Day 3- The Curious Heart Obsession

2/26/14

I don't know why but lately I've been feeling like putting hearts on things. (I mentioned this in my "Poetry and Clutches" post.) Today I decided just to go for it and put a heart smack in the middle of something. In rhinestones. Iridescent rhinestones. I blame it on the migraine.

I was cleaning up today and found one of the ugliest gold boxes that a piece of junk jewelry came in. Actually, I only found the bottom. Although I threw initially threw it away, later in the day I realized it would make the perfect base to cover to make a small clutch.




I started with one of my favorites in the fabric stack, a navy blue fabric with red and white plaid. I got it set up to embroider and considered appliqueing a heart and then beading it when I came across a selection of rhinestone chains. Definitely leftover materials from a project for someone else. I am really not into rhinestones, but something about the high-low quality of the cotton plain juxtaposed with the rhinestones agreed with my project. I knew I was headed for a heart shape, so I stitched each rhinestone down, being careful to line up the shape with the plaid. I added gold painted tube beads to give it a little edge and to keep it from being too precious.

(During this time a friend came over and needed to borrow my iPad for a business trip, and was concerned that it had no case, so I stitched him up a project-of-the-day themed pouch to keep it cozy.)

Project of the day 3.5

Back to the clutch. I padded the box with a thick knit fabric and covered it with the plaid fabric. The construction became complicated when I started the zipper. I had to sew corners into one side of the zipper and leave the other side flat to wrap around the box. I may have to go in and replace the zipper with a smaller one in the future, as it wraps too far around the clutch. I sewed the entire zipper to the back panel by hand with thick thread. I also need to start applying my linings better. I tend to work as I go, and those sort of things need to be planned in advance.

I used twill tape and leather to line the piece which is structured like a very tiny suitcase. It's just large enough to fit a phone and a lipstick, and maybe one or two small items.

Plaid Heart Clutch; cotton exterior, rhinestone chain, glass beads, leather lining, twill tape

Inside view

I love the simplicity of today's piece and the iconography of the heart shape. I'm still obsessed with the plaid fabric. I also like the hard case-like structure of the clutch. 

Some thoughts from today's project:

1. Wow, I'm really feeling the rhinestones more than I care to admit. They will probably pop up in a few more projects in the next few days.
2. I want to make a beaded plaid fabric to make the plaid three-dimensional.

Any applique or beading shape ideas?

xo (<3)
Arielle