Bugs? Sure. It's Brazilian Dimensional Bug Embroidery

Before I get too enthusiastic, I should let you know that there is blatant advertising ahead.

This is a picture of one of my Millefiori Brazilian dimensional embroidery designs, #915 "There's a Garden in My Dragonfly". The picture above is stitched entirely with 100% rayon floss from EdMar.

 

I took detail pictures of this design, but when I stitched it my enthusiasm overflowed and I stitched another version entirely as bead embroidery. More about that later.

 

Here's the commercial. This design #915 "There's a Garden in My Dragonfly" is available at my Millefiori website, printed on cream or white fabric. Send a note if you'd like to order one for yourself. You can use PayPal if you want, or you can email me for more information.

 

Commercial over.

 

Here are pictures of the fun that I had, plus some hints and tips you might be able to use in your other embroidery designs.

 

This is the bug behind:

Bullions, cast-on stitches, some herringbone, some knots...

 

Here's a picture of the detail work on one of the wings:

By the way, it was while stitching this design I discovered Brazilian couching. I didn't want to make outline stitches to edge the wings (the dark color above) and I knew that regular couching stitches are sometimes quite long. With Brazilian couching, you make a stitch about 1/2 to 3/4" long and make a fabric bite (through the fabric) of only 2-3 threads (floss held below the needle for outline or Brazilian couching stitches). This type of couching can be used with any fiber or metallic thread for extra sparkle when you are finishing leaves, stems or . . .  dragonfly wings. If you double click the picture, it should fill your computer screen and you can even see any uneven stitches that I sometimes make...

Those corner designs (second picture above) are stitched with little "dragon-flowers". I'm adding a picture of the bead embroidered corner designs, too. (By the way, I get a lot of my little flower and leaf beads from Beadcats, but they are available at a lot of bead stores and companies including Fire Mountain and Shipwreck.  The B.E. version:

 The Bead Embroidery version:

Here is the bead embroidered version of #915 "There's a Garden in My Dragonfly":

I traced this design onto lightweight Solvy (by Sulky) and basted it to velveteen (velveteen is much easier to stitch than velvet with its nap). But any fancy fabric, even a brocade, could be used. The wings are a semi-sheer overlay of fancy fabric. You could also stitch the design using 3" wide floral sheer ribbon, stitched in place. (I edged the wings with a metallic thread, probably Candlelight) If you add sheer fabrics to the cream or white prints that I have available, you can produce a beautiful design, too.

OK, so THEN ... I raided my old collection of jewelry, looked at old earrings, buttons, shell, sparklies, etc.   ....and that body? It's a BRACELET. I think I actually WORE it back in The Olden Days when I was in high school.  Here's a picture:

More pictures:

Those are rhinestones and cabochons (I think the smaller blue one was part of a necklace). Probably the most collectible item on this embroidery is those little silver things between the two ovals. I think they might be old shoe clips (with rhinestones -- worn before my time, I'm sure ... probably from a garage sale bargain!) The blue/green/silver add-on is also a shoe clip:

...and I found some broken earrings:

...and part of an old plastic necklace (oops, I mean "lucite" - the NEW plastic):

I added some seed beads and little shell cabochons (attach non-hole things with Fabri-Tac or other clear-drying glue).
These two pictures are images of detail embroidery on the wing and head:

 

I hope you will pull out some of your unfinished, or untouched, or even unloved B.E. design purchases and think about things you can do to make them truly your own.

Rosalie

Delightful Little Dragonfly

I just had an idea that was too good to NOT share!

Here's why I got so excited (Right. Doesn't take much to excite me!) -- usually we stitch our butterfly bodies and dragonfly bodies with bullions or French knots, sometimes beads. 

If you double-click this photo for a closer look, you'll see that this is a dragonfly in flight -- he's attached at the front end only. Here's what I did.

Using my beading needle and nylon beading thread, I first attached the head, which is a size 11/o seed bead. Next, I threaded 6 slightly smaller size 14/o seed beads onto my needle. Instead of going through the fabric at this point, I threaded a 7th seed bead and went back through the first 6, size 14/o seed beads, and then through the fabric just behind the dragonfly's head, and knotted off.
          This makes the dragonfly hover in the air.

He needed wings, so I found my Sulky Holoshimmer thread (see below) and using the thread double in my needle I placed 2 lazy daisy stitches on each side of the body, just behind the dragonfly's "shoulders" (don't ask...).

That's a photo of my size 14/o seed beads and one of the Sliver threads made by Sulky, called "Holoshimmer" (hologram + shimmer), from JoAnn Stores. I like the Sulky threads because they are made for machine embroidery, so I know they are durable for hand embroidery. Visit the Sulky website if you'd like to read more about this thread. You can also use it to edge the loops of your cast-on stitches and add some sparkle to your flowers. 

If you want to tuck a little dragonfly in alongside your embroidered flowers, you can stitch it with anything you want, but I'm always looking for a reason to stitch with beads. This little dragonfly provided a really good reason!

Rosalie

A Gingerbread House - Delicious in Brazilian Dimensional Embroidery!

The "Gingerbread House" is one of my Millefiori Brazilian dimensional embroidery designs, and I have copies available for stitching if anyone would like to get really "sugared up" for Christmas. You can email me for more information or visit my www.Millefiori-BE.com website to read more, and to see even more B.E. designs. Look for Design #962.

This design is stitched with all dimensional stitches using EdMar's Z-twist rayon floss, but I thought it would be fun to stitch using little Christmas charms, beads and buttons. 

Instead, I had an-OTHER idea!

I have this Shadow Box (wood frame, 12x12"). And I have this craft felt (one of the heavier ones, about 1/4" thick), both are made for a 12x12" design. I found these where they sell scrapbooking supplies, at either JoAnn Stores or at Michaels.

(Don't you just LOVE a blank canvas?  -- so many possibilities!)

And I have ALL of these beads and buttons (picture to come next time).

I love bead embroidery and thought it would be fun to do another little Christmas embroidery.  Here is one I stitched a while back:

This design is embroidered entirely with individual beads (no earrings, no pins, no charms), although I might give that a try at some point. The Santa is an especially-made whatever-it's-called, about 3-1/2" across. I embroidered everything onto craft felt, trimmed around the beaded area and colored the edge of the felt with a permanent marker. Then I went back to the craft store and purchased a wood plaque (8" diameter), painted it green with acrylic enamel paint, put a hanger on the back and bring it out of its box every Christmas to enjoy and, hopefully, look for compliments about.

Bead embroidery is great fun, as you can get lost in the story you are telling. You'll find that out if you stay tuned and read along with me. I'll post pictures as I'm working on the red felt background.

Rosalie