Paradise Bird Peter Pan Collar

Paradise Bird Peter Pan Collar, a photo by themasonbee on Flickr.

Via Flickr:



Okay, its got one small thing that hasn't been added yet and that\'s a hook and eye attachment, I have apparently run out or perhaps I haven\'t used them in so long I never had any to begin with..

Anyway, I am rather pleased with the outcome, and I have requests to make these to say as this little beauty was my \'experiment\' piece, mainly to see if I can make it. Sure it\'s not the most technically complex thing to make without a pattern but to get the finish right, the size of the embroidery working and to mirror was a bit of a challenge as was working with the fabric, I forgot how darn stiff it was.

I'll be interested what comments you have about it? I've had a couple of requests about making ones to sell, so I am thinking either making them as one of the kind versions (using different combinations of fabrics) or try and stick to a couple of different fabric combo's. And even offering pick your own embroidery thread colour.

Sort of mid week crafting..

From my lovely week off I appear to have fallen quiet, but now I am back into the swing of things at work, I am now back in the swing of doing things in the evening. Tonight must say was productive, on top of doing all my chores (okay, skipped the bathroom, tomorrow I'll do it), I set about working on finishing off the stumpwork and got myself set-up for the next project. It will look familiar...

Organised chaos or just chaos?

Somewhere on this desk, I have the frame (on the right), and here you can see that I am just making some notes on sizes for the mount and what size I need to cut my card for the actual mounting of the embroidery. So much mounting..no pun intended..maybe a little.

Here I have cut the card, covered it in a basic white cotton, and laid the embroidered fabric on top and have started pining round, gently pulling the fabric taut, and the grain as straight as I can possibly get it without going insane in the process. I'll admit I am already pretty loopy.

Look a mini version of the bird, at least I can say I've pretty much covered every angle. Although tempted to do a tissue holder version too....although after this one, I might take a break on this design to work on the bee bits and pieces. Speaking of bees still waiting for the web button from the BBKA, better drop them an email tomorrow.

Enough about me, what are you working on? Do you craft in the evening, even after a long day at work?

Busy Bee - Project flying

Okay, I'll admit there was a lot of things done on this project between last night and this afternoon, that I didn't take photographs of, now some of that was partly down to dodgy lighting and being wrapped up with what I was doing, that I forgot. 

So some of yesterday's afternoon/evening was taken up with stitching the wing. Worked separately in order to give the bird more height. The wing has extra form, this comes from stitching over a very thin paper covered wire, this was shaped to the outline of the wing. Make sense? Basically couched down some wire onto silk. The stitching is very close together, which means I can then cut the fabric away, right up against the stitches which is always ruddy nerve wrecking. Before I got to that stage I stitched the middle lines, back stitch with silver thread weaved through them. In this shot you can see I also stitched some beads on it....

Your probably wondering how I got the wing attached to the body. Allow me to explain. 

I used a great big needle (mislaid my stelletto at this point) to punch a hole into the right place on the body, to keep the opening neat I then did a quick buttonhole edge round it. The wire on the wing was tightly bunched together and plunged through the hole, its then bent back on itself and stitched down on the back of the fabric.

Pretty shot...look at that wing. Just checking the head still works.

Told you the tail wasn't finished. I couched down some silver passing around the left of the trailing to act as a highlight. Don't it look pretty.

Actually at this point the silver passing had been stitched down, and the head has also been very carefully stitched down into place, something else has occurred to and I will explain that bit in the next picture. However, in this shot I am using six threads of stranded cotton and carefully couching that around the edge of this silk, this is to cover my stab stitches. Neat, huh?

There is a lot in this shot. But you might notice a couple of things, one the wing appears to be missing its beads. This is correct, I took them off. It wasn't a simple undertaking as it meant I had to take the wing off, and stitching back down. Not easy but I am happier with the results the beads just weren't doing it for me. 

I also added to the thighs of the bird, or trousers as I have now called them. Made them jazzier by adding some lasy daisy stitches in silver, I love them.

Around the body to hide the stitches I couched a double row of silver passing around it. 

The head has it's prong things (technical term), these are wrapped wire. Now like the tail feathers they need one more thing, a bit of sparkle. But that's enough for one weekend, and I need a few days to ponder what else needs to be done, how I am going to mount it. Thinking like with the last stumpwork on the round. I also have a wedding to attend so maybe a wee break will aid the thinking.

Although, open to suggestions?

Paradise Bird Hand Embroidered Wall Clock

There are times when I create a piece that I am so in awe of the finished look that I almost want to cry. Okay, I didn't shed a tear but it was close! I had at least a cup of Earl Grey in celebration instead. This clock is one of those pieces that deserved a cup of tea, of course miles away from it not wanting to tempt fate.

The clock as you can see is so simplistic in design but beautifully executed. It also gave me the great opportunity to get out the crystals again and use the new clock hands. Perfect!

This is also led me to feel happy about doing this again, but customised. People can select any colour thread, and if I have the stock the crystals, clock hands, size and even the linen. I want to do a mini version next, so a little 3" wall art version.

It's now available to purchase in store, the listing for the customised version will be up later today.

Must keep stitching...

I have to say far from chilling out this week, I've been putting myself through the paces with embroidery this week, but I am certainly enjoying it. Silly thing to say really, of course I am enjoying it. Sure there have been projects that I've worked on where the enjoyment ebbed away the longer it went on, but you know you live and your learn and also you have to remember with any job or even hobby for that matter there are always things you end up not enjoying. So far its been a long time since that's happened for me.

Hopefully not tempted fate. 

Before I show you the progress of the Paradise Bird project I thought I would give you an update on how my business plans are going. Branding is under way, as I speak my rather talented Uncle is working on that for me and we may even do some collaboration pieces like I have done with Heidi. I'll keep you posted.

Once the branding is sorted it means I can update all the sites with a more consistent look and I can get the new business cards sorted and labels etc. Which I can't wait to get sorted, at some point I will need to source fabric labels, or perhaps get a stamp made so I can make my own. Decisions, decisions.

The website I would say has finally bedded down, by that I mean I've stopped tweaking it, so any changes from now on will simply to keep it up to date. With the new look its certainly going to be easier and quicker, which is a relief. 

The most important step, and one that I know all craftspeople and artists battle with and that's how much are you worth? Perhaps that makes it sound a bit cras but it really is as simple as that. There are countless articles, blog posts and books on the subject of pricing and how you shouldn't under or over value your work. It's a bloody minefield. 

I've heard it quite a lot from friends and family that I undersell my wares, and yes I know I have and it comes down to not having the confidence in what I make is worth the price tag. Artists are there worse enemy in this respect. So I've bitten the bullet, if I don't now then frankly I am never going to be able to make this a viable means of living. I worked out my hourly rate, it certainly hurt my brain I'll tell you that much. And now I have done that it gives me a better basis for what to charge for my pieces and gives me the confidence I need to say I am worth it. I have a good friend of mine on hand to slap me if I don't use it. She has a strong right arm so she'll hurt. 

Why am I telling you this, well I hope it will help some other like minded soul. 

The heavy stuff over with for another week let's have a look at some pretty pictures. 

A spot of late night stitching meant that I managed to get all the trailing done on the tail feathers completed, however, it's not the end of the tail feathers, they need sparkle! Sparkle will come in the form of silver passing couched down one side, and crystals at the end of the feathers.

Ain't it pretty?

Actually one thing you can't really see in these images, is that towards the ends of the feathers I have blended in another colour different shades or tones of the colour I started with. Rather like the effect, even if my photography doesn't show it off.

Artsy shot...

Actually that's where the project is at, I've stopped it to work on something else for the rest of the afternoon, once that's complete then I will be working on the wing.