Faux Gold - Pleasant memory

Sometimes when I'm searching for something in my blog I find pleasant memories... By far my most favorite round robins were the two faux gold work round robins. The focus of the RR was to use gold work techniques with inexpensive materials...and among those pieces I had two that I loved dearly....this is one of them.

The couching of the leaves in the lower left was tedious and time consuming but I loved doing it and loved the look.

This piece was inspired by a piece of art by Wm Morris called the "Strawberry Thief"

Charting new waters....

Charting new waters or wading in over my head.  I'm about to start the waxwing and they have such a soft smooth look that I want to use layers of tulle and keep it simple.  On this frog from the gold RR I used lace over several layers of tulle.  The lace has been cut away and he is ready to cut out but you can still see the tulle.

On this perfume bottle I tried netting over about 4 layers of tulle and lame....  This was from the same round robin.

So on the waxing it's only going to be only tulle...4 layers - two different colors.  To keep it spare I will only use the tiniest of my gold beads for the shading and the smallest cording to secure it.  That is the plan A anyway...should work..  hope not to  have to find a plan B...(or C).

I have picked the lace for the wing and painted it gold. I will pin down all layers of tulle and work through all layers and not cut away the tulle until it is entirely done...













Had a spectacular sunset last night. 

Next birds and progress report

One of the things I failed to mention last month that often I will print several paper copies of a bird (or other image) in various sizes and place the cutouts on the block to see what size works best.  I can also use these cutouts as "space holders" when I'm planning my stitching.









The next two gold birds will be a cedar waxwing and a hummingbird.
The waxwing is, as you can see, fairly simple shapes and can be transferred  easily with my "cut away" transfer method.







On the other hand the hummingbird is quite complex but it too can still be easily transferred you just have to cut away more parts.  Shown here as a paper cutout above (sections marked for placement of gold embellishments)  and below the results after doing the transfer by cutting away bits.


Things I've learned so far: 

I figured the gold velour was going to be a bit stretchy headache but I had to try it anyway because I loved the color and texture.  But it turned out to be fabulous.  The color enhanced the beads, etc. and it was a dream to applique....so I am using it some more...  I couldn't have been more shocked at how well it worked out.

Next my initial plan was to paint a bunch of lace gold and work from that.  But there is such small amounts of lace on the birds and the shape has to be so specific, I realized I'd end up with a pile of gold lace I wouldn't use.  So I will paint lace gold as I need it..

All work and no play

From its inception Susie and I had planned this visit as "all work and no play."  Usually we do a lot of stitching, shopping and fun things but not this time.

I had a basic pattern for the chatelaine but it desperately needed fine tuning and better instructions before it could be saleable.  Susie is a whiz at detail and we have been breaking down the pattern step by step and she has been busy redrafting the pieces to be useable in PDF format.

As for my part (besides helping with the pattern) I have mostly had my nose to the computer as Susie is about to launch a new venture and needs a blog which I have been helping her set up and also have been working on the graphics for her new header and business cards.

For breaks we have been experimenting with the variety of DecoArt gold products which she is sharing with me.  I was able to finish gilding the lace the January CQJP2016 yesterday and have gathered a pile of more lace  to do over the next few days... There are about 5 shades of gold in the paints and another 5 shades in the rub-on pastes.


Of course doing all this work does not keep us from continually chatting and laughing..

Pattern for little bird...

I've had many inquiries about a pattern for my little gold bird.  I worked directly from a picture of a real wren and just
marked off sections for gold treatments.  Exactly what I worked from is in the tutorial.  You could download it to whatever size you would like and work from it.  Feel free to do so.  The reverse image is because I applied it to the back of the material...  see tutorial.  If you put something different in each section you can't go wrong.

Almost done

I know I said I would photograph how I did the bird and I had every intention of doing a step=by-step but I got started and so caught up that I forgot all together.  I promise to do the next one in steps.

It is done except for the beak and will be about here on the block.  I will also add a branch and legs and feet once it is appliqued on the block.

The lace I painted gold for the wing was a orange/rust piece to begin with..  I painted it gold, added a gold rub and then a tad of glitter.  At first it was too big so I removed it, cut it much smaller and was happy with it.  As I look at it now I want to move the perky little tail a little further back.... but all in all I am delighted with it and eager to try another bird next month...

Got the lace and now the gold stuff......

Several years ago I did a series of RR blocks doing my version of goldwork using ticky-tacky Christmas trims and combining it with CQ.  Since they were RRs I had to send them all out but I want to do some more for myself with the CQJP2016.. So the goldwork will be combined with the crème de la crème CQ   and will   be a similar concept as the block below..  I will do the goldwork "off-block" and add it as I did in this block..

Since I gathered up all the laces yesterday, I awoke this morning eager to gather all the gold stuff I had left and I still had plenty.

Luckily I am snowed in or I would be tempted to hit the sale bins for Christmas gold trims on sale and I really don't need any..

I did want to make some of the more structural laces gold and experimented a bit this morning.  Gold paint alone made them too dark but if I painted them, let them dry and then buffed them with gold Rub n' Buff,  I could achieve an antique gold look.. It also toned down some of the trims that were too glitzy. 

Talked it over with Susie W. this morning and she had a few more suggestions to try..

Also Connie E. posted for exquisite beaded birds and I was excited to see what the artist used for the bodies.  It looks like maybe a faux ultra-suede and she painted on it. It would be nice because it wouldn't ravel.

  I had just a bit of that fabric and the gold paint I put on it was ghastly (on the left) but I think the Rub-n-Buff will work (on the right).  Again Susie suggested some other products for me to try.  I also remember when I was making dolls I used gold eye makeup to get a soft gold look on fabric.  So I will get organized and try a lot of techniques.


Here are a few of the other blocks in that series.  The butterfly was worked on gold brocade and it needled well but raveled... and I have no more of it... For the body of the bird lower left I used a gold lame but it did not needle well so maybe I'll have to hit the fabric shop after all when DH gets back from the coast.  The block lower left was inspired by a piece of William Morris wallpaper.
 

Odds and ends about what's next...

I spend so much time stitching while sitting with mother that I have not only finished March and April CQJP 2015 and I have started on May and June..  But I  could use a break from corsets but have absolutely nothing suitable for toting about.  And finally after giving it some thought and decided on two new projects... First is really expanding and exploring an old project... Faux Goldwork

I initiated two Fool's Gold round robins several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with ticky-tacky gold stuff to create a goldwork look but the RR left me with the feeling I wanted to try more...... I could have happily kept every piece I did, especially this fat little bird with strawberries.  This was mostly couching and very slow going.

It was inspired by this piece of William Morris wallpaper.  So I must find time to make up about ten 7" blocks and take a sketchbook with me to mother instead of stitching and work up some ideas from other Wm Morris artwork. I love his combination of   art nouveau  flora and fauna. I had so much gold stash left that supplies will not be a problem...and I would like to use this stash before I die....  This finished piece will be a shroud.

Golden Giveaway and Agility - Phase One

My very last word  on my Golden Adventure with Christmas Trims is GIVEAWAY.... I am giving away TWO packages of golden goodies.  Each package  includes a wide variety of gold including fabric, tulle, ribbon, braid, cording, lace and even a snippet of my goldwork sari..  If you think you would like to experiment with things in this packet, all you have to do is leave your name... I'll choose two winners next Wednesday evening.

I finished the A-Ramp (that's agility talk).  I left it at a low angle because I want to give it another coat of paint today and give Morris a chance to get used to it...  He loves it and zips back and forth repeatedly - a one act wonder.... But today I'll build at least one hurdle and hopefully the tunnel will come.  This is a 4x8 sheet of 3/4" plywood with a 2x4 frame so it's VERY heavy and not something I can move around without help... I'll have to wait for my handy helper next week to steepen the the angle.

"Little Thief" finished.....

Remember this piece designed by Wm Morris entitled "Strawberry Thief?"  It was my inspiration piece requested by Maire in the Fool's Gold RR.... It has many vines and leaf shapes as well as the berries and bird...  My objective was to translate it to gold work...

After much doodling and sketching I came up with this drawing...  I was heading toward a "thicket" all-over design with everything in shades of gold except the strawberries. And here is the finished piece.  I finally did get to use  the glass leaf beads from my stash.  I made them even more gold  with one of my favorite products..."Rub n Buff".  It's off to Maire now...   I'm officially done with gold now and on to other things.  What a lovely adventure it has been.....ten blocks in all.

I have to share this autumn clematis rambling up the back of the wood shed and growing into a flowering hawthorne.  Its seed heads are spectacular right now and occasionally it skips into an Oregon grape hedge and there the twain shall meet.

The flowers on this variety of clematis are insubstantial but the seed heads are the best!!!!  Don't you love it...  The dogs and I walked in the woods this morning and fall was in the air....

Close but not quite!

I know that it doesn't look like I accomplished that much at the retreat but I did work on this block a lot... You can see compared to the photo before I left... I did the large leaves on felt and then appliqued them on...these were very time consuming.  I also did the outlining of the berries and added detail and gave my bird a beak.....plus some beading.  Now there are just the glass leaves, his feet and some fine details.

I'm anxious to give my little bird legs and feet now as I loved them on the Wm Morris bird.. I hope to have it done by Friday.  Of course I got a royal and loving welcome from Morris when I got home but also my chickens started laying eggs while I was gone.  My favorite food in all the world are eggs still warm from the nest... Since they are just starting the eggs are small and a little irregular but absolutely delicious just the same..

The strawberry thief....

Where I'm at..... the vines are all stitched down and I am satin stitching the berries at the moment... I modified my larger leaves and cut them out of paper to test the positioning...

This is where I'm headed.  There will be lots of smaller leaves, stems, and curly things to fill in... The plan is to use gold glass leaves as I haven't used them yet on a single goldwork block... I will be lucky to get all the berries done before I leave so will work on the large leaves at the retreat to finish it...

The final plan (sorta)

Everything now will be spontaneous placement.  The strawberries (ripe and unripe) and the beak will be stumpwork.. Shapes cut out of felt and then embroidered over.  The leaf shapes 1,2 & 3 will be satin stitched with Krienik threads and worked off block... The stems for the berries and leaves will be the same large cording I used around the bird.

Here is how the bird looked when I cut it out and pinned it in place.  I wanted  a blank space below the head and where the leaf curves up. The will act as a frame for the stolen fruit.  (see above photo)

The minute I pinned it on the block I knew I had made the right decision with the choice of fabric and leaving the metallic body unadorned.

I love using the larger cording when outlining something to be appliqued. I give it just the slightest roll outward and it pulls under any loose threads as I stitch it down..  I stitch almost all the way around and leave a small opening by the tail and then stuff it slightly with some batting.

I cut the leaf shapes from paper and pin them around until I am satisfied with them.  Then I can figure out the best placement for the strawberries.

If you look closely you can really see how much larger the braided cording is than the fine cording I used for the leaves... As I look at it now I realize I haven't used any of the gold braid in my stash.  I will try to incorporate some into my larger leaves...

Unfortunately I must dash into the shower and be off.  I'll be unable to stitch very little for 3-4 days.  It's a shame because I'm on a roll with this and could stitch nonstop for hours and hours..

Fool's Gold - Maire's RR block

I've finished the couched frilly leaves at the bottom of the block with 4 rows of gold cording..  I haven't beaded inside the leaves yet but you can see in the bottom photo how it will look..  I wasn't sure how if I want just a little beading along the stem or more all over side the leaf... So I stuck it in photoshop and tried it both ways..

I still have a few ends to trim and the loose ends  on the right will not be finished until I do the satin stitched leaf there...  I scanned the piece so the gold doesn't show up very well...

I'm doing the bird on a hoop the same as I do birds on felt.  So you can see that I did the same first step as always... a tight chain stitch all the way around...  Sometimes I run the cording along side the chain stitch but this time I am putting it right on top of the chain stitch.

The main feature on the bird was to be the jeweled wing which I did tonight..  At this point it is ready to cut out and applique on the block...

This is the thickest gold cording which I use...BUT it also the worst to finish as it does fray terribly. As you can see it is actually braided.  If I were doing it on felt I could poke a hole with an awl and put the end to the back.  But this metallic fabric is so fragile I don't dare poke a hole in it so I have solved the fraying ends in another way..

When I can tell where the cording is going to end I massage that section with a tiny bit of E6000 glue and as it dries I compress it with my fingers and then satin stitch the end and trim... You can see this technique where the cording on the head ends at the wing... Ordinarily I am hesitant to use glue on my projects but in some cases it does the job better than anything else.

The end on the right I will trim when I applique it on the block.

Decisions

It's hard to say which I enjoy more... the design stage or the important decisions stage... Decisions I make at this point are not reversible and sometimes I don't realize I made the wrong decision until the piece is done.. So I try to take great care in my choices at this point.

Last night it was the fabric for the bird..  The bird is the most important element on this block and since the entire block is all gold, to make the bird stand out requires "super" gold.  As I went through my gold fabric I narrowed it down to a yummy elegant gold silk, a glistening gold taffeta and a small piece of metallic gold woven fabric... The latter won hands down.  Unfortunately it not scan well...

It actually sparkles and glistens like the ribbon pictured.  I do not want to lose this quality so will experiment with stitches that don't overpower it.. But the wing will be jeweled.. I only had that one piece of that fabric...about 5x7".. barely big enough for the bird as you can see.. Since it is woven and frays easily, I have backed it with Allie's wonderful knitted interfacing which will allow me to work with it off block on a hoop... My plan is to slightly pad it when it is appliqued to the block..

If you look closely you can see I have basted the outline of the bird on the fabric. I transferred the design to the back of the block using my "cut-away transfer" method and then basted it so it is visible on the front. And I do ALL the basic steps that I do for my birds on felt. The first and MOST IMPORTANT step is outlining it with a tight chain stitch to prevent fraying...  The chain stitch in this instance will also act as a guide for the couched cording.

Goldwork design

This is about as finished as my designs get and I make changes as needed as I go along...  I did clarify the leaves in the corners on the right hand side and  clean up the area behind the tail. I tried to tighten up everything for the all-over Art Nouveau effect. I spent most of the the time fussing with the lettuce type foliage across the bottom..  I'm hoping though it's still open enough for the patches to show through....that's my plan anyway... I will share how I transfer this complex design..

As I looked closely at the Wm Morris design I was able to find a wealth of leaves and flowers to choose from. It's the blue that moved the eye through his work and when I thought I had identified all the flowers I noticed the teeny blue flowers that holds it all together.

I feel there is a strong kinship between Art Nouveau work and the heavily embellished crazy quilting I love to do...

Remember two years ago when I had wonderful Will?  Well I have had hired help this summer again... It is near impossible to find someone willing to do hard work and who I can afford.  Scott has been coming on Thursdays most of the summer.  He has helped me clean and dismantle all the lambing pens and sheep shelters, spray weeds, clean out the large greenhouse, repair fence, add a racoon barrier to chicken house, build the railing on the deck, and clean out the alfalfa area of the barn.

The worst mess was behind the barn which used to be a large area (approx 400 sq. ft) covered with lath where we stored and sold the young roses.. One year when we had about 8 ft of snow, it all came off the roof of the barn and crushed the lath area into a jumble of wood... He has dismantled all of it and now I can cut it up for fire wood... AND THEN we commenced to prune and prune and prune.  This is the third time our pile has been this big.  That is an 8' deer fence behind it. DH hauls it to the county's clean green center to be chipped and composted.   I am incredibly grateful for the help....

For you bird lovers: the conical shape in the willow behind the pile is a red-winged blackbird nest which is waving in the wind constantly..

The Last Goldwork Block.....

The one element that really defines goldwork for me is the couching so I wanted to focus on it in this last block... Also I wanted to include a bird which is always a favorite with me... Since Maire specified a Wm Morris design "Strawberry Thief" everything seems perfect.

On the left is a piece of fabric designed by Wm Morris. You see this design repeated on pottery, linens, draperies etc.  It is VERY Art Nouveau, elegant and best of all whimsical..

As I studied it last night I chose this section of the design to base my adaptation.  I want a lot more strawberries in my version... What is especially exciting for me are the blue leaves below the bird which just scream gold couching... So I will add more of those shapes also... besides I want this all-over look so typical of his work.

So I finished the evening with this rudimentary sketch and thinking about materials and technique..  finally deciding to do the bird off block. But haven't decided whether the bird will be gold fabric with beading or gold satin stitch...

Hopefully tonight I will have time to clean and simplify this drawing into my design for the block... As for transferring the design, it should be no problem if I do it in sections with my cutaway transfer method.

I do know how I want to do the foliage because I have this lovely vintage piece (a gift from Cathy K.) I brought home from CA last January... I adore this piece and have it by my desk where I see it every day..  It is very old and very fragile and much of the gilding has worn away...but it is one of my favorite treasures...

You can see the leaves are all outlined with three rows of couching with fine cording... This is exactly how I want to do the foliage on my piece.. Time consuming but worth it...