Renaissance Hairdo

This time I tried to simulate a hairdo that I saw in a renaissance portrait.
That's me the first time I tried to do it.

I will present it to you on my sister.
I took a front part of the hair and divided it into four squares (the picture showed more of them, but it would require very dense hair). I braided each of them so that they would end up interwoven.

Then I took a small amount at the bottom and made one more small braid.

I caught the whole rest of hair and made one big braid beginning on the left.

I wound it so that the braids at the top would hide under it.

The lower braid was woven around the big one. Where I could, I took the unbraided ends of the small plaits, braided them together and hid under the big wheel.

Like this:-)

Cotton Machine Embroidery

I heard about it once and now I wanted to try.
You can sew with embroidery (or crochet) cotton, but not the regular way, you wouldn't be able to thread the needle and if you were, the stitches wouldn't be created.
You must wind it to the bobbin as the lower thread.

The upper thread's tension must be adjusted not to make the fabric wring and not to be loose at the same time. You must sew at the wrong side.
I used the colour of the fabric at the upper thread, but of course you may use the same as the cotton or anything you want :-)

I don't make any knots in the end, I just pull the cotton down with a needle.
The result is quite satisfactory, regarding the small amount of effort it took:-)

These are my new cotton-decorated trousers:)
The last word - you shouldn't use this technique on very light fabrics, they could get deformed.

Black Rasta Poi

When making the fourth short pair of poi, I told myself I should eventually make a paper pattern:-)
I did so and marked the distances for possible coloured stripes.

I cut the stripes by two, so that I could be more economical with the fabric.

I ironed the edges of the stripes in. I drew the pattern on the right side and marked the stripe distances outside the pattern so that I could easily see them when sewing.

Such lovely colours. Like traffic lights:-)
You may spot I don't cut threads between the stripes - it saves me time and the thread.

I finally learned how to work with the thimble:-)
You put it on your middle finger. You hold the needle with the thumb and the forefinger and help the needle go through with the side of the thimble (on a bent middle finger).
This way I finish the lower part of the poi.

A new pair is born. I hope their owner will like them.

A pocket, as usually. The last one with five-finger leaf...

Ten Flames - Finished

The last day of these poi production. When struggling to turn the poi over, I found out it was easier when I push the pliers inside as deep as possible and open them inside. The the pulling out of the fabric was quite easy.

The bags. I'm sorry for using ruler and round objects for these signs. Freehand with some stylisation wound look better I think :-)

A fan of flames. A lot of work behind me.
This time, when producing many alike pieces, I learned not to make unnecessary moves and to try to sew faster when I can.
See you next time;-)

Ten Flames - Progress

Having all the the ten pieces decorated, I started to make poi from them.
I found out how to easily start the seam - without going back you just sew and lay the threads so that they would be inside the stitches.

It's usable only for wide stitches, such as zigzag stitch or some stitches for stretch fabric.
Looks like this.

I sewed the poi and the weight sacks. It's interesting how easily one learns not to do unnecessary moves and to be faster when he makes the same pieces all the time...

And of course pockets. I couldn't find any toppic for five pieces (four is easy, but five...), in the end I took a list of planets and chose some of their symbols. The handsome ones:)
I'm quite curious whether the recievers will discover the meaning.

Ten Flames - Decoration

This is quite a big order:-) Five pairs of flame poi.
I had the template from the last time. I ironed some vlieselin on and drew the shapes on with a chalk. Unfortunately, I found out I had little fabric and had to go buying some more:-C

I cut the flames out and drew the poi. You can see how nice were the poi lain on the canvas - actually no leftovers, the rest on the right was just enough for the pockets.

I cut out the poi and got down to glueing the flames on. I set the red on the place with pins and put a small drop of glue under each top. I also put a drop under the middle of the flames.

The last two went to the upper corners of the edges.

Having them prepared this way, I had to sew them on with a satin stitch (very short and wide zigzag). Nothing difficult, but quite time consuming (ten times, OMG:-D)..

Thread Depository

I have been hating for quite a lot of time the way threads are stored at us. A box smaller than the amount of spools, you never know which threads you have and the unravelling of tangled end of the threads is a perticular delight...

One day I said stop. And after half a year I got down to this project:-D
I bought some mesh and black fabric and began. I cut out two big rectangles from the canvas and six stripes of mesh.
I placed them upside down to the vertical lines I had drawn, sewed on and turned upwards (except the lowest one - I sewed it on already upwards).

I traced the vertical lines and sewed them through. The last two rows have big distances in vertical and horizontal direction - they will carry big spools:)

Before sewing the verticals I ironed vliselin on to toughen it. A poor seamstress must know how to collect puzzle:-P
The depository is just for my so I could afford using leftovers.

When I had the pockets finished, I put the other rectangle, right side to right side, to the first one. I pinned them together and I didn't forget to pin twill loops between them before sewing.

I left a hole in the bottom right hand corner to turn it over. I ironed it, sewed a line a mm from the edge...
...and filled with spools:-D

A Little Camera Box Decoration

This week I'm taking part in a photographic course and I had some beads at home. What could come from it? :-)

I decorated the front seams. I backstitched each bead, it was rough particularly at the corners (too thick a layer of material).

Nothing special, more to amuse me than to form something beautiful:-P

Wedding Car and Little Dress

Sister's wedding's here:-)
The car I made the decoration for looks like this...

...and here you can see the little dress for my niece and the model I made it according to - I wanted the mum and baby to look similar:-)

Happy bride and cute little angel..
Btw. were you also wondering how many hands my mum has? :-P

Wedding Car Decoration

Mum ordered a decoration for sister's wedding car from me. She chose a picture on the Net and I had to get down to it:-)
I bought some organza, took my lapping foot and started. It took me quite a lot of time to find out how to work with this foot.
You must double fold the fabric in hand for the first four centimeters, put the footer down and sew it.

Then you unfold it and insert the edge in the foot's intestines. When I sew I slightly hold the fabric with my thumb and forefinger so that I could lead the edge in the footer without stopping sewing.

I'm not very skilful with this, so sometimes the lap unfolds (it's folded only once and the frayed edge is out). Folding the edge before the footer (once) and inserting it folded to the footer may help :-)

Here you can see - the damaged part on the left and the repaired one on the right. Fortunately, this shouldn't be very noticeable. I used this project for me to learn how to use my foot, let sister forgive me :-D and I know it won't be perfect.

The horizontal edges are bordered with satin lace, folded in the middle. I glued the ends before sewing them on. I can't find any other way for the lace not to fray out and unfold when I sew.

This will be the bow.

The center for the bow is from three layers of organza, for it not to be transparent.

At the wedding, we'll see, whether it will fit completed or not. Are you as curious as I am? :-D