Nightblooms - Flower Bracelet

I fancied a bracelet to go with my flower garland, so I made one. :-)

Here it is:


It's made from the same materials as the garland necklace, however I did not add the cocoon but replaced it with a flower crocheted from black laceweight cotton. I wanted the flower to lie fairly flat on the bracelet so it wouldn't catch on everything.


I hope you noticed the matching nail varnish. ;-)



The clasp is similar to the one on the garland with an ebony wood bead and a loop that is part of the bracelet.


Here is the flower in detail:

This set and the matching earrings I am currently contemplating will be available as a custom order in my Etsy shop where you will be able to choose the colours and length of the necklace and bracelet. The standard price will be for a longish necklace plus five flowers and one flower for the bracelet. Additional flowers will be charged extra.

For those of you curious to know how long it takes me to make a flower garland:

About 1/2 hour preparing the silk (dampening it and separating layers, cutting the cocoons in half and making scalloped edges.

About 1 - 2 hours for the necklace 'chain' itself depending on length, width and detail.

About 1 hour for making the five flowers in the green/blue garland, twice that for the gothic one because each flower centre has a crocheted flower centre.

About 1/2 hour for putting it all together.



The bracelet takes about:

1 hour for making the bracelet itself (crochet).

1 hour for preparing all the separate parts of the flower.

1/2 hour for putting it all together.

Each design will be different as the silk is shaping differently for each silk rod and I may add bits and pieces (like beads, tendrils etc) to bring out the beauty in each design and make it an individual creation.

Nightblooms - Flower Garland Necklace

Sorry guys, this one's mine. LOL

Just thought I'd get this out of the way before I show you what it is.

My latest fibre art creation. Ta-dah:


It's been made in a similar way to the other flower garland although this time I used black silky cord and deep aubergine coloured paper moire yarn.

The silk rods used are a dark burgundy red (darker than on the picture) and black.

In the centre I've used a crocheted flower made of black lace weight cotton, a lovely slightly frosted red glass bead and a black matte size 6 Miyuki bead.


Each flower is set into a maroon coloured cocoon with a scalloped edge.



Here's the clasp with the beautiful ebony bead.

Flower Garland Fun

Just a quick post. I wanted to show this off, but it's almost bedtime...


The garland has been made with beautiful chartreuse green string crocheted into a lovely vine complete with leaves. It has then been embellished with moss green paper moire yarn and the leaves have been filled in. The garland is closed with a little wooden bead hidden amongst a leaf and a few tendrils.



The flowers are silk rods in three colours: emerald green, kingfisher blue, golden yellow. I've also used sage green cocoons cut in half and with scalloped edges, golden natural cocoons and wooden and coconut beads.


The garland can be worn as a long necklace, wrapped around your neck twice, and in your hair (or whatever else you can think of - a scarf maybe? or wound around a green or turquoise silk scarf?) - the possibilities are endless. :-)

Fairy Queen Dewdrop Corsage Bracelet

I've been busy experimenting with new materials. I got the most gorgeous silk rods and cocoons from the LARKSPUR FUNNY FARM & FIBER ART STUDIO on Etsy and decided to make a corsage bracelet with some silk roses to match the tiara I made a little while back. The most difficult bit was to restrict myself and not buy the whole shop! The colours are amazing and they're even better in real life than on the pictures in the shop.




I started off with the band. It was made from the same silk/steel yarn and paper moire yarn I've used for the tiara. I made two ribbons of the same size in the paper moire and then a third but this was crocheted in gunmetal wire. I sandwiched the gunmetal ribbon between the two paper moire ribbons to get a sturdy base. Then I embellished it with lace made with the silk/steel yarn and lots of tiny Japanese beads.


I added a little lip to one end and a flowery embellishment for the button to go through so the bracelet could be closed securely.



Next, I had to fabricate the roses. Grace from the Larkspur Funny Farm & Fibre Art Studio was extremely helpful. I had never worked with either silk rods nor with cocoons and was a bit at sea as of how to use it and prepare it. She patiently answered all my questions in great detail and, finally, I felt ready to play. :-)

Here's a picture of the materials I used:


Three strips in two colours of the silk rod (old gold and natural). These were prepared by moistening them with water and then gently peeling the layers apart. With a little patience I managed to get two layers. I then patted them dry and went over them with a rolling pin to flatten the fibre after all the handling. The golden cocoon (a natural cocoon rather than a 'grown' cocoon was also moistened with water so I could gently pull it into the shape I wanted.



I've also used some dark green cocoons that I cut into two halves and then I created scalloped edges with some embroidery scissors.


Next, I attached Swarovski and Czech faceted beads (the same ones I used on the tiara) to the centre of the golden cocoons and attached 3 layers of silk rod, stuffed each into the green cocoon halves and finally attached them all to the bracelet.



It was a lot of work but I think the result is quite natural, and every fairy queen would love to have one for her wedding. :-)

Here are a couple of pictures that show the corsage bracelet being worn:


I am planning to make a few hair pins and other items to embellish hair with the silk rods and cocoons. Some will match this set, others will be a riot of colour. It's all planned out (in my head). LOL Check back soon.

Fairy Queen Dew Drop Tiara

Sorry for the long name, but it just needed it. :-) Because it's what I think it looks like. LOL
See for yourself:




This is my latest venture - wedding 'decorations' for the bride or ladies who go to balls and proms. I've used the most delightful, delicious Japanese yarn from a secret place on the internet. Na, only joking, Caroline told me about it. If you fancy some yourself, check this out: K1Yarns.

The first yarn I used was Habu, Silk and Stainless Steel, in silver. It's difficult to work with, very tangly - with crochet and beads at least, I think it may be easier if you knit it - but the effect is beautiful. It's shimmery, it's soft and if tightly knitted or crocheted it's sculptural as well. The second yarn I used was Habu, Paper Moire, in moccha. This is lovely to work with. I love the natural feel of it - almost like a vine.



I started off with a tiara base in silver plate. I then added the first layer: a filigree web of the silk and stainless steel yarn with beads (Japanase Toho beads in creamy, shimmery pearl, little Miyuki drops in pearl, teeny tiny Japanese seed beads in creamy buttermilk, and more Miyuki drops in crystal bronze lined).


The next 'layer' was a frame work made from silver plated wire. This consequently was then covered with the paper moire yarn, one, to hide the frame work, but also because it gives it a softer more tactile feel.


The final layer was done with the silk and stainless steel yarn and more beads, this time Swarovski and Czech faceted beads to add a bit of glimmer and glamour.



The colours of the tiara are perfect for any hair colour. The shape of the tiara works either with a simple or short hair styles as it can be worn like an alice band, or it can be draped around a 'piled-up on top' hair style.

The tiara (even if I say so myself) is subtly elegant and romantic and works for the young bride as well as the mature bride. Or just wear it because it's so pretty! :-)

Available soon in my Etsy shop!