In this economy many of us are finding ourselves more wallet-conscious than we used to be. You’ve begun to bargain shop, if not made an oath to limit your spending to the bare necessities. Easy Stitching with Buttons, Beads and Braids includes 21 quick and easy projects that will transform your home and wardrobe, by showing you how to turn basics into designer pieces and “old and boring” stuff into “fresh and new” fabulousness. The book includes a bunch of techniques in everything from making floral embellishments from rick-rack scraps to stitching chain stitch and the french knot. You’ll learn how to attach buttons, applique, and embroidery.
For a chance to win post a comment here or on our Facebook page (where this blog post will show up in the feed) and tell us about a favorite embellishment and how you’ve used it to dress something up.
One lucky winner will receive a free copy of Easy Stitching on Monday morning, May 18th. We’ll pick one commenter at random and announce the winner later that day. GOOD LUCK!
Comments will be closed at 9am PST on Monday 5/18/09
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26 Comments
A favorite embellishment of mine is fun novelty yarns. I love using them on my quilted wall hangings.
Favourite embellishment – man that is hard, I LOVE beads, but also just LOVE hand stitching. Some days its just a button that is the right touch, or a charm re-purposed from junk jewellry……so NOPE, can’t say I have a favourite!!!
Yoyos and buttons! When the girls were young, I made them an outfit…skirt and vest. I covered the front vest panels with yoyos and sewed a button in every center. It was so cute and definately one of a kind!
I have recently found myself the owner of lots of wool sweaters. Some I have un-knit to be able to re-use the yarn. Others I have felted in the washing machine and have cut shapes from to make felted embellishments to add to bags, hats clothing and quilts. Easy floral shapes work the best and with the addition of a stack of buttons on top, it looks much harder than it is!
My favorite embellishment was using a string of beads on an applique to the bib of a jumper. The applique was a bunny all decked out in beads. It was so cute on my daughter.
I embellish bags with yo-yos and buttons. thanks for the chance.
I love to embellish! I’m not sure I really have a favorite because each project is different. I love using ribbons, beads, and lace for just that extra added touch. It’s lovely on quilt projets or purses.
I have just started embellishing, especially with beads. I really like how beads can add another element to a quilt. My next foray into embellishing will be machine embroidery.
My favourite embellishment is a small piece of costume jewellery – either from my stash or a car boot sale. I generally use these ieces to decorate bags. Often I have used a very personal piece for decoration of a special gift ie a bag for my sister, used a spare earring that had been our Mothers.
jb
I love using chenille for flower stems and border outlines on my wall quilts.
Debbie
My favorite embellishment is silk ribbon. It always give an elegant look to anything.
Betty
I like to embellish by doing embroidery, usually by hand. I also like to use hand applique.
I love to collect vintage ric rac – I twist two different colors together and use this as edging on quilts, pillows, dresses. Also use the combined strands to form flowers to be sewn on for embellishment.
Felt appliques are my favorite embellishment. No need to worry about fraying, they can be glued, fused, sewn, whatever. Comes in a bajillion colors, different weights, acrylic or wool. The possibilities are endless!
I like glitter paint. I put it on T-shirts, gym shoes and jeans. Easy, fun, quick and dazzle dazzlel……
My favorite is to embroidery around the edges of raw-edge applique for a truly finished look.
My favorite embellishments to use are the old standards…lol. Rick-rack, lace, buttons, etc. I have some that were in my grandmother’s sewing basket many years ago. Rick-rack becomes stems on flower appliques or just a trim along and edge. My daughter loves purses decorated with stripes of lace, rick rack, etc. the more the better!
Right now, I am loving beads and vintage (not expensive) costume jewelry on knitted and felted pieces. I think felting objects has become a new passion.
I love to use drapery pulls for embellishments. I make a lot of purses and use the pulls on the zippers or just as a fun trim along the purse. They also make a nice key fob to match the purse.
My all time favorite embellishment are beads…love the way glass beads can give an item a subtle sparkle. But love costume jewelry, ribbons or fiber, buttons as well.
something pretty simple but non-sewers are thrilled with: simply “dressing-up” a purchased plain scarf with beads on a ribbon found in the ribbon section of my fabric store. I use some of the left-over beads for the centers of lazy daisy flowers made with pearl cotton and scattered over the scarf.
I always embellish in some way, whether simple or ornate. The item I’m designing is the deciding factor on how I embellish. For a red felted bag with a silk necktie handle I designed, I embellished with a Chinese coin and bamboo button closer, set on a Asian motif fabric.
I have used feathers, felted wool, jewelry, buttons, rock, applique, embroidery, crochet, beads, and anything else I might have laying around in my stash. Everything I make is upcycled, recycled, or repurposed which makes embellishment simple and easy.
Embellishments can be subtle, but for me, they usually become the focal point of what I design.
My current favorite embellishment would be beads and buttons from my mom’s old button box. Using them sure brings back memories.
This does sound like a neat book to gleen gift ideas out of. Or.. portable summer projects. Or.. something to make to soothe your creative soul. Ahhhh. that sounds like plan!!
I love to use different threads, yo yo’s, beads and buttons.
well one of my favourite embellishments is grungy lace that I have dyed using a teabag..we drink lots of tea in the UK