Brooches

Its always fun to take our work to the Mighty Tieton Antique and Crafts sale in December.  This year we took a large selection of brooches.

I like to make brooches.  No two are the same.  It's a great way to showcase color, and texture.  The mix of hand-dyed felted wool, velvet, embroidery, machine stitching, glitter and beads makes each piece a new opportunity to experiment.  and

This paisley brooch introduces some decorative machine applique, and mixes lavender hand-dyed felted wool with a mottled green  eggplant purple crushed velvet.  The juxtaposition of velvet and wool is complimentary for both fiber types.  I use some Peltex-type interfacing material to stiffen the brooch form.

The glittered white work embroidery houses were popular at the show.  We had fun coming up with different decorative stitching to fit the miniature houses.  German glass glitter lightly frosting the snowy roof line and window trim was the final touch.
In the background, you might see some of the felted ball dangle ornaments we brought to the show.

I had some truly "mod" broaches for sale as well.  Wild colors, ric rac, beads and stitching.  I experimented with the Proddy stitch used in rug hooking for a few brooches as well.  


The striped cat brooches also were a hit.  Cat lovers can always use another cat piece, can't they?

These brooches use vibrant scraps of hand-dyed wool to create stripped tabby cats with attitude.  It was my first time wrapping wire, and using a hammer to flatten it.  I added assorted beads to the tail.  I liked the effect of light-scattering faceted beads with bright wool .  I look forward to trying my hand at more wire work, beads and wool in the future.