Free-stitched Chinese Lantern Cards

New embroidery design--free-stitched Chinese Lanterns.

Hand-dyed felted wool, cotton floss. 2.5" square

 Previous design, mounted and

                                                               placed with a mailing envelope in a cellophane envelope.

This is a great on-the-go project. The designs are small and free-stitched, making it easy to grab a few fabric scraps (I prefer linen or wool, but anything could work), floss or crewel yarn, needle, hoop and scissors and go. 

The first set of cards is finished. I mounted them by fusing a fabric backing and then using double-sided tape to attach them. Japanese paper tape was added as a functional frame to secure the fiber to the cardstock.

I'm working on putting together a tutorial of all the steps along the way. These are really special cards for special people and occasions. 

Watch for the directions...coming soon!

Chinese Lanterns

Chinese Lanterns are indigenous to Japan and southeastern Europe, not China.  I've always been intrigued by these vivid, paper-thin (when dried) flowers.  Psysalis alkekengi come in many colors, ranging from yellowish-orange to leaded-lipstick red. Yes, there is lead in most commercial lipsticks. Lead is readily absorbed through the thin membranes of the lips. Pick your poison wisely. Myself, I like Burt's Bees! Back to the lanterns.  

 

Sketches for Chinese Lanterns

I am working on a crewel-type embroidery design for stitching Chinese Lanterns on wool. I have ideas about making a quilt with embroidered squares, but a pillow would probably be more practical in terms of time, energy, and durability.  I'm fondest of functional art and craft, but then again, the images I have dancing in my head might lend themselves to wall art as well. I can clearly see in my mind's eye what these various projects might look like, even at this very early stage.  However, I'm experienced enough to know that what my mind creates may well be far afield from what my hands construct. I invite you along to share the process and see where it takes me.

Detail of sketch

Faking It (Improvisation!)

Garnering inspiration from Kristin Nicholas' Colorful Stitchery, I set out to recreate some of her on-the-wild-side type crewel flowers last night. I did it, albeit sans wool crewel yarn or wool.  So maybe I didn't "do it"-- maybe I just faked it, using a linen tea towel (I bought a dozen at a local bargain store last year) and embroidery floss on hand.

I used a four inch hoop, new linen fabric, and embroidery floss.

Detail

Stock cards, with 2" x 2" opening. 

I'm not sure if I'll finish these cards or use the embroidery for something else--perhaps small squares in a patchwork pillow? I didn't trace or copy patterns, I just looked at the pictures and made the designs as I went. The detailed image is a flower design from Nicholas' book; the other two designs are my adaptations. There were more than two adaptations at the end of the night, but they were promptly deconstructed. I do have to learn that stitching, like writing, sometimes works using what Peter Elbow calls the "dangerous method" (winging it without much direction at the last minute), but not often. Today I'll work on a pattern I have in mind for Chinese Lantern flowers (I don't know if that's really their name, it's just what I've always called them.)