fun creating this piece, and I learned a few new things along the way.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz
The contents of my Mystery Bag were : 1 piece of burgundy leather, 1 piece of patterned pink organza, 5 pink, plastic discs with a center hole, 3 pink and two purple small ( silk? ) paper pieces, some perle pink thread, a second crisp pink thread, a sample of Highland Heather thread, and a piece of white, even-weave fabric all contained in a fabric bag. The optional item I chose was a variegated thread. The colour varied from a pale pink to burgundy.
Deciding that the theme of my piece would be a fantasy garden, I began by making organza flower petals, using the variegated thread.
Once the petals were stitched, I cut them out, then singed around each one.
I tatted a center for the flower, added the plastic discs, then stitched on the petals. Two flowers were made in this way, plus a third one, using the purple paper to create the look of a flower bud just beginning to open.
I'd decided to use the fabric bag as t he support for the garden. I created two openings, stitched with buttonhole stitch to secure the fabric.
The even-weave fabric piece was used to create the garden bed, using stitch to manipulate the fabric. The pattern is dragonscale using a smocking technique. ( re Daenerys Targaryen's dragonscale dress from Game of Thrones, embroidered by Michele Carragher)
Next, the burgundy leather was cut into shapes for stems, calyx and leaves.
The stems and leaves were attached to the fabric bag front using buttonhole stitch and most of the Highlands Heather thread.
The small flower in the upper right used almost all the fine, pink thread in the kit. A leather center is attached with buttonhole stitch, then surrounded by layers of buttonhole lace.
You can see the flower in bud using the purple paper and petals of the pink organza below the buttonhole lace flower.
The pink papers were used for the flower stalks. On top of the papers, I added gathered lengths of singed organza topped with tatted Josephine Knot clusters in the variegated thread.
The same thread was twisted to create the flower stems. Some feather stitch and double feather stitched stems were added, along with a few flower sprays. French knots secure the manipulated fabric to the fabric bag. More Josephine Knot clusters edge the bottom of the manipulated fabric.
I stitched up each side of the fabric bag and placed it over an acrylic photo frame to display my piece for the Mystery Bag competition.
I did not win a prize, but I did have a lot of fun creating this piece, and I learned a few new things along the way.
Thanks for visiting.
Hugs from Suz
I have been wanting to singe some fabric and glad you went first love the planter filled with all beautiful things!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mad! You might want to use a burning tool ( rather than the candle flame I used) since it's safer. Have fun!
DeleteHugs
Wow! That is stunning! I am impressed with all the steps you've incorporated.
ReplyDeleteDiane, it sort of grew and changed with each stitch I added. It had a life of its own, I guess. Thanks.
DeleteHugs
lovely use of all those bits and pieces.
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny. It took some thinking, I tell you, to come up with the garden idea.
DeleteHugs
As far as I'm concerned, this wins a prize!!! This must have been such a fun challenge and I think your creation is marvelous.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Mary Anne! It was fun, and a challenge, as I mulled over the mystery bag contents. I enjoyed it very much.
DeleteHugs
what skill and amazing imagination you have to have created this wonderful piece from the bag of bits and pieces a true delight
ReplyDeleteThank you, Margaret. I had to put on my thinking cap for this one. It's the first challenge I've tried. I enjoyed it so much I may enter the next one.
DeleteHugs
Wow, that's a wonderful use of disparate elements to create a whole. I can't imagine the one that did win the prize!
ReplyDeleteI didn't get to see the one that won the prize, Jane, as I couldn't attend Seminar. I'm sure it'll be shown in an issue of the ECG magazine. I'd be interested to see it, too. Thanks.
DeleteHugs
that should be Embroidery Canada magazine
DeleteWhen I read the contents of the bag, my heart went down, what on eat
ReplyDeleteRuth would anyone do with that lot, But your garden is an inspiration, it should have won a prize, a lot of hard work went into to it and you did a wonderful job with what you had.
Margaret
Well it had me thinking, Margaret. I was pleased because the colours in my mystery bag went together well: some were not as cohesive. Still, a part of me feels the fantasy garden was a little too busy, but, hey, a garden is like that with things popping up all over. Anyway, it was nice to have the challenge.
DeleteHugs
This is a fabulous piece with lots of techniques.Well done Suz! love the smocked piece garden bed idea.Learning is more fun that winning a prize I guess :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Anita. I was pleased with my fantasy garden, and didn't really expect to win a prize. One never knows just what will get the most votes. I had fun doing the smocking ( my first time trying this!) and I liked how it emulated the layers of soil.
DeleteHugs
Suz Dear you are brilliant! Taking the odd bits and pieces and creating a glorious garden of "Pretty in Pink" Bliss I say you exceeded the challenge. I love how you let the pieces speak to you and become what they did. This is truly a lovely Artistic Unique Work of HeArt. Embracing Creative Bliss...
ReplyDeleteThanks Sherry. It was fun trying to come up with different ideas, and figuring out how I could make those ideas work. Sometimes they didn't, but I enjoyed the learning process.
DeleteHugs
Absolutely fantastic - you won MY prize. This is so lovely and your description so good. Your imagination is flying!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anneliese! I think one of the interesting things about a challenge is that it makes one think outside one's comfort zone. Having the supplies provided, and size restrictions decided by others pushes one to use their imagination to create something within those restrictions. It was a fun challenge.
DeleteHugs