Iris Purse

Ironically, my newest iris bloom is similar in coloring to a purse I made a few years ago in an Iroquois raised beadwork class.



The freshwater pearls were meant to represent water droplets. The stem is made of porcupine quills, which are really neat to work with. You actually insert a very long, thin, needle right up through the center of the quill. A seed bead at the top and bottom of the quill prevents the thread from being cut by the sharp quill tips.

Here's the reverse side - just a bud.

Both the full bloom and the bud were beaded first on poster board covered in pellon, edged, and then sewn on like an applique.





Like every other purse I've made from a class, it's not very practical. I think I've used it only a few times. The wool felt from a distance looks just like leather. It's lined with a cotton print in the almost identical colors of the beadwork.

Here's my newest iris-I swear it smells like orange to me. Yum.

From Chaos to Iris

I was asked to make up another cuff bracelet as a 'display' piece for a bead embroidery class. I hunted through my stash of cabachons and came across a gray one with just a fleck or two of royal blue. Back on the hunt, I gathered up way too many possibilities of blues and grays, which is pretty typical of how I bead. I guess I like to keep my options open as I work through a piece.


Anyway, here's the final result. Not real crazy about the colors, but I think it would look really cute with jeans and a white shirt. I kept the two sides somewhat symmetrical, which is something I don't usually do.

And now for something completely unrelated to beading: My ORCHIDS ARE FINALLY BLOOMING!!

Two years ago my mom and I went on a bus trip to the Finger Lakes region of NY and stopped at a yarn and iris farm. I was really along for the yarn and knew nothing about iris. It was $5 for a clump of iris, so I plunked down $20 and walked away with a plastic bag full of plants.

I put them in the sunniest spot I could find in my yard, which is not really all that sunny thanks to the 100+ year old trees in my yard and hoped for the best. Last year, nothing. But I was happy the stalks were still alive and let them be. A week or so ago, I was heading back to the shed and barely even looked at the iris on my way until something caught my eye. Wait! Could it be? A --- BUD????

Are you kidding me? I was thrilled! Patiently I waited day after day; checking morning, noon, and night for the first sign of color. My gosh, iris take a long time to burst open. And then -- viola -

a little bloom. So sweet. Just one of about a dozen that are now in full bloom. I couldn't be happier!

And then another stalk started to bud. This one really tall and larger than the first. Amazing!

The blossom is huge - and there are at least 6 ready to open.

And now I see yet another clump is getting ready to show me what she's got. Its so much fun to see what colors they are and the blooms smell fantastic. I which I could bottle their scent. I love the way each variety is opening at a different time. The yellow ones are just about done, and now these periwinkle ones are all showy and who knows what's going to be next. Oh! That reminds me--I made a purse with a beaded iris on it. Hmm, I'll have to get some pics of that piece ....