Christmas- Quilling-Felligree-Flower-Christmas Poinsettia

Quilled Christmas decorations and quilled table decor adds to the levity of Christmas, so in the spirit of the occassion, I thought I must post a tutorial with something unique and these are the results of my efforts. Filigree petaled Christmas poinsettias. I think they look rather nice.

I have used beehive technique, which I have fallen in love with and for which I never fail to mentally thank Susan of susanquilling.

I was a bit bored with the beehive being encircled , like the leaf above, all the time. I thought this did not allow the delicate lace like look to be enhanced, so I was determined to devise a method to retain the filigree outline and by gad, I did it. Of course it needs a bit of gluing to retain the shape.

Tutorial is posted here.

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Ballet Lace Crochet Hair Accessory - Bun Cover

This will show how to make a snood hair cover.

Written by Teresa Richardson


Materials
Size 10 Crochet Thread
Size 6 Steel Crochet Hook
Hair Band- About 2" long
Beads or Crystals

Abbreviations
MC = Magic Circle
DC = Double Crochet
TC = Triple Crochet
SL ST = Slip Stitch
CH = Chain
SP = Space

Video Tutorial:  Crochet Hair Bun Cover

Video Tutorial:  Crochet Hair Bun Cover Left Hand Version

Video For the Magic Circle: Magic Circle

V-Stitch: For this project the V-Stitch will be a DC, CH 3, DCV-Stitch Increase: DC, CH 3, DC, CH 3, DC

Round 1: CH 6, *DC, CH 3 through the magic circle. Complete 9 times total from *, join. Pull circle tight. SL ST to CH 3 SP. Make sure to sew a secure knot once the project is complete. It is best to wait to knot until the end in case you need to start over. (10 DC, CH 3 total)

Round 2: CH 6, DC in same chain 3 space. *V-Stitch in the next CH 3 space. Complete 9 times from *, join. SL ST to CH 3 SP. (10 V-Stitches total)

Round 3: CH 6, DC, CH 3, DC all in the same CH 3 SP. *V-Stitch Increase in the same CH 3 SP. Complete 9 time from *, join. (10 V-Stitch Increases total)

Round 4: This part will be worked between each V-Stitch increase. CH 1, *SC between the DC's, CH 8, Skip the whole V-Stitch Increase, Complete 9 times total from *, CH 4, TC in beginning SC. This is to end at the top center of the loop. (10 Chain 8 loops total)

Round 5-7: CH 1, in the same loop SC in CH, *CH 8, SC in the next CH, complete 9 times total from *, Ch 4, TC in beginning SC. (10 chain 8 loops total)

Round 8: CH 1, in the same loop SC in CH, *CH 8, SC in the next CH, complete 9 times total from *, Ch 8, SL ST in beginning sc. (10 chain 8 loops total)

This round will be worked around the hairband and the last round of loops to secure the hairband to the lace.Round 9: CH 1, * 6 SC around hairband and round 8 chain, complete 10 times from *, join in beginning SC. (60 single crochet total)

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Quilled-Flower-Frame- Bleeding Heart

This is a  quilled flower frame using 3d quilled flowers and comb-husked leaves. I have chosen bleeding hearts as they were 3 petaled and a challenge to make. I used beehive technique for the petals. To describe how the flowers were constructed would require another  long tutorial, but they look like the real flower with stem and all.

For the red flower centers I used a tear drop punch and there are 4 petals. the flowers are in various stages of maturity just like a real bunch.

Here is a closer look so that you can figure it out how the flower is done.

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Globuri din hartie

            Desigur, cine aude de globuri din hartie nu e prea interesat sa le si vada. Va garantez ca merita!! Nici eu nu m-am asteptat la acest rezultat. Nu am mai lucrat pana acum acest model, cu toate ca l-am intalnit pe net , mi se parea putin mai complicat. E migalos, dar nu complicat, Aveti nevoie de resturi de hartie de cadouri (daca nu aveti nimic mai bun), funde margele si lipici . Va las sa le studiati si sa-mi spuneti parerile voastre. Sper sa va placa rezultatul! O sambata si o duminica cat mai placuta tuturor!

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Graphic- Quilling Quilled-Landscape Quilled-Seaside Quilled-Scenery - Palm Beach

I thought I'd post this quilled seaside landscape picture, for which I used graphic quilling technique and which I did a long while back, today.

The last week has been so dismal, with storms, hurricanes and floods and so many people have lost so much. During such times, one tends to forget the wonders and beauty of nature which acts like balm to the troubled soul.

This piece is dedicated to all those who lost so much, and I hope the tranquil scene will help you remember that  your troubles will pass away and all will be  serene , calm and well once again just like the sea  which can be so destructive one moment, and so tranquil the next. Just keep positive and believe that all will be well.

I have used strips torn to different lengths, and the method used is similar to the tree trunk tutorial. As I keep repeating , use dark and light shades to create depth.

For the cresting waves, I have used beehive technique which is a great favorite of mine. Even though I love this technique, I only use it where I think it is relevant and represents the element I am trying to depict. I generally use it where fluffy or rounded elements look good.

For the palm  leaves, I have used all shades of green and have folded the strip in V shapes and glued it trying to imitate the natural flow of the leaves. Remember gravity will pull the leaves down.

It looks like this when laid flat on the table. I love the way it looks when laid flat as the spaces are not so visible.

Tips for graphic quilling is available here.

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New Quilling Technique Tutorial - Stems, Twigs and Trunks

In this tutorial I introduce you to my techniques  and tips on making stems, twigs and tree trunks without using wires or toothpicks. I haven't found any tutorials for these and I thought I would fill in the gap. I am a bit of a stickler, so I like to use only strips when I am quilling.

These are suitable  for use in making cards or flower frames. Some of the pieces I have used this are
Twigs & Flowers, 
Quilled Tree Landscape
Tree & Water
Butterfly Garden
Clematis Trail

Twigs

  You can make twigs that look gnarled or smooth using the same method.

1. Take 2 brown strips.
2. Apply glue to the top of one about 1 inch and glue the other strip on top.
3. Then fold the strips on either side (branches) alternately as shown in pic 3 above. Make sure you fold at the crotch ( area where a trunk splits into two or more ) .
4. Now glue the folds together and continue to fold and glue till you complete the twig as shown in pic 4. 
5. Make sure the branches get longer towards the bottom. One strip will form the right branches while the other strip will form the left.
6. If you want the gnarled look  crimp it unevenly with your hands as shown in pic 6.
7. If you require the branches to pop up, fold it diagonally at the crotch as in pic 5.

Stems  

1. Take 2 strips of the same green or different greens.
2. Glue one to the other slightly misaligned as in pic1.
3. Now curl the tip around a toothpick to shape, apply glue lightly to the inside of the curl and along the rest of the inner strip and twist it between your thumb and forefinger like you twist a wick as shown in pics 2& 3.
4. It is easier to twist if you hold the untwisted strips in one hand as shown in pic 4 and hold the twisted part just above with the other hand and turn it.
5. Make sure the unwound part is not at 90 degrees to the wound bit, it should be at an angle of 135 degrees.( look carefully at pic 4).
6. If there are unwound, loose bits as shown in pic 5 simply apply glue on top and twist it into shape.
7. You can apply glue lightly to the stem and allow it to dry if you want it to be stiff.
8. If you want thicker stems, wrap 2 more strips on the thin stem making sure that you wind with the strips at about 135 degrees.
9. Always wind a maximum of 2 strips, any more will make the stem look too gnarled for a stem. 
10. Remember stems should be smooth as they are tender snd do not get gnarled.

 Tree Trunks

This is Graphic quilling, hence will be 2d

1. Take several shades of brown, yellow and black and  hand crimp/ crush unevenly as shown in pic 1.
2. Paste the strips, starting from the lightest to the black on one side to form the trunk. ( This is the side where the light is coming from). 
3. Paste the dark strips to form the other side of the trunk as in pic 2 graduating to the darkest color towards the end.
4. Now glue shorter light colored pieces shaped like the roots to the light side and dark shades to the other shadowed side as shown in pic3.
5. Now tear up the rest of the strips to different lengths as shown in pic 4.
6. Glue the strips, slightly curving from the light side to the shadow side, making sure you use more light shades on the light side and dark shades on the shadow side, but do include light colors on the shadow side as well.
7. Glue enough pieces to cover the white but allow a bit of space so that the shadow of the strip will give the white paper, color. ( see pic 6).
8. Look at pencil shaded images to get an idea of how the contours of  lines create  depth, light and shadow and think of the paper strips as pencil lines.
9. If you need the outline, make it with a stylus and emboss it so that there are no ugly pencil marks.

That's it folks. Hope this helped. If you like my tutorials please leave your comments. It always feels good to know someone is benefiting. 

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Va astept la Targul I Love Handmade!

                  Cum bine stiti, au inceput targurile I Love Handmade. Sambata si Duminica , 3 si 4 Noiembrie intre orele 10:00 si 19:00 are loc targul de toamna , in curtea Muzeului de Istorie de la Palatul Sutu ( metrou Universitate ), intrarea este libera! In asteptarea sarbatorii Sfintilor Mihail si Gavril, puteti achizitiona cadouri lucrate manual, felicitari, bijuterii , decoratiuni etc. sau doar sa va delectati privirea cu frumoasele exponate.
                   Va astept cu drag!

                   

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