Is this your project? Can you share instructions or a pattern with the Craftsy community?
Difficulty:
Category: Quilting
Type of item: Home Decor
For: Other
Style: Mod, Whimsical, Casual
Materials
Cotton quilting fabric, beading including shisha (mirror) beads, organza ribbon, satin cord and cotton thong.
What was your inspiration?
I decided to make a little wall hanging as a gift. I knew that the recipient loves turquoise, as do I, so I started by gathering some fabrics in turquoises and indigo, with the sea at the back of my mind. The idea was to make something simple that wouldn't take too long as a Christmas present. Naturally, the beading ended up more involved than I'd expected, so it was more of a belated New Year's present. I pulled fabrics from my stash, arranged them in a wonky row, sketched some curves, and pieced them together using the Ruth McDowell freezer paper method. The beading was relatively improvisional, although I had a vague idea of where I was going from the start.
What are you most proud of?
I'm still quite new to beading, and I learnt a lot about working with beads and relaxed, improvisational design. Shisha mirrors, which you can see following the curve of bugle beads in the top section, are a particular delight. This ended up with a slight Oriental feel to it, which I like.
What advice would you give someone starting this project?
Pick fabrics that really call to you, and go for something relatively simple for your basis as it is bound to get more complex as you work on it. Work with the shapes present in the fabric patterns, see where the curves lead you. Think about the balance of curves and straight lines. Sprinkle sample beads about to see how they will look, and be careful not to end up with half your beads skittering over the floor! You can see part of my design process in the photos.
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