I’ll be taking a sewing workshop soon, and picked up the supplies the other day. We’ll be doing embellishment, which is about as foreign to me as sewing gets; I’m more a technical/engineering type. Or, at least, I’m in no way about the glam! But I’m really looking forward to the class as a way to explore something I’d otherwise never touch.
Here’s what we were instructed to bring:
- Seed beads: I got the tiniest black ones (in the envelopes to the right), but also containers of slightly larger beads in gold/brown/black tones and in green tones (the tubes on the upper left)
- Braid (chain-stitched) trims: I choose ivory, black, and a less loopy one in camel
- Rattail cord in green, copper, taupe, off-white (and black, not shown) I think we only needed one color, but I thought I’d like to be able to choose once I’m working, especially since my colors are more “basic” than “flash”
- Bugle beads (cylindrical beads) (package in the lower right corner)
- Piece of background fabric (not shown; mine’s off-white dupioni silk)
- Felt for backing (not shown; mine’s black)
We’ve also been instructed to bring our scissors, thread, pins (normal sewing supplies), no. 10 beading needles, and a pointed sacking needle, none of which I photographed because they’re just part of my basic tool kit.
I can’t see myself wearing garments decorated with these lovely things, but I can imagine that this kind of decorative art might be pretty cool for cushions, bags, album covers, tops of boxes, on cards (on paper or on stiffened fabric), or even as a (removable) decorative brooch for a flamboyant evening. Will I be able to find my inner artist? We’ll know soon . . .