A Series of Goldwork Brooches. Embroidery Small Projects
Hello there,
The following post, won’t be as descriptive as my usual entries, but rather I’ll be sharing a series of photos of small projects, in this case goldwork brooches, that I’ve stitched in the past 3 years.
Though I love a good embroidery challenge, these projects are nice because you can finish them in a short period of time. Usually a few hours of stitching will do to complete one of these brooches.
The Lucky Clover was my first handmade goldwork brooch and it was my first time using Japanese threads. I changed the original design just slightly by adding a Swarovski crystal in the centre. This was a workshop taught by Clara Warschauer.
By now I lost count of how many of these Sacred Heart brooches I’ve made. I’ve given them many of my personal touches since the original workshop. I’ve done the thorns and flames using different threads and patterns. I’ve also experimented with different fabrics, but velvet (in this photo) is by far my favourite, as it makes for a classic, sophisticated piece.
These sweet little bees are my original design.
For these little bees, I experimented with different Kreinik threads to give the wings an iridescent effect. They’ve caught people’s attention, so they were given as a present to those who complimented them!
A festive brooch.
The holly brooch that I made in a whim. My daughters were watching a Christmas movie when I had the idea of making a holly leaf brooch. Had I had more time, I would’ve gone with traditional stumpwork, but since a movie only last so long, I reached for my stash of metal threads, velvet and crystal beads and started to work on my idea. I later made one more adding an extra leaf and using silver pear purl and passing thread.
Little robin brooch.
I had so much fun making this cute robin. The best part is that is able to stand on its one feet.
The Canterbury Cross brooch done in velvet and with a Swarovski crystal touch.
A simplified version of the Canterbury cross that it’s fairly common in Ecclesiastical embroidery. I created this, along with 2 other crosses to teach an Introduction to Goldwork Embroidery as part of a fundraising event.
The following photos are proof that I do wear my own creations:
Me wearing the holly brooch on Christmas’ Day service of last year.
Wearing the Lucky clover on St. Patrick’s day.
The green velvet cross brooch and bee brooch to embellish my basic white shirt.
These are just some of my small projects. I’ve made more, but I usually give them away, sometimes before I even get to take pictures.
Since embroidery is rarely (if ever) a fast craft, working of these pieces is nice because we don’t have to work too long to see the final result. Besides, pretty much every design can be turned into a brooch, and the best part is that we you get to wear our own creation.
I hope you enjoyed browsing at the photos of these projects. As always, remember that you’re welcome to reach out by leaving a comment or by email if you’d like more details.
Cheers!