Thursday, December 4, 2014

MY CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

In answer to requests I am sharing how I make these Christmas decorations.


Below is a collection I have gathered to make one of these Christmas decorations at our Guild work day tomorrow
. The green/gold silk fabric will be backed with Calico to take the weight of the buttons and beads. I have made ready a cord for hanging and a tassel -with 4 gold bells hanging in it. The buttons for this one are 3 Christmas reindeer to which I have added petite gold sequins ,,, gold sequin stars gold and red beads and a heavy thread  to use in the design. I have also some pre-cut cardboard circles mine are 3 inch ones.


 HERE'S HOW THEY ARE MADE
  
I start by cutting a paper template the size of my cardboard circle, pining this onto my fabric and tacking round it. 
This gives me the area in which to stitch my design, & because I am using a very thick Dacron wadding on my front cardboard circle I can stitch right out to the tacking stitches. 
Using a heavy thread I doodle it with in the circle and then couch  to hold it in place this    gives me something to build my design on.



Placing the buttons on first, and stitch them firmly 
into place, I like this type of button best as they sit flat and when stitched down will not move.
However some buttons come with a large shank on the back and I have found the best was of stitching them in place is to have the circle of Dacron wadding not glued to my cardboard circle but place behind  fabric and when stitching the buttons on, to stitch them very tightly pulling them into the padding, fasten off after each button will also help keeping them firm
 I add the large beads first making clusters close to the buttons, then a variety of sequins and small beads to fill the rest of the spaces, and grouping them  rather than spotting them everywhere. 



  When you are finished stitching your design cut it out BUT DO NOT CUT TOO CLOSE TO YOUR TACKING I leave at least an inch outside my tacking. 
Run a gathering thread round your fabric draw it up over the padded cardboard circle and lace to hold firmly in place,  if the padding is thick enough you will get a nice rounded effect. 
Cover a second cardboard circle with the same fabric but do not pad this  making the back flat.
Before stitching the front and back pieces together add a cord or ribbon at the top for a hanger and your tassel at the bottom.
Cover the seam where you have joined to two circles together by glueing a braid in place. and finish off by adding ribbon bows below the hanger and above the tassel.


 
  These are fun to make and do not take very much time






4 comments:

  1. love them ,thankyou Lee.xx

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  2. Thank you for the instructions I really like this post!

    ReplyDelete
  3. WOOHOO!!! I just LOVE these ornaments. Now I can give it a go!
    love and hugs Annette

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