A Little Fabric Artsy Project

One of the sewing groups I belong to is a Designer group.  We are issued challenges,  the members do the challenge and then bring it back the next month for show and tell.  It's always interesting to see where everyone's imaginations take them. The current challenge is "make something that goes in your handbag and embellish it".  That leaves a pretty large window open for creativity.

I love playing with textures, decorative threads, etc.  When starting a project that involves manipulating fabric, there are a few books I use as inspiration and instruction.  There are these by a lady named Jennie Rainment.  They are rather pricey, coming from England.  Great books, thank you daughter!

 This book, by Colette Wolff, has been around a long time. 

I decided to make a cosmetic bag, and use several textured techniques to cover the front.  First, I cut out a piece of muslin the size of the finished surface, and drew some curved lines on it, separating it into sections.  Each section would be a different technique.

Then, with my base fabric,  I cut out pieces to texture.  I made pintucks.

Mexican tucks.

And I crinkled fabric, using Chizimi bobbin thread.  I stitched a diagonal grid on the fabric with Chizimi in the bobbin, then shot it with steam, which shrinks the Chizimi, and crinkles the fabric.

Then, I took all this mishmash of fabric, cut it to the shapes drawn on the muslin, and sewed them down with a decorative stitch.  I added some 1" origami squares, and did some beading.  The top of the bag is quilted, as is the back.  Sewed it together, with a zipper.  Lined it.  And this is the outcome.

This was fun to do.  No rights or wrongs, no instructions to follow.  Just playtime!  I'm anxious to see what everyone else does.