Busy with Beading

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Beaded Bracelet

I didn’t expect how much I will get in to this beading idea. I started shopping for different designs of beads and connections so I was buried in jump rings and pins for last couple of weeks. Internet is full of instructions and projects from small to big pieces of jewelry. Most important is not to get lost and stay truth to your own idea and vision.

My first idea was to make a nice collection of items which are going to match so I can wear them together with original silver or golden pieces which I already have. Firstly I wanted to make a bracelet which is going to match this gorgeous ring which is made of black silver and has meddle eastern design which makes it to look like an antique. It is not easy to find similar beads to make sense out of it.

Old silver jewelryThis is the ring and I wonder if it makes same impression on you like it does on me? I do think it is quite beautiful.

Since I couldn’t find any beads in similar drop of the water shape I had to concentrate on the colors similarity.

I have selected some crystal beads and dark silver colored metal beads.

Old silver jewelry

Believe me or not but I took at least an hour in the store selecting right type of beads and matching them with the ring.Old silver jewelry

When planning the design you need to take under consideration length of the bracelet so it will not end up to short or to long, so first I have organized beads in different patterns and spaced them out to find my favourite combination with right length and width as I did want this bracelet to be visible on my hand against the ring.

I have started with putting on eye ended pins and closing eyes on the other end. Then I have added jump rings to connect them in between.

Old silver jewelryAfter that I have added dark green beads in between to add this green centre like in the ring.

Old silver jewelryThen I have started adding some white beads to put more blink in to the bracelet and connect with white crystals in the ring.

Old silver jewelryThose small beads were so difficult to make I had to be very careful to not damage them.

I fitted them in between to feel up the gaps. This gives even richer look.

Old silver jewelryOld silver jewelryHow do you like it? Does it look anything like the ring? I do think it matches. Love it, love it a lot!

Old silver jewelryOld silver jewelry

It was quote a challenge to narrow from 3 beads width to one in order to put the lock at the end, but I think this has turned up quite well too.

Busy beading weeks are still to come. I have got hang on the tools and connections and twisting those small eye shapes on the end of pins now I can work with my imagination and show you as many of interesting designs as possible. I hope you will like them and I promise to be creative and show something different from what you can find all over the internet.

Nursery – Part 2: Picture Frames

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Hi again!

This time we are going to work on home made picture frames which will perfectly match all the other baby pieces in the room.

This wall decor is a necessary part of our nursery. Can you even imagine a nursery without family pictures in beautiful frames?

It will not be an expensive creative project. It will cost as much as any other wall frame you would spend money on. The biggest investment will be your time and patience 🙂

picture frame 1

Fabric on the wooden frame.

Let’s cut a suitable-size piece of fabric which will fit the shape of the frame to go all over it.

picture frame 2

I have used professional tools but you can use regular scissors, just make sure to take proper measurements.

picture frame 3

Make small cuts on the corners of the inner part and glue them on the frame. Best is to use fabric glue – look for it in arts and crafts stores.

Then glue down all of the sides.

picture frame 4picture frame 5

Leave it for half an our to dry and then you can put back the glass and the back cover back.

picture frame 6

I made a couple of those and then I made one that’s a bit different to match a flower pot which I made earlier.

picture frame 7It looks lovely on the wall.

You can come up with any design! Be creative and have fun!

picture frame 8

Dress Pattern – First Sign of Spring

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Hello all!
I have put together a simple dress design for my daughter which is going to be perfect for our spring trip to Cuba. Yes we are going for a short holidays and it is always nice to have something fresh, so I came up with this quick project last weekend.

dress pattern - spring 1

The best is that you can learn a couple of professional finishes which will make the dress look very neat and fashionable.

I used a pink fabric as a base and green fabric to add ruffles and the finishing around the arms.

So we have two large pieces of material which I made exactly the same for the front and the back. I cut about 15 cm deep indentations on each side for the arms.

Spring dress 1

Now we will use French seam to connect both pieces together. First sew thru the whole length on the right side of both fabrics. Then iron it on the left side and sew it thru on the left side.  Iron it again to make  the fold flat to the left, right or centered, as you wish. Easy! Now all the threads are hidden inside and the dress will look pretty on the outside and  neat on the inside. 🙂

Spring dress 3

Spring dress 4

Spring dress 5

Spring dress 6

The next step is to finish the top and bottom edge and to add green ruffle at the bottom. I made it a bit longer which will allow this fashionable dress to last thru the whole summer season too.

Now another new trick! We will use elastic thread. You can buy it in Walmart or any fabric store. It costs maybe $1.50 and it will create a super effect on this spring dress.

Spring dress 7

The elastic thread should be rolled on the bobbin manually, please avoid stretching. Put it inside your machine and use second usual thread on top. You can be creative here and use maybe decorative threads to give the dress some sparkle 🙂

Spring dress 8

Measure and mark a few lines across the top part of the dress. Now we will do some shirring (gathering)! Simply sew straight lines on the dress. Each time stretch the material back to it’s original flat form while you are adding the next line. It is important to make the shirring straight and with similar intensity each time.

Spring dress 9

Spring dress 10

Spring dress 11

Spring dress 12

Make sure to tie all the ends properly and then we will hide them under the finish with green strips of material.

Spring dress 13

Spring dress 14

Now we can make nice bows for each shoulder and  the spring dress is ready to wear!

Spring dress 16

I hope you had fun. This girl’s dress took me about 1.5 h to finish.

Quality Woven Clothes Labels

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Hi! I have such exiting news! My little precious box with clothes labels has been delivered this morning. I placed my order in mid December and I was really looking forward to starting to use them on my designs. Now all of my sewing projects will have my signature on them!Cloths woved labels 1 I ordered two types. One is just a flat label to use on the back of the clothes, and the second one is a two-sided, center folded small label which I will use for pieces on the outside. I’m sure you could see those on many of your clothes.cloths woved labels 3 This is going to add quality and a professional look to my designs . I have decided on woven labels, these look better, are thicker and present great. In the future I may think about size clothes labels to go next to the other label. cloths woven labels 5 I’m simply flabbergasted and I love it, love it, love it! If you want to find out where  I ordered them so you can design your own for your projects please e-mail me.

Skirt for School Picture Day

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Hi dear Readers!!

I was so exited about my little girl going to Grade 1, so I decided to sew a new skirt for her. I thought it would be a perfect surprise for Picture Day. She would look neat and formal like a 1st Grade student should. So I made one just before the end of the summer break. I thought it came out quite nice, however, it wasn’t her favorite. So, I decided to make another one with a bit different colors, pattern and shape.

picture day skirt

I found very nice piece in fabric store and matching jersey material to make top out of.

skirt material

I cut it a bit longer so she can wear it next year as well. The design itself is quite common which I thought is good, so she will not feel “standing out”.

skirt 1

skirt 2

Then I said… how about the lining! There has to be lining! And I used this pretty pink which I had left from some previous project.

I put it all together thinking that I should have one of those too so I can wear it for office meetings, hehehe

skirt 4

skirt 3

The next piece to do was the top. Again I was trying to keep in my mind what my daughter’s taste in fashion is and I kept it simple, easy to put on and take off with stretch around the neck and wrists, and with just a little bit of fancy decoration with silver ribbons to bring some more light into the whole composition.

top 3

What else? hymmmmm …. how about a nice white head band? White will be perfect! It will be a stark contrast in my daughter’s dark hair.

head band1

The whole imaginary picture was coming to life! She will look so beautiful, and she will have a super Picture Day at school!

top 1

Well she could have (in my opinion) obviously if she would only wear those clothes which I have made for her….

skirt 6top 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, you may believe me or not, but this little Pixie didn’t put it on in the morning. I went out to work early and she got ready for school with her daddy, and she has made her own choice of clothes. Even the head band got rejected 🙁 Yeap!

We still have a chance to get the picture retaken in a couple of weeks, so lets see if these lovely clothes will get a 2nd chance 🙂

Thanks for reading and I whish all of us another happy and creative weekend!