This is my May BJP journal piece (8 1/2" x 11"). You have to go back to my April BJP journal piece. Its title was April Showers Bring...' Hence, the title of this piece is the rest of that saying 'May Flowers'..yea, not very original but who cares about a title anyway, right!I have to say after creating my umbrella in April I didn't think 'flowers' would be very exciting to bead or design but I'm happy with the outcome. This design is from a 17th century embroidery design which was on The Textile Blog - this is the most interesting and educational blog!
Here is the larger flower closeup. It's hard to see but the green center beads are on wire and therefore are 2 dimensional. I love using this technique because even if a quilt is 'traveling' the more the wire scrunches and twists the better it looks.
And a closeup of my smaller flower. I used Lynn's edging technique again which I just love. If you haven't checked out her blog yet, you're missing out! 
So now onto my next projects! I have my idea for June but I really do have some other projects that I need to and want to get started on. 
It's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteawesome, robbie! i looked at the first pic before reading anything else, and i couldn't figure out where the beads were. i thought it was all thread embroidery. i clicked on the photo and then did another zoom on that, then i saw the beads. they weren't threads at all, but perfectly placed beads throughout the piece! i'm amazed! it's so beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful, Robbie! I was going to say what Lisa said - when I first saw the picture, I thought it was all thread embroidery and wondered where the beads were. :) I absolutely love that the whole flower is done so beautifully in beads. Amazing!
ReplyDeleteAnother stunner!
ReplyDeleteRobbie,
ReplyDeleteIt's stunning! The beading is amazing and people's comments remind me of the one you did with the family pictures. You had to zoom in to see all those strips were pictures, from a distance all you could see was the color another incredible artpiece.
Christine
wow. just wow, robbie!
ReplyDeleteThis is incredible. I too thought it was all thread embroidery until I enlarged the picture. Its flawless (how do you do that? *smile*)!! I love the idea of the 'raised' leaves giving it a 3-d effect.
ReplyDeleteVery pretty. I thought it was thread work not beads!! I like the edges instead of a binding.
ReplyDeleteGood work, Robbie! You are inspiring me to do more bead work.
ReplyDeleteI love the way your stitching moves from the center piece and carries the color to the outer piece of fabric. I like this combination of fabric and stitching and bead work.
ReplyDeleteRobbie! Love the way the thread stitching matches the leaf points. I want to touch those leaves!! And the center of your flowers are so unique - they remind me of a dream catcher. Looking forward to June.....
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful. The beading is great. I would have a hard time trying to figure out what style to bead in. Love it!
ReplyDeleteMy favorite!!! I LOVE this awesome piece... the colors, the design, the border, the absolute perfection of the beading techniques, the machine quilting... everything about it works so beautifully. Even the sense of the 17th Century comes through the modern materials.
ReplyDeleteTechnical questions: (1) I assume you drew the design and then quilted around where the beading would be... Is that correct? If so, how did you keep it from puckering in the flower/leaf areas? (2) How did you attach the wires on the back side and what type of wire did you use?
I'll check back for answers... Thanks!
Robin A.
Robin: Hope this answers some of your questions:
ReplyDelete(1) I printed the 17th century design onto my fabric using my HP printer. I only quilted the outline of the entire piece not the center of leaves or the flowers detail - just the outline before I beaded any part. I use a small PVC hoop or just a small (very old wooden) embroidery hoop for all my beading.I think this keeps my work from puckering. I always use some type of hoop even if I'm just doing hand embroidery or stab stitch on my quilted art work as well. (2) How did I attach the wires on the back side and what type of wire did you use? I thread 24 gauge wire onto a needle and use it just like thread. I first thread from the top of my work holding a small piece (3/4" to 1") of excess wire on the front; thread to the back and come back up to the front of my work; add my beads; and come back through that last bead with the wire just like normal beading but using wire rather than thread. I continue this until I have all the beading pieces I want. I then take my wire to the back and front a few more times then end up on the front of my work with 1/4" to 1/2" excess wire. I wrap this excess piece and my first excess piece of wire around one of the beaded pieces. I have tiny scissor clamps that allow me to twist and hide these wires. Sometimes I can even feed a wire back through a bead or two. I've yet to have any beaded pieces fall off. Yes, you do have some wire on the back just like thread but I usually cover it up with my label!
Whew! Hope this makes sense..if not, plz email me for more clarification!
Beautiful! I keep going back and looking at the picture - I like this a lot!
ReplyDelete