It's early, I'm up and halfway through my morning latte.
You might think it's not that early but for me to be up before 9am on a Sunday especially after beading until almost 1am is rare for me.
Apparently I was having nightmares (Mom said I screamed out at 5am) and that could well be why I'm awake. I don't know why I was screaming, could be a flashback dream to an attack that happened to me when I was 25...it amazes me that those still happen, but they do or it could be I was dreaming of the nightmare to come....family....as I woke up verbally defending myself...yet again.
Still...it's daylight, a new day and time to live in the present.
The very recent past saw me beading till almost 1am on my venture into bead embroidery. To be honest right now it looks like bead weaving sewn onto a backing but I am reassuring myself that most bead embroidery starts off with cabochons glued to a backing. Like most things, I'm doing this my way which means seasoned bead embroiderers may think "well, that's wrong" as I know I've taken liberties already :)
So how does this differ from bead weaving? Well, to start with those babies aren't made off loom and attached...they are actually started (first four or five rows) off loom and then attached to the backing and then beaded further. Also to be honest....I don't know that I couldn't achieve the same effect totally in bead weaving but it's early stages.
And if you're looking at the backing fabric and seeing the white core this is because as the Lacy's Stiff Stuff is white and I'm making a black, bronze and gold cuff I didn't want to work on white. The answer was to use some iron-on black Pellon, a fabric interfacing used to stiffen fabric when making clothes. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere so I thought I would share my solution.
As you can see there's some height to this piece, my goal is for it to be very three dimensional and have lots of depth. So far, so good....I'm especially happy with the tallest pyramid but I'm not going to show you why until the piece is complete :) I don't quite know what the piece will be yet....I originally designed it as a cuff but I'm seeing it work as a necklace and maybe I can figure out how it can be both.
More work on it today after things are taken to the storage unit (my studio gained a full 6 square feet of empty space yesterday) and shopping at Costco is done.....maybe I'll actually get to the bead embroidery part :)
As I was looking for photos of my Da Vinci study the other day I came across photos of me in costume...for those of you who don't know I'm big into costuming (or used to be). As Jenn over at Beading Daily showed us her first chain maille on Facebook yesterday I thought I'd show you my first chain maille. As you can see, I didn't start with jewelry :)
This is one of my Female Super Hero costumes....photo is about 10 years old (I don't look bad for 43!), and you can see one of my inspirations, Kate Bush, in the background. I made this outfit, yes, including the corset, for a costume event in San Francisco...it was a riot getting it through security...alarms going off all over the place :)
And when I say "I want my body back" this is the body I'm talking about :) Note the Total Gym...lol!
I was actually in better shape than this five years ago....right before I started beading...hhmmm....
Your bead embroidery will be totally unique, Mikki. I haven't seen beaded components as part of bead embroidery before, but I bet they'll be showing up after you finish your bracelet / necklace. I love the tip about black iron-on pellon - thanks!
ReplyDeletewow, that is some serious chain maille. and for your first foray into chain maille? well, let's just say mine was much more modest than this, wry grin. the whole costume fits you very well. hmmm, your current lace cuffs could go with this outfit.
you have some pretty heavy priorities right now, but I have total faith that when exercise comes back onto your list, you'll look like this again.
I love where you are taking your bead embroidery...it will definitely be very unique!
ReplyDeleteAnd for an excellent bead backing material, check out Nicole's Bead Backing...recommended and blogged about by Jen on Beading Daily.
(I hope it's ok to post a link to her Etsy Store: Beadwright)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Beadwright?section_id=5394185
It is wonderful stuff. It comes in 14 colors and several sheet sizes. And it costs much less than LSS but works even better because of the color range!
But in the meantime, iron on Pellon is a great idea for coloring LSS...and much cleaner and easier than dying it or coloring it in with markers!
I love that corset...I am sure you will be wearing it again soon! and aren't they so much fun to wear...much more comfortable than you would think :) And very cool chain maille top...seriously ambitious for your first project!
Thanks for sharing...I can't wait to see your progress with your bead embroidery.
Thanks...serious chain maille? Lol, it's a very simple weave but it's my nature to start big. If there's one thing I know about myself it's that I like to challenge myself....if it's easy, I probably won't bother doing or get bored and set it aside.
ReplyDeleteYes! The lace cuffs are definitely my style and my future costumes will be leaning to the 'Interview with a Vampire" style. As for the body....it will get back in shape once I have something to get in shape for :)
Vimala, I love that you shared the link....I need that link :) I thought about coloring the Lacy's but it didn't sit well for me. After repairing the Victorian lace collars years ago I was impressed at the workmanship so I hope that years from now when my work might need repair the person repairing it is as impressed with my workmanship :)
I love corsets...have a few, and yes, they are a lot more comfortable than you would think. Though I do make my own (from antique patterns) I would love to own one from DarkGarden.com They do stunning work but they charge $800 plus! It's a good price for the work and quality. Chain maille is wonderful to wear too....that top has a lot of swing in the back though I made it with untreated aluminum rings (didn't know any better)and my skin turns grey when I wear it without something underneath.
I love the corset, and I must say my butt has exponentially grew with my beady accomplishments,so I know what you mean on that. Who would have thought that long distance beading does not have the same effect on my body as long distance running??!!!! So unfair.
ReplyDeleteI am very excited to see glimpses of your new bead embroidery project. You are creating something entirely new with this approach just like you planned, I am loving it. Can't wait to see the outcome.
Also, I wanted to tell you just in case you ever check out my blog, that you won't find it, because ditsy me, had to go ahead and change the blog address and now no one can find me. So here is the new one just in case:
http://crimsonfrogdesigns.blogspot.com/
Hi Kinga,
ReplyDeleteI *never* thought I would know or meet another Kinga... Boy am I sadly mistaken and gladly so! Nice to meet you... I had to laugh at your comment,
"I must say my butt has exponentially grew with my beady accomplishments,so I know what you mean on that. Who would have thought that long distance beading does not have the same effect on my body as long distance running??!!!! So unfair."
I know! It's just so unfair, isn't it? Shrug... Oh PAH!
Oh... I thought my original note was already here before my response to Kinga's note... I forgot to add in the words and thought it published when I clicked 'publish'... ugh... technology!~
ReplyDeleteFirstly, I'm so sorry you were also attacked. My attack happened a little longer than 10-years ago... but the effect is still there... I don't think the 'thoughts' will ever subside... Whilst it's true we can do what we can to try to overcome the fears... it's remembering what took place that just doesn't go away. (At least for me it doesn't go away).
Secondly & lastly, I am in absolute awe with your artistic talents. I cannot remember if it was you or maybe someone else... has a sketch book with a lot of 'sample swatches' of actual knitted piece... with spot-on-drawings of the body, bust, torso, etc... I want to believe it was you but just cannot remember... I know a lot of people who are into costume work... As I was reading what others were saying, a thought came to mind... I've not yet seen part 2 & 3 of I think Twilight... something... I just know the Arizona girl who came out to Washington or Oregon... is rather casual... If you had to create a costume for her, to get rid of her 'old-self' and transform herself into one of 'them'... what would the costume look like?
I just love how the costume looks on you... it looks all exceptionally comfortable. I especially love how the 'lower' portion of the costume drapes from the hip-down... love it...
I've heard corsets really take a beating on those fingers/hands/wrists to make... For me, corsets are not the least bit comfortable. They actually hurt very badly. Even the Spandex hurt very badly. Anything that 'hugs' at my left flank causes extreme-extreme pain. If it weren't for the pain, oh I would love it! I used to love them before I ever dealt with left flank issues.
Mikki, you said something that made my eyes wide-opened! I used to *always* be yelled at for doing projects 10 times harder than what I should be doing. *always*... To this day and age, I just cannot do a nilly-frilly thing.... If there's "Substance" to it and it really attracts me, then no one will tell me what to do. If I like it, then that's all that matters. I don't care if it takes me long to work on... I'll work on it until I'm finished with it! No if's and's or but's about it.... I still to this day get not yelled... but a firm lecture from my daughters & husband for doing things 10 times beyond my level of comfort... lol! oh well! I'm okay with that... I just have to shut up and not say anything when I want to rip the blasted thing apart... lol!
You're quite a talented artist Mikki! I always say, 'Mik' whenever I log on... but need to say Mikki!!! Smile...
Now I'll publish this properly...