Celebrate Your Muchness Finished ArtBra

"Celebrate Your Muchness" Completed

I believe this little project is finished. I painted spools with gold metallic paint and then wrapped each spool with metallic threads. If you check out Johnny Depp's costume, he had a row of spools going across the front of his vest. I could not find the vintage hat pins, I had in mind, so made hat pins using polymer clay and then painted the clay with gold metallic paint. I am a huge fan of  Pebeo Gold Metallic paint. Thanks to all of you for checking out the pics!

Celebrate Your Muchness~ Cheshire Cat ~ We are all Mad Here!

Another Progress Shot of my Alice In Wonderland ArtBra. I've added the Cheshire Cat and tacked on a silk charmeuse ribbon hatband. The silk strips were taken from a white blouse I found at a thrift store. I dyed the strips using RibbonSmyth Rainbow Dyes. Poured dye into a small bowl and then wet the silk strips. Removed the water, so the silk was damp, and then submerged the strips into the bowl. Quickly removed the silk as I knew the tint I desired should match the gold leather crown, and silk instantly "grabs" dye. Placed the strips onto a piece of wax paper to air-dry. The Rainbow dyes are super for dyeing silk in vintage color-ways.

Now the search for a copy-right free Cheshire cat image.  I printed different sizes until I had the right size that the bra would support.  I printed the cat image onto cotton poplin. Made a cat pattern out of black velvet and stitched the two pieces together. Then I filled the cat with poly-fil. Using a spool of Kreinik metallic black and brown braid, I added a blanket stitch around the cat body. Then I tacked the cat to the bra using black Nymo thread. Once I get the tulle netting stitched to the bra strap, additional stitches will be taken into the strap to support the cat. I'm mindful of the treatment the bras receive while they travel.

I had made the cat one night and left him sitting on a table by the couch. The next day we found the cat a few rooms away, on the floor in the sun room. Our guess is that Pearl, our little Maine Coon, felt the cat was a toy for her and had carried it into another room.

Celebrate Your Muchness Progress

Another Progress shot of an ArtBra that is taking too long to assemble! I do all of my design work late at night. This is an Alice in Wonderland ArtBra that will be unveiled at the Houston Quilt Show in November.
As I add additional steps to the progress on this little jewel; this shot features toadstools. The toadstool caps are made with lime green scraps harvested from a dress purchased at a thrift store. The cap stems are foam gathered from foam shoulder pads and covered in the same French ribbon I'm using for the fiddlehead ferns.  Will dye silk charmeuse for the Mad Hatter's Hat and the silk will go around the hat band. The ribbon ties will flow to the side of the bra. The Cheshire Cat will sit above the gold crown, on the "shoulder" of the ArtBra. Now to find an image a cat that I like. Tim Burton's Cheshire Cat is a bit too "toothy" for this bra.

"My Father's Ties" Finished ArtBra

This is the finished ArtBra. A fun piece to create using four men's ties and a spool of Nymo!

My Father's Ties Button Collage and Silk Leaves

1. This is a button collage with silk leaves. Fold the 2"x4" silk strip to form the leaf and tie off the bottom at the base of the leaf and trim.
2. Burn the silk edges and then stitch the leaves beneath the Tie Rosettes.
3. Another button collage shown beneath the silk leaves.

My Father's Ties Button Collage

Button Collage on the Left Cup of the bra.

My Father's Ties Progress

 I've made "ruffles" out of 2 inch tie strips and have started to create tie "rosettes" with button centers. 

Celbrate your Muchness Progress

Another shot of my Alice in Wonderland Bra, slowly coming together and the photo shoot is soon! I've begun to add fiddlehead ferns behind the Mad Hatter's hat. I've started making gathered red wire-edge ribbon flowers with clock face centers. More fiddle head ferns and ribbon flowers surrounding the hat. A Cheshire Cat will be stitched beneath the Red Queen's Gold Leather Crown. Spool Garland will be added somewhere!