St Patrick's Day necklace how-to

Yarn necklace how-to just in time for St. Patrick's Day.
Because I'm sure I'm not the only one who hangs on to scraps of yarn/fabric/ribbon...
that is just to pretty to throw away.



Cut yarn, t-shirt strips, ribbon, what have you, into strips 14"-16" long



Cut two shorter strips - around 10"



Make a braid out of matching yarn/ribbon 20" long



Gather longer strips of yarn/fabric on the left end with one of the shorter strips.

add the braid to the gather leading away from the other strips.
(this will become the part that goes around the back of your neck - soft yarn or
t-shirt material works best and is least itchy)
Pull the knot really tight, then sew, being careful to catch all of the strips with the stitches.



add a button or two for decoration and added stability



on the other end of the braid make a loop for a button hole. sew securely, add a button for strength and prettiness.



on the right hand side gather the longer strips together, tie with the other short strip of fabric, and sew, adding a larger decorative button. This button will be functional, buttons with a shank work best. Also don't use a very heavy button or your necklace will go lopsided as you wear it.



There you go, one ready to wear necklace, a great way to use up those little bitty ends of yarn and bits of fabric leftovers.





This is the same method I used for the Van Gogh bracelets, easily adaptable to any occasion. Enjoy.

Willow Trees at Sunset...by who else?

Van Gogh of course



more about the color this time, less a literal translation.



Bright summery colors, wishful stitching.



going to revisit Starry Night in black and white next....then on to Degas' Ballerina's...for my ballerina girl.

Sunflowers.....more Van Gogh

Still all about Van Gogh...Sunflowers.
We need a bit of sun and flowers around here.
The snow is slowly melting away and my crocuses are trying really hard to make and appearance. In the meantime here is a little wearable sunshine.

The inspiration.



The bracelet...wool felt, buttons, sweater scraps, a bit of an old t-shirt, and a scrap of velvet. I wore this today (sometimes I get to keep what I make, right?)
the flower petals are now all curled and going in different directions, much more like the painting.



The necklace, made of some more scraps, and bits of ribbon. And one of my favorite buttons ever...



The pair....



This has been a really fun endeavor for Nellie and I, she wants to be an artist when she grows up. For her next just me and mommy day she requested a day at the local art museum....

Starry Nights Ahead

So I'm on a bit of a Van Gogh kick. Starting with my childhood favorite,
The Starry Night



I'm going to use Van Gogh paintings as inspiration for bracelets.
This one is wool, ribbon, buttons, yarn, and other odds and ends.



and a necklace to match.



Next is either Sunflowers or Willows.

Yarn Play

One of a recent group of necklaces that I've made.
Inspired by a necklace in Belle Armoire a couple of years ago.



This one with a bit of a Southwest theme.



And for sale at The Greenery, in Warren, RI.
http://shopjust.com/
along with some cuff bracelets made out of wool and buttons.
Sorry for the lack of pictures. My camera is getting a bit old and tired.
If you are in the area give the Greenery a visit, the proprietor is named Bridget.
Lots of really cool gifts and flowers, specializing in fair trade goods from around the world and local artists

can be seen on Tea Rose Home too. One of my favorite sights to share my stuff on.
So give it a look. There's a button on the sidebar (couldn't make it work in the post - where's that 12 year old when I need him)

button bracelet

button bracelet, originally uploaded by marcydebbie.

Buttons, lots and lots of buttons

latest in button jar jewelry (and then some)

rose button bracelet

I am supposed to making things to sell, and really, I am.
Except for this, I've decided to keep this one.

buttons for September

buttons for September, originally uploaded by marcydebbie.

button necklace in autumn colors on a chain, with some ribbon. I'm trying to get ready for bazaar season.

button bracelet

button bracelet, originally uploaded by marcydebbie.

bracelet made with buttons, ribbons, copper, and a ceramic pendant. inspired by summer and memories of my grandmothers'

button tin earings

Ride to Rohan

Fabric bracelet made from t-shirts. Hand sewn free form spirals, some beads, and the really cool button that inspired it.



The bottom layer is a black t-shirt scrap about twice the length of the bracelet and centered. It was sewn on last to mask all of the stitches from the appliques and beading. Then the ends were cut to make ties.



The white spirals are reverse applique (there is a layer of white sandwiched between two layers of blue) All the spirals are free form, the silver thread is from Coats & Clark and very user friendly. (minimal tangles and knots, and no unraveling)



The grey spirals are small circles that are cut from the outside to the center to make a spiral. The beads came last.



All tied up and ready to wear.
This is one of my favorite ways to make small projects, no plan, almost like sketching with fabric. Sometimes the result is a total disaster, once in awhile I end up with something better than I could have planned.

Faeries and Flowers Grow in My Yard

Woodland Faeries in my backyard


Cherry Blossoms out front


Moonstone eggs in a copper nest, who knows what they will hatch?


Lilly of the Valley planted by nature, these showed up in my garden a few years ago and have spread profusely, this is the first time they have flowered!


Faeries under glass


Bugleweed, someone told me I should pull this up because it will ruin my lawn,
I said, "but they look so pretty next to the dandelions."

American Beauty Rose, bud.

I've started my tunic. I have the back and fronts cut out, and the backs stenciled.
I'm going to alternate the arch on the stencil the whole way round.

I like the wave effect of the stencil so much I think after this I will try it on a six gore skirt.

Blue Roses

Blue Roses - a tattered and torn ode to one of my favorite plays
''The Glass Menagerie'' by Tennessee Williams

The directions are all here, just in reverse order...as seperate posts.

blue roses 3

add gromets or snaps to ends of bracelet

thread scraps of fabric through gromets to make ties

blue roses 2

once the top two layers for the the bracelet are stitched together

make five 1'' stitches in a circle, somewhat evenly spaced. Tack down end of fabric strip (about 1/2'' x 36'') weave in and out of stitches. tuck in the last stitch and tack down (This is called a spider wick rose and there are some wonderful tutorials on youtube)

pin top layers of fabric to the bottom

layer then handstitch around the edge. fold over the extra length on the bottom layer and stitch down.

Blue Roses 1

Beginnings of fabric bracelet

green fabric is 2''x6''

red fabric is one half in wider and longer.

both are scraps from old t-shirts.

The plaid fabric underneath will be the bottom layer of the bracelet and the fabric flower.