Sequintastic September 2013

It's finally here, my sequintastic post. Many things have come in the way. First I was ill and unable to dedicate much time to creating, then I almost forgot about the hop because I was ill for so long and then yesterday I got the dates mixed up so while I had taken all the photos, I never got as far as culling, editing and writing a post about it. But now it's finally here!

Because I was unable to make a finished piece, but really didn't want to withdraw from two blog hops in a row (had to bow out of the cabochon challenge), I figured I'd instead write a bit about what I'm doing right now. At the moment I'm at the planning stage, sketching on a bead embroidery piece using some of my newest sequin flowers. Not yet having decided on a design, it's all been about trying to combine the different components in various ways to find something I like. Below you will see glimpses from this creative process.

(By the way, I don't know how the photos look on your monitors, but for some reason the white backgrounds change colour on my monitor when I upload them to Blogger. Really annoying and I only hope it doesn't look as bad on your computer as it does on mine...)

The first thing I did was to gather the beads and sequins I wanted to use for my design. I started with the flowers and then the beads pretty much added themselves. They were bought on a separate occasion and never really intended to be used with the sequins. The baroque seed beads from Miyuki were bought because they were new and I was dying to see them IRL. Chose the three colours I liked the best and two of them just happened to match the flowers. Similar thing with the twisted bugle beads. I never used that kind of beads, but I was curious about the gold antiqued matte finish and I could only find that in this bead type. Again, just a coincidence that they happened to go with the flowers and pearlescent big seeds. Lastly, I added the dark leaf sequins (purchased the same time as the flowers).

The beads picked themselves you might say. But now the question was what to do with this mix of components. First I just began by combining them in simple designs that would work just as well as strung or linked jewellery as embroidery borders. After all, just because I want to embroider doesn't mean the components want something else.

My first ideas for Sequintastic September when I signed up had been about using the flowers for a simple but cute necklace. While it was now set aside for this new idea about an embroidery (of some sort), I still wanted to test a few design ideas. And as said above, they could also work in an embroidery.

Sidestepping the chronology I'm trying to follow in this post, I also ended up testing what the flowers would look like doubled. Something I didn't think about before doing the experiments below where the sequins ended up nestled in one another.

I also had to test what the baroques would look like as flower centres. An idea that popped up pretty much for the same reason as above. The beads tried it themselves first. They are a tad too big, though. Unless flower is transformed into a ring of sepals and the baroque bead becomes a berry. Like, say, herb paris (Paris quadrifolia, ormbär). The first version would be great for something like that, though perhaps with another, more round, bead.

After the first little tests of combining components in different ways, it was onto thinking about the over all design. I had no idea what I wanted to actually do beyond using the flowers and then add matching beads to support them. So what do you do after you've poured out all the sequins and beads for a "group shot" (see initial photo)? Well, why not just mix them up and play with them?

I scooped them up, poured them out and took photos from different angles. Then I mixed them and spread them out in a new way, took more photos and repeated.

 I had taken a brown beading foundation and "antique gold" tulle with me and I tried the beads on that as well as on the white photo background. Unfortunately, the tulle didn't really feel as golden and metallic as I wanted against the sequins and beads. This photo session wasn't just about finding inspiration for my design, it also taught me I have to find another foundation to bead on. One that will truly complement the components as this looks like a bead embroidery where the surface isn't encrusted with beads/sequins but one where the surface will be an important and visible part of the design.

Maybe it's the autumnal colours, maybe it's the season -- or maybe it's because I often want things ordered and tend to lean towards that even in my creative work whether I like it or not -- but I fell for the "forest debris" look. Beads in layers, flowers and bugles tumbling around freely. It does however pose a big challenge for me: how to I keep this look once I start beading, knowing my subconscious urge to order and sort everything in neat groups and lines? This is a mild chaos without any deliberate pattern. Easy to do when mixing and pouring out the beads/sequins on the table, but harder to keep when stitching each piece onto a foundation. One by one they might want to line up neatly instead of lying on top of each other and fight for the same space. Those initial simple designs would be oh so easy to make, but this feels really hard to recreate. 

While the photo/design session didn't result in a fully formed plan or even a sketch, it did give me many ideas about how to use the flower sequins and also some general ideas for other, future embroideries. And of cause it was also fun and relaxing to just play around with the sequins and beads like this. With a camera by the side it's easy to capture different stages of the "play session" for future reference -- and the photos in themselves can become the result, the artwork (especially if they're better quality than mine; bad light sources and quick editing makes for poor photos). Even if I end up doing something way different, I also have these ideas captured in images for me to enjoy.

~*~

That was all from me. Thank you so much for stopping by (perhaps for a second time even as I didn't have my reveal up in time)! I hope you have enjoyed it. Now be sure to visit the other Sequintastic September participants too!

List of Sequintastic September participants

Sarah (our hostess) http://www.saturdaysequins.com/

 

Dawn, http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com

Mandi, http://www.beadcircle.com

Skylar, http://brisingbeads.blogspot.com

Cyndi, http://beading-arts.com

Karen, http://baublicious.blogspot.com

Lily, http://thecreativeklutz.blogspot.co.uk

Eleanor, http://eleanorpigman.blogspot.com

Kepi, http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com

Maneki (that's me),  http://wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.se

Tammy, http://innermusejewelry.blogspot.com

Therese, http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com

Liz, http://beadcontagion.blogspot.com

Jasvanti, http://jewelrybyjasvanti.blogspot.com

Mischelle, http://micheladasmusings.blogspot.com

Dee, http://agapecreationsjewelry.blogspot.com

Labweorc, http://labweorc.wordpress.com

Blog hop participants without blog share they creations here.

Bits and bobs -- sunday ramblings

A sale made me buy some new beads recently. Don't know what I want to do with the beads I bought (rarely buy for projects, just go for gorgeous colours and pretty beads) and so far I've mostly made a couple of sample to test ideas and see how different bead shapes fit together.

Those 11/0s are Toho gilded marble turquoise. Not the cheapest seed bead finish, but I only regret not getting them in green too. And maybe gilded marble lavender too. I have a bad habit of falling for the more expensive seed bead and pressed-glass finishes/effects...

I really have no idea where I'm going with these samples. Will try variations of one or two of them and have some sort of thought about making a flower with the daggers and superduos.

Just to add a little colour, I took this pic below. The mottled turquoise and blue beads mixed with matte bronze sequins, which you might remember from my previous sequin posts. Realised yesterday that I need (or want, if you want to split hairs) some more matte metallic beads, especially seeds. Some of my beads just scream for matte/satin copper and (light) bronze seeds.

Putting a bead -- or in this case sequin -- in the middle of a 2-hole bead ring like the one above makes a big difference compared to keep it as an "open circle". Preciosa Ornela has a free bracelet project for something similar (using Twins, not Superduo of cause), which you can find here. So simple, so pretty!

Maybe I'll try to make my own variation of that kind of flower motif. Or maybe I'll just use it -- in a tweaked version -- as a centre of a dagger flower. Many possibilities to muse over (which might just be a way of saying "I don't have any ideas and the creativity isn't flowing today", right?).

There might be another little flower motif next week as I thought of a simple variation while writing this post. Just hope I'll find matching colours in the bead shapes/sizes I need -- that's usually my biggest problem: no matter how big the seed bead stash grows, I'm always missing the right colours in the right bead shapes and/or sizes, which makes it hard to combine beads in one design... Well, we'll just have to see what I find in the stash tonight, won't we?

By the way...

...blog hopping and seeing so many sequin creations made me think of a little something I did back in 2008 when I was challenged to make something using glass, sequins and silver(plate). You can see it here (or if the link doesn't work, here).

Will add the pic in the post later when I have more time. Right now I have to get off the computer -- with about half the hop participants left to visit so if I haven't commented on your blog yet, I will tomorrow.

My Sequintastic September post can be found below.

Sequintastic September

Welcome to the Sequintastic September blog hop!
 
When Sarah of Saturday Sequins first presented her blog hop I was quick to enter. Rarely using sequins, but still buying a few now and then as they felt inspiring, I had managed to amass a small stash that wanted to be used. It's easy to be seduced by sequins once you find the right shapes and colours (like many I don't love all sequins), but not as easy to use them it turned out. Sequins are fun and lend themselves well to many techniques and having seen sequin jewellery from Sarah and Gail Crosman Moore as well as impressive french sequin embroidery, I wanted this as a challenge to actually start using more of my stash.

We did get a lot of time to prepare for this blog hop, but due to all that has happened with the kittens (Sötis, Vitfluff and Snuttis), I felt low on energy and creative flow so in the end I ended up with just the two simple creations below. But also with a feeling that participating have had positive effects, especially by giving me ideas for creating with sequins in the future and seeing the potential in these humble (and sometimes kitschy) plastic bits. It's not just about tangible results, is it? It's also about getting and sharing that spark of ideas and creativity this theme generated. And that's something I'll take with me from this blog hop.

I hope you enjoy my little contribution to this hop and that it might inspire you in your own creative persuit. (and I hope the photos aren't too bad -- forgot to put in new batteries...)

My first creation started as an idea of a floral satin ribbon bracelet. Once I started making it I realised two things: 1) the size of the sequins means they won't follow the curve of the bracelet when worn, making it scratchy and wonky-looking and 2) I didn't have enough flower sequins to cover the length of the satin ribbon. If I'd had enough sequins (and time) it'd probably morph into a necklace instead. Not having done much sequin embroidery before, I found I had a very small grasp of how much sequins were needed to cover a bracelet or necklace collar.

Did finish the embroidery, though, and now I'm thinking of ways to use this piece. One idea I've had has been to make a romantic hairband of it. An initial idea was to make it into a bookmark, but it was scrapped after seing how thick it became, especially with the tiny beads holding the sequins in place. But then again, what if the beaded piece is hung on the outside of the book and an unembellished piece of ribbon is placed between the pages?

What do you say? Do you have any other ideas or suggestions?

The second creation is a very simple pair of earrings I made to show of a couple of my large sequins. At first I wanted to make a linked necklace using these sequins, but in the end the earrings probably turned out better than any quickly made necklace. I'm considering adding drops to the bottom to prevent these very lightweight earring dangles from moving about too much (it only takes a gentle wind gust to move them -- which is also the reason for the blurry photo as I took the pics by the open window for the sunlight).

There were a couple of ideas I wanted to try, but didn't manage to make any samples of in time for the blog hop. If I do finish a few tonight (writing this on Friday evening) I'll add pics on Saturday, but most likely it'll be saved for future sequin posts -- because after this there's bound to be more sequins on this blog. E.g. I would've wanted to make something with my matte bronze sequins (the once that garned positive comments in an earlier post) and hope to be able to show something in the near future. If you were hoping to see some sequin waste creations, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. That too will have to wait. Until then you'll have to make do with the two previous posts, Sequin waste patterns and Sequin waste inspiration links.


And so... That's all from me. Now be sure to check out the other Sequintastic September participants too!


Blog hop list

Host: Sarah... http://saturdaysequins.com

Dita... http://alankarshilpa.blogspot.com

Ambra... http://chicandfrog.wordpress.com

Audrey... http://hotpinkquilts.blogspot.com

Stacy... http://iridalsattic.blogspot.co.uk

Karen W...  http://baublicious.blogspot.com

Lori...  http://www.prettythingsblog.com

Lisa... http://lisabinkley.typepad.com

Carmi... http://resincrafts.blogspot.com

Dawn Marie...  http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com

Jeannie... http://site.jkdjewelry.com/blog

Shirlee... http://www.shirleestuff.blogspot.com

Linda... http://www.lilysofthevalleyjewerly.blogspot.com

Corrine... http://www.sparkledaysstudio.com

Gutukas... http://atradimutakeliais.blogspot.com

Shannon... http://uptwnsh-fallingintothesky.blogspot.com

Mallory... http://rosebud101-fortheloveofbeads.blogspot.com

Cyndi... http://www.beading-arts.com

Maneki... http://wildrosesandblackberries.blogspot.com  (You're here!)

Maryanne... http://zingalasworkshop.blogspot.com

Ine... http://jewelsbyine.blogspot.com

Karen... http://www.overthemoon-design.com

Kepi... http://kepirasmussen.blogspot.com

Jennifer... http://jenniferstumpf.blogspot.com

Misty...  http://thejollyfatelf.blogspot.com

Dot... http://speediebeadie.blogspot.com

Hope... http://craftyhope.blogspot.com

Cynthia... http://antiquitytravelers.blogspot.com

Micheladas... http://www.micheladasmusings.blogspot.com

Shirley...  http://www.beadsandbread.blogspot.com

Karla... http://texaspepperjams.blogspot.com

Eleanor... http://eleanorpigman.blogspot.com

Therese... http://theresestreasures59.blogspot.com

Rita... http://www.toltecjewels.blogspot.com

Robyn... http://rcponders.wordpress.com

Stepha... http://skwds.blogspot.com

Sue... http://suebeads.blogspot.com

Cate... http://fulgorine.wordpress.com

Amy... http://Loraamyjames.com

Sequin waste inspiration links

I thought that as I'm not doing anything worthwhile anyway today, I could take a few minutes hours to show some of the links I found when looking for sequin waste (a.k.a. punchinella) inspiration. This is pretty much just a random list of things stumbled over. Hope you can find something of interest in it!

Most of the examples -- well, more or less all of them -- use sequin waste with round hole as that's the most common type. You can however find sequin waste in all sorts of shapes. For examples of this, see e.g. Simply Sequins (there's also snowflake-shaped punchinella, but it's out of stock so it doesn't show up in that page -- see it here instead).

~*~

First, I just wanted to mention that if you haven't seen it already, you can find some seqiun waste pattern photos in my previous post on the subject. You can also read about what sequin waste or punchinella actually is there.

A good place to start is of cause Flickr, searching for either sequin waste or punchinella. Different names resulting in different search results. Tip: use quotation marks around "sequin waste" for more relevant hits.

Another almost just as good place to start is Pinterest, again search for either sequin waste or punchinella.

In fact, those two places alone will give you many ideas, ranging from printing and scrapbooking to hand embroidery and beadwork.

So far, my favourites are the ones using sequin waste in embroidery. Plenty of examples at Flickr, like this, this, this (bottom right corner) or this (beaded). Notice how some cut open the "centre" to create open flower motifs. More embroideries, using detached daisy stitch, can be found at Pintangle. There's also tiny fragments of sequin waste in the art squares at Taylor's textile trials.

A fabric postcard with sequin waste background and beads and button embellishments can be found at Judy Skeel's blog.

Edited to add: Forgot to mention the videos from Guache Alchemy. One video with 7 different ways of using sequin waste plus a bonus video using embossing and inking.

At Rare Bird, you can see sequin waste being used to create patterns in friendly plastic, e.g. for making necklace pendants. There it's sold as laser mesh. Another version, using two layers, can be seen in Liz Welch's blog here. And don't miss this one either. In this pic, you can see star-shaped sequin waste too. Both sequin waste and sequins in friendly plastic can be found in this post.

Even more pics of friendly plastic and punchinella can be found at Adrienne Wood's blog.

Sequin waste can also be used for weaving as seen e.g. in this preview of a book by Lillian Coppock. Another use for it in the book is for wirework fish, as you could see in that link. More weaving can be found at Julie's mixed media blog.

Mixing punchinella and modelling paste (used with acryclic paints) can result in lovely art pieces like these by Amy Dame.

There are plenty of examples of sequin waste being used as stencils on Flickr so I'm just going to mention JoZart's blog post, showing how she created a background for a concertina file. And some pastel-painted polymer clay at Deez News.

Apparently, it can also be used as a bird scare.

~*~

Your turn: have you used sequin waste before? How? Have you found something inspirational online or in books for using this stuff? What would you do with it?

Feel free to add links to pics and blog posts. Your own or other's.

Sequin waste patterns

Expensive designer lampshade? No, roll of sequin waste (three layers) in plastic bag.

I guess I should be working on something neat for the Sequintastic September blog hop or at least finish my bead embroidery, twin bracelet or catch up on TAST. Or do a monthly design challenge piece. But since losing Sötis and Vitfluff, some of the creative energy just seemed to seep out, like a balloon slowly deflating. And without a camera, I have one less creative outlet, the one that I always turned to when too jaded for anything else. Compared to embroidery and seedbeading, photo was and is my place to go to for some instant satisfaction.

I'm not going to moan my way through this post, though. I did get most of that out in Tuesday's post and today I feel better. Tired, but not sad. (And earlier this week I got some fun news in my inbox -- not saying anything yet, but it might be fun news for my blog readers too...) In fact, the idea for this post was to show some pics, hoping they'll inspire me. And perhaps you too?

After signing up for Saturday Sequins' Sequintastic September, I couldn't help myself. I did a little shopping. Inspired by the pics in Hazel Everett's book Goldwork (fab book, if even remotely interested in goldwork embroideyr you should buy it!), I wanted not just sequins, but also sequin waste (aka punchinella). On page 81 (see e.g. the Amazon.com preview), she shows some examples of how to use the waste, creating new patterns by layering the material slightly offset.

Sequin waste, I should perhaps explain, is the perforated plastic strips left after the sequins have been punched out (as seen in the photo above). Amongst crafters it's sometimes better known as punchinella. Round holes are the most common, but sequin waste or punchinella is also available in other designs. A few years back it was popular among scrappers and card makers, but it's also used in e.g. embroidery and as a tool to create textures in friendly plastic (Liz Welch's ooze technique) or as a stencil for stamping and painting. It can pretty much be used in all crafts, one way or another. You can find it in some craft and scrapbooking shops as well as in shops specializing in sequins.

Below are some pics I took of layered sequin waste and the different patterns that emerge when just slightly changing the position of the two layers. As seen in the first photo in this post, you can also add more layers as well as make geps between the layers for dimensional effects.

First I just saw BMW logos, then the flowers appeared.

On the right, I sense a very retro pattern. 60's or something?

Has anyone else used sequin waste/punchinella? I'd love to see pics. Especially if it's jewellery as I've mostly found emroidery and paper craft creations so far. Surely, someone must use this interesting material in jewellery.

The sequin stash

Sarah of Saturday Sequins announced her first blog hop, Sequinastic September, not long ago. Of cause I was temped to join in. I have only used sequins a few times since I grew up (of cause I craved sequins a lot as a kid). Once for a fun wirework necklace, once for some sort of garland. Never really used it in my beadwork. Sure, there have been a few ideas, but in the end I often stick with other materials I like better.

That said, I do have a small stash of sequins that I've both either because they looked pretty or because I got one of my weird ideas of using unusual jewellery materials. As they are often bought in bigger packs than I need or in mixes, I end up with lots of leftover. Some I've destashed a couple of years ago, but much I chose to keep for one reason or another.

I have two favourites in this pile of plastic:

• The matte bronze sequins. I bought these on sale because I really liked the colour and the flowers were so cute. My sis bought the third shape available: you can see part of one of the oval sequins she got in the back.

• The big flowers. This is from a package of big mixed sequins. Pretty much all of the big and colourful sequins in the first pic are from this mix, which included everything from stars and leaves to fish and turkeys. I think these flowers are fun and very retro. (BTW, they are purple, not blue.)

So now that I have signed up, what will I do with these sequins? To be honest I have no idea. The hop is on September 29th so there's lots of time to do something. With a deadline so far off, it doesn't feel like I have to rush any ideas -- but I'm trying not to get too lax as it's so easy to forget about it all and then sit up on the last night, trying to make something with the mind blank and stress levels rising.


I'm hoping to be able to create something without going shopping. I've seen lots of interesting sequins out there that'd be fun to play with -- and I do want to get my hands on some punchinella/sequin waste too! -- but it's better to work with the stash. Especially knowing how long these sequins have just been lying there in a drawer: even if I like them now, buying new stuff might just result in an even bigger stash of unused materials...


But, on the other, if I do use much of my sequins for this challenge, I have a legit reason to buy some new sequins, right? Some more useful shapes and nicer styles than the ones I have.

If you like sequins -- or if you want to be challenged to use them -- you should check out Sarah's blog hop. The rules for this creative challenge are simple: create original work using sequins -- it doesn't have to be jewellery or beadwork -- and post on your blog on the reveal date. And, finally, have fun! Sign ups are open through August 20. Complete information can be found here.