General Crafts

Redwork Embroidery Christmas Angel

Redwork Embroidery Christmas Angel
Christmas Calicos Pattern Pack

Supplies:
14″ square of unbleached muslin
large embroidery hoop
embroidery needles
your favorite shade of red embroidery floss
Christmas Calicos angel pattern
scrap booking gel pens
white acrylic craft paint
embroidered rose accent

Our great-grandmothers didn’t have acrylic paints and gel pens in their embroidery craft kit but we do!

So after you have finished your embroidery stitching get them out onto your craft table and have fun adding bits and accents of bright colors to the inside areas of your design.  You can use layers of gel pen colors to create intense color tones, add darker or lighter shades of gel pen over an area to make highlights and shadows … and even use different colors to make your own calico fabric patterns.

Some pale gel pens do require multiple colors.  For my white I chose to use acrylic craft paint.

If you get a little out of the line with the gels or if you have small openings in your stitch word, use a matching red gel pen to go over the embroidery floss.  Use embroidery patches, accent flowers, small bows and ribbons, and even tiny buttons to dress her up.

Once everything is completed and your redwork angel has dried over night, give it a nice ironing to permanent set the colors.  She is ready for her permanent hoop frame and to be placed on your mantel !!!!

 

Have fun ~ Lora

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Redwork Embroidery Patterns

Redwork Embroidery Patterns and Redwork Embroidery Quilts

Let’s take a 1740 discovery, an 1920’s embroidery style, a 1950’s Retro Owl pattern, and today’s trends of adding establishments to our needle arts and see what we come up with.

Around 1850 in the United States the Redwork  embroidery style began because of an amazing process that created a colorfast red dyed for cotton fibers.  Colorfast means that the dye in the thread would not fade, wash out, or cause the dye to bleed onto the background fabric.

Today, Redwork is seeing a serge in popularity and has
begun branching out from traditional, vintage, and antique patterns.
My owl is worked, centered, on a 16″ square of muslin, which fits
a 12″ frame and allows extra fabric to turn over the frame’s
backboard.  The owl pattern measures 9″ high x 8″ wide.

Retro Owls Pattern Package
ArtDesignsStudio.com

Read more here ….

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Coloring Book Quilt – Free Patterns

That perfect quilt square is easily in reach if you have
just a yard or so of muslin, permanent marking pens,
crayons, fabric paints, or even silk ribbon …
and ArtDesignStudio.com pattern packs.

Sample worked from CP140 Henna Tattoo 2 Pattern Package
Also see CP139 Henna Tattoo 1 Pattern Package
Also see CP090 Wood Quilt Squares Pattern Package

Can’t find that exact fabric pattern that you are craving?
Can’t find it in the exact colors that you need for your latest quilting project?
No problem … color your own!

Coloring Book Quilt Ideas

I chose Henna Tattoos for my table runner Coloring Book Quilt.  But any idea goes – wildlife, Celtic, dragons, steam punk.  ArtDesignsStudio.com has over 140 pattern packs full of ideas, ready for you to download today.

 

1. Piece your quilt squares using muslin where you want your coloring Book design.

2.  Press well so that you are tracing on a flat surface.

3. Print one copy of your chosen pattern using your computer printer.

 

Coloring Book Quilt Ideas

4.  Place your pattern on your light box.  Trace over the outlines with a fine point permanent marking pen of black, gray, or dark brown.

5.  Iron well to set the outline color.

 

Coloring Book Quilt IdeasClick for a full sized, printable image.

6.  Set up your coloring kit next to your favorite chair in the living room.  Turn on your current ‘binge-watching’ TV program.  Relax, have fun, and color away.

You can use fabric pens, permanent marking pens, crayons, acrylic paint, and of course, fabric dye.  Also consider beads, silk ribbon embroidery, lace, and buttons.

Allow the large-area base coats to dry before you add the detail lines to avoid bleeding.  Set the colors with a hot iron after you are done.

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Basket Essentials – Rib Basket Weaving

IT’S HERE !
Basket Essentials – Rib Basket Weaving
Published by Fox Chapel Publishing
***   Available at Amazon.com
   ***

Let’s look inside the pages

Rib Basket Weaving200 pages with lots and lots of
Step-by-Step photos.

Rib Basket Weaving
Also called hip baskets, egg baskets, fanny baskets,
granny baskets, potato baskets, and
Appalachian baskets.

Rib Basket Weaving

Rib Basket WeavingThree in-depth projects,
about 20 pages of photos and instructions each.
12 small basket instructions with diagrams.

Rib Basket Weaving12 Beginning Knots and Eyes
with full step-by-step photos

Double X, Double Bow, God’s Eye, Braided God’s Eye,
Two-Point Lashing with Collar, Three-Point Lashing,
Half God’s Eye, Three-Spoke Lashing with X Pattern,
Three-Spoke Lashing with Bar Pattern,
Multi-Spoke Lashing, Wheel,
God’s Eye/Half God’s Eye Combo,
Double Bow/Half God’s Eye Combo,
Reed Spline Lashing

Rib Basket WeavingPhotos … Did I say lots and lots of photos.

Rib Basket WeavingWeaving Techniques

Rib Basket WeavingHow to compensate using short rows.

Rib Basket WeavingDiagrams

Rib Basket WeavingAnd, of course, a huge bunch of rib basket ideas that you  can create at home

***   Available at Fox Chapel Publishing   ***
***   Available at Amazon.com    ***

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Wire-wrapped copper jewelry bracelet

Wire Wrapped Copper Jewelry Designs

Please share the fun on FaceBook, Pinterest, and Reddit!  Thank you!!!!

Even a wood carving – pyrography – line art artist needs a hobby.  Something that
is quick, fun, and inexpensive.  something that you can work in the rec room,
and something that will make fantastic easy gifts.

My extra hobby is wire-bent, wire-wrapped copper jewelry!

The Wire-Bent Links Bracelet, shown above, is a fun design created from a selection of the over 300 bent-wire links that you can create featured in Easy & Elegant Beaded Copper Jewelry, published by Fox Chapel in 2011.

As you practice the wide variety of copper wire bent links that you can create you will end up with a wonderful pile of small, bright, shiny links – ready for your next jewelry project.


By creating a simple straight loop beaded link chain, you now have the bracelet base on which you can hang those links, using a jump ring or split ring.   This is one design where the more the better, so let your creativity run wild.

 

 

Supplies include a few simple tools –

flush wire cutters

round nose pliers

nylon grip flat pliers

long nose pliers

18-gauge copper wire

20 – to 24-gauge copper wire

assorted bright, shiny, bling beads

assorted jewelry findings

 

Books by Lora Irish

Lora Irish Copper Jewelry Book

Easy & Elegant Beaded Copper Jewelry

How to Create Beautiful Fashion Accessories from a Few Basic Steps

You can make affordable and stylish copper wire jewelry with a few simple tools, some wire and beads. Learn over 300 different link styles and how to create your own with step-by-step instructions and outstanding instructional photos!

 

Wire Wrapped Copper Jewelry Book

Wire-Wrapped Jewelry Techniques:

Tools and Inspiration for Creating Your Own Fashionable Jewelry

 

This comprehensive guide to wire-wrapping jewelry covers all the techniques beginners need to know!

  • 30 expert wire wrapping techniques step-by-step, including simple loops, cluster wrap, adding beads to wrapping wire, adding a coil element, wrapping sequential layers, and more
  • 8 stylish DIY projects for statement jewelry like necklaces, pendants, hairpins, and earrings
  • Comprehensive guide includes step-by-step instructions, lists of materials and tools needed, and helpful tips and tricks
  • Beginner-friendly for anyone who is new to wire wrapping or just wants to brush up on techniques

 

 

 

 

copper jewelry bent wire links

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