Thursday 9 February 2012

Lollipop trees or flowers or...?

I was inspired to use zigzag stitches in free machine embroidery having read an article about this in a magazine.  I made these flower heads by zigzagging around the edge of a piece of fabric with a felt backing.  I then zigzagged a circle in the middle and added beads and a bit of hand stitching.



When I started out with this project I wasn't really sure how it would turn out.  I sort of imagined that it would end up as a bunch of flower heads, but it gradually developed into a more abstract, tree like piece.

I made a background of purple fabrics layered on top of each other in a patchworky kind of arrangement.  These were fused to Bondaweb which was also fused to a large piece of black felt before each piece was stitched into place.  I normally like things to be quite neat and tidy, but I actually really like the raw edges this method produces.


Each flower head was given a stem, (or maybe each tree top was given a trunk?) and a foreground was added.  The piece was finished off with black bias binding hand stitched around the edge, and red velvet loops at the top for hanging.


I really love it, and although it's hanging in the shop, I'm not 100% sure that it's going to be for sale!  For one thing, I haven't a clue about how to price it.  Certainly not at a decent hourly rate because people would just laugh at the price tag!

4 comments:

  1. ...seed heads?!
    I love it Kate - the bright colour combinations are fab, and the simple but very effective shapes. I'm a huge fan of raw edges - so I love that effect too! It'll be a fab feature in the shop....perhaps you could challenge your shoppers to estimate the potential price in hourly rates...!?
    Hope you try some more colourful lollipop creations!
    Ali x

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  2. If I were you I couldn't bear to part with it, it's fabulous.

    Price it most definitely at a decent hourly rate. That way if no one buys it you can keep it, but if some discerning soul appreciates it for the time effort and talent obvious to the rest of it then you'll have a sale. :o)

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  3. Thanks for your kind comments. I'd love to keep it but my house is getting very short on wall space!

    Kate x

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  4. What a stunning piece of work, I love those jewel-like colours! Liz :)

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