Farther along.

I ran out of purple blended beads so used purple ones with the red lining on the bottom. Not sure that was a great choice, but it's done now. Will begin to fill things in and see how it goes in between the three large designs.

Progress.

It's been fun to figure out how work with this bead. I've added some fabric in the middle and will be using the pattern on the pink fabric to cover with purple beads. I think it will be cool and less predictable. Not sure how to deal with the green stripes yet. 

New Project.

I went to the Rocky Mountain Bead Bazaar last weekend and had so much fun. By myself. So, lots of time to look and decide. I picked a few large pieces and will use them to design around. The one you see here is sculpey clay, topped with something iridescent and then glazed. I liked the colors, I haven't done anything in this pink/red/gold range before so I'll enjoy working with that palette.  

This large piece is actually drilled to SEW onto fabric, which is different from lots of centerpieces which are challenging to attach and where you'd have to bead-weave around them to attached them, losing the edges in the process. There are four other beads in this color scheme that will also go on the fabric, eventually.

I use white colored pencil to map out where I think I'm going with this design. But who know.

Added bees.

I added some bees. Then, I added some ladybugs, not pictured here. I've decided to outline the top red butterfly with gold beads, and it is looking better. There is a Bead Show this weekend in Denver and I am *super* *super* excited to go buy some new beads. Also, I'll add antennae to the butterflies.

Coming to life!

Adding some beads.

I decided to reflect the butterfly like a mirror image and have started adding beads. The farther down on the stocking, I'll do another reflection of some kind as well. You can see the whole image does not fit and I like that, actually. I'm using some metallic beads mixed with some colors I've been wanting to use, orange and yellow. Not sure what I'll do in the gaps between the wings but plenty of time to think about that.

New Project, new year!

I've picked various sizes and colors of beads that should go with the butterfly and I'm super excited to start sewing them on!  Hello, 2017.

Today I Finish.

This one has the finishing touches done on the front.  I finished the lettering, added a few red beads (handblown glass beads that I made myself, see the red dots?) and I added a silver accent at the middle of the big flower. 

I'm excited to (finally) wrap this one up.  I saw some handmade things at the Jax that might help me move forward with a new project. We'll see. I might try to do something from our China trip.

More progress.

See? Things are moving along. I'll start to work on the flowers soon by adding some beads. Progress = good.

New one.

I can't believe this is my first post on this stocking. I've been "working" on this one for what feels like months. Let's be honest. Mostly stuck. I am using a design from an Indian beaded papoose in a really old sewing book as inspiration, but mine project is going to be (obviously) a stocking. I started by using fabric scraps to build the leaves, couched them with some leftover hand-dyed thread and then...waited.

Now, several months later, I found this fantastic dishrag thread with fringe-y stuff on it that I love for the vines, and I outlined the leaves in black (they were so washed out otherwise.) This project is on again.

I've yet to figure out which beads to add or how, but it's football season again, so something is bound to get done.

Finishing up.

This one has been a bit of a medley of things. I wanted to use the pictures of the family printed on fabric, but they are surprisingly difficult to deal with. So, it's a bit mix-y. You can see leftover pieces of lace, old buttons, discarded ribbon, and pieces of upholstery fabric. Tonight I'll do a picot edge using beads I've been meaning to use.  In the end, I hope it looks fun.

New Picture Stocking

I've had creative block for a while now. But, I printed some pictures of kids onto fabric and picked out some beads and got started. Once I did, I thought I'd also add some of the kids' artwork to the piece, so the purple flower is a replica of one Ruth drew at school.  Then, I used a leftover piece of pink lace underneath.  

I think I'll start sewing on different things on this one. It will be mixed media.  Who knows how it will turn out.

I'm enjoying watching the Walking Dead while doing this, though. That's good.

R-Stocking

Now that I'm done with the brown grasses stocking, I returned to the R's. I decided to embellish just a few of the R's, not all of them, and I added a beaded border at the top, as well as a ribbon (saved from Fran's chocolates!)

I'm excited to finish this one. I've got some soft yellow flannel to line it and I'll start work on that tonight.

Moving along.

Finally. I'm nearing completion of this stocking. I liked the brown, but felt that some bright blues on top would be pretty, so there you go. I've picked out some lettering and will add "Rieken" to the top soon. 

Then, maybe I'll be ready to return to the stocking with the "R's." Still having a bit of a block on that one.

Linen and grasses

I've always liked grasses and the way they look together in a field and how they move and sound, especially in the fall. 

So. I got a vintage sewing book with some pictures of different types of grasses and plants, and I'm sewing my own (on a stocking) of course. It's a little laborious, because a single strand of thread from the skein makes sense to sew with and (I think) achieves the right delicate look, although a single strand can be tangly and thin and feels less satisfying when you pull it through the fabric. But, maybe that's the point when you're sewing a meadow.

I've had a hard time getting into this one for that reason. But, it just occurred to me to add some colorful elements, maybe on top of the brown. Really vibrant colors. Maybe I'll add bright red or electric blue - not sure yet. I think I'll do a lot of brown and then overlay with something dramatic, eventually. Whatever. We'll see.

Finished with Onion Bag Couple

It is always nice to be done, as is the case with the Onion Bag Bride & Groom. 

Now, it's time to start something new. I have an old book on bead embroidery that is super cool.  It has some ideas. I just need to take the first stitch. I've been putting it off. Once I get started...it will be good.

Sometimes it isn't easy to get started. Just one foot in front of the other, right?

Onion Bag People

I'm having a creative block with the R stocking. So, I decided to move on to Onion Bag People.

These aren't finished. When done, they will be a bride a groom. Or two brides. or two grooms. Whatever. A couple.  I take a Costco onion bag and weave it with leftover fabric from other projects, which I iron into tri-folds that are about 1/2 thick at the end.  I put tape on the end so it's easier to weave, and weave the whole bag with leftover scraps.  

Then, I cut the bag in half (this is always hard, because cutting is scary.) Next, I take each half and fold it in half again, then sew the outline of the body, which will be necessarily skinny.  The body gets stuffed with shredded scraps of fabric, very tightly. I want the doll to be heavy and not very bendable. At the bottom, I sew on some felt and close it up.

Last, I'll add details like a bridal veil, arms, a bouquet, etc. (These two will get their details soon.) Anyway, it's something to do and I think they turn out cool. I gave my first pair to my brother and his wife for their wedding.  The dolls won't stand on their own but they can be placed somewhere or propped up. Maybe hung on a wall.

Each figure is about 2 feet high, so that's why they cannot stand independently.

Maybe working on these will get me through the R stocking creative block. Can't figure out if I want to embellish the R's or use the negative space, or weave something organic throughout. Who knows. It'll come some day, I hope.

Lots of r's now.

Now that I have a bunch of R's, gotta think of something to do with them. I'm thinking of adding beads, somewhere, not sure. I think I'll just pick an R, do something to it (like embellish it with beads) then see what happens and if it looks good.

Also, I'll add "Rieken" at the top, probably using lots of different kinds of letters. I was thinking of making them all the same (the letters, making them uniform), but the singularity could divert from the chaos of the other R's, and I think the mixed-up-ed-ness of the design could be the attraction.

We'll see. The Blackhawks are playing the Lightning tonight in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals, so there'll be some TV time to work on this.

R Stocking

I'm working on a new project. It's an "R" stocking. I'm not sure how this one is going to turn out. I need to consider to add beads and layer things. At some point, maybe an idea will come out from wherever it is hiding.

I think I'm done.

I think this one is ready for the finishing touches! It's been fun to work with the Moroccan threads. I thought about adding beads to this one, but I think they'd take away from the design and the threads. So, I've decided to leave beads off of this one.

In case you are wondering, I deliberately made the cursive "rieken" a little organic. It seemed to add interest for me that way.  

My cell phone takes crummy pictures. Once I've finished this stocking with the backing and everything, I'll try to get a photo that shows the coral fabric as it really looks. It's actually bright and not washed out. Also, some of the fabric in this picture looks stained. It isn't. It's just shadows.