"Jardin Gothique"

It was a joy to work on this, but I am even more thrilled to have finally finished! Many thanks to my creative husband for helping me work through some in-progress design issues, and to Mom and Susan; this was an enjoyable Art Day project! Apologies for the wonky photography – we really do need to make a “design/display board” soon!

Included in this raw-edge machine-stitched piece are hand-dyed, painted, stamped and stenciled fabrics, needle felting, vintage buttons and glass beads, “collected” fabrics and trims, and hand quilting. After I say a lingering farewell, “Jardin Gothique” will be added to our future Etsy shop inventory.

Cabbage Roses

I’m enamored with this particular ribbon flower design. Although a bit tedious, the process is very simple. One can easily be created in an evening, using one 3-yard spool of wired 1-1/2” polyester ribbon. This particular flower also looks lovely as a 5-petal flower with a button center. If antique shades of ribbon are used, this flower is lovely in a "squashed" state, suggesting an antique embellishment that has been stored in a trunk for many decades.

Mom and I will be teaching this class at Echo Artworks in April, and we will also be sharing this technique with the Lunch Ladies at our next art party. Although I love silk ribbon flowers, I greatly enjoy being able to create such an extravagant-looking flower using inexpensive polyester ribbon. I never thought I'd say this, but... "Let's Hear it for Polyester!"