Day 9- Necklace with Concentric Circles

3/4/14

While sorting my materials yesterday I came across beautiful cerulean pebbled leather and noticed that an assortment of my crystals were the same shade of blue. I thought it would be interesting to use an almost invisible tulle over the crystals to hold them on the leather and I found a light grey piece that worked quite well. I experimented with machine sewing the tulle around the crystals which proved to be very difficult because you can't get close to the crystal, even with a zipper foot. 

I decided to try a method where the stitch would be further away from the crystal, by doing a double layer of leather underneath in a contrasting shade. My inspiration for the layered circle shape came from a Kandinsky print my grandmother recently gave me; one of his circle pieces. I love the 3D element to the 2D piece that comes from the color variation of the rings. 

Squares with Concentric Circles, Wassily Kandinsky

I cut circles from a reddish brown leather and smaller circles from the cerulean leather, placed a donut shaped Swarovski crystal in the center and tulle on the top and bottom. I carefully stitched around the second leather ring to hold the layers in place. Then I cut the circle elements apart. 

I crocheted four circles in an alpaca yarn in a color slightly redder than the leather and one row larger. 

It's easier to see the tulle in this photo; the blue leather and crystal are not stitched, only held on by the tulle.

After stitching the leather pieces to the crocheted pieces, I added another crystal at the bottom of each circle, and attached a copper chain to the back. 

Necklace, alpaca yarn, copper chain, leather, Swarovski crystal

In the morning I'll check the poll to see what materials I'll be using for Day 10! Voting is open until 9:00 AM EST on 3/5.

xo,
Arielle

Day 8- Symptoms of Applique Addiction

3/3/14

I can't stop it with the applique.
But I got another garment done, so that's a success!
Wanted to try some sleeves today, originally in jersey, but I decided to keep it simple and work on a medium weight grey non-stretch cotton. I cut a cap sleeve because the embroidery was going to make the sleeve heavy and I didn't want it to be too overbearing.

Applique pieces from an upholstery swatch on both sleeves

I used an awesome upholstery swatch that I'd been eyeing for a project, but it was so small so there wasn't much else I could do with it. I cut it into a set of appliques for the sleeves, and cut a peephole where I inserted another grey fabric with a woven black pattern. I used a bright yellow thread for the applique to give it some punch, and then added the gradated yarn with magenta thread.

I had intended to use a grey fabric for the body of the piece but found a matching magenta charmeuse which I turned to the backside so it wouldn't be shiny. The drape is perfect and it gives a slightly dressier feel.

I decided that to offset the structure of the appliqued sleeves the top should be flowy and full, so the crew neck bodice got a slightly a-line hem. After the sleeves were hemmed I applied yarn to hide the stitches, and though I considered embroidering the neckline I decided to leave it unadorned.

Blouse, magenta charmeuse (backside), grey cotton, polyester applique and wool yarn trim

Back to accessories tomorrow <3 I have some beautiful handmade ceramic buttons I'd really like to use.

Don't forget to vote on what material I'll be using Wednesday! The poll is on the top right of the main page.

xo,
Arielle

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