Monday 28 July 2014

KCW: PixCell Red Deer Pullover

If you're one of my half a dozen Facebook friends (who I love because my Facebook page is completely anonymous and I think it's sweet that they still want to "friend" me without knowing who I am), then you might have seen what I've been up to this week...

It all started with this inspiration:

PicCell Red Deer, 2012, Kohei NAWA
In one of my moments of madness I decided I could make a deer like that. I had my beading lesson on Tuesday, and I've been sewing on beads in every spare minute since.

Before I got started on the beading I made a pullover out of cream, merino fleece. The pattern is from Girl's Sassy Clothes by Yuki Araki. I made the short sleeved dress version way back here and I adore that dress although it's getting a bit small.


The pullover is size 100cm, and while it's the perfect fit for now I don't anticipate it being big enough next winter.  Mary at the beading shop had suggested I sew my beads onto fabric, then back it with Vilene fusible web and another piece of fabric so that the threads would be secure, and so that it could be taken off and sewn onto something else later on. Once A tried this sweater on I was glad of Mary's idea. 

These gorgeous round, brown buttons came from Buttonmania, which is another of the great shops in the Nicholas Building.
 
So with the sweater ready, I was beading away...
I started with the t-shirt transfer image, then sewed a single layer of small clear beads over the top.
 


On top of those went some medium sized clear and amber beads, then a few much bigger ones as well. Having started beading at my lesson in the city on Tuesday, I finished this evening. Not bad for a first timer!

There were a couple of really fortunate decisions along the way, more by luck than planning. Firstly, I was going to draw the outline of the deer only then bead over a darker brown fabric. The photo, however has given some much needed depth and reality and I'm so grateful to Mary for that suggestion. Also, had I used darker brown fabric as I'd originally intended, the space between the antlers would have looked terrible. Obvious now, but I hadn't thought of it, and only chose the cream so that the t-shirt transfer picture would show up well.

Then the terrifying task of trimming around the beaded fabric trying not to snip a thread and lose it all.


I cut around the beading before fusing it to the web, so that I could clearly see where the threads were on the back. Once it was cut out, I fused some fusible web to some more of the same cream cotton, then traced around the deer and cut out the same shape from the fused cotton.


.... then ironed the two layers together so that all those threads are safely enclosed.


Finally, to keep it neat I did a tiny blanket stitch around the perimeter. That's held the two layers together very nicely and has hidden a bit more of the cotton fabric from view. This was the second bit of good advice I got from Mary, Sure enough after all this work, I'm very fond of this deer, and I'm super happy with how transferable it will be.


Thank goodness for Le Tour being on TV as it's been a lot of late nights, but finally, I tacked the little deer onto the front of the pullover. No modelled photos tonight as it's way past everyone's bedtime, but if you'll forgive me a flash-lit photograph on the coathanger, taken after midnight, here's my final instalment for Kid's Clothes Week.


It's now on the floor at the foot of A's bed. I think she'll be pretty happy when she sees it!

24 comments:

  1. Saw this project on the KCW page, and just had to come over, have a look, and tell you that this is amazing! The pullover is so cute (I'll have to look up that book). And the beading is awesome... nice job!

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    1. Thank you! I can highly recommend the book, assuming that you're comfortable sewing in Japanese. there are some gorgeous patterns in there.

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  2. I have been following all your steps on Flickr and find this whole thing amazing! What fantastic inspiration. The final result is so unique. Bravo!

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    1. Cheers Rachel! I had no idea if this would be successful or not. Turned out to be exactly what I'd imagined and thoroughly enjoyable along the way. I couldn't be happier!

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  3. Wow. This is truly a work of art. Love the mix of bead sizes and the careful detail to cut and iron on. I'd be fearful of the beads melting. It's fabulous, an heirloom for sure, and maybe should only be worn on special occasions as in, occasions where no food is involved. Truly spectacular!

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    1. Oh Deb, I did wonder if the beads would melt. I was decidedly nervous. I put the deer bead side down into a towel and used a very damp pressing cloth so that I could fuse the web with minimum heat. There was a lot of happy good fortune along the way such that it was a very pleasing project.
      You would have a great library of images for something like this, and if you get snowed in again over winter, who knows.... ;)

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  4. Love it. Wouldn't change a thing. Well done.

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  5. That is so awesome!!! I love the sweater on its own--the fit/fabric/colour/style is all quite perfect, but with the beaded deer, it sparkles! Truly a work of art!

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    1. Thank you Irene! It is a lovely sweater pattern and I really want to make the dress again soon. I'm glad I like the sweater enough on it's own as when A outgrows it, it can be handed down WITHOUT the deer and still look nice! :)

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  6. what??? shelley, this is incredible!! and you sewed up the perfect backdrop for your beadwork. holy wow!!

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    1. he he. I am prone to getting carried away with an idea! Thanks for the lovely comment Gail.

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  7. Truly amazing work Shelley. You have the perfect excuse to sit and watch tv now...

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    1. Thanks Marisa, that was the beauty of beading. I got to sew and watch the cycle racing late into the night. Now, what I need to do is sort out the rest of my life... Or maybe there's another sewing project to start.

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  8. So beautiful! Wow. I'm so inspired to do some beading now. Years ago I cut out a page from a J Crew catalog with beaded leaves and now I'm inspired to try it out. Or I might just copy your deer. It's so beautiful. I also need to buy that book. I have her other one and have debated about getting this one, now I know I must.

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    1. Thank you. I'm very fond of the Yuki Araki books. There is some overlap in the patterns between books, but then you see a pattern that's unique and have the perfect excuse for yet another Japanese sewing book, right?! The leaves would be stunning. Autumn or green leaves, either way. I'm really happy with the clear beads over a t-shirt transfer as it makes it easy not to have to think about shading with different coloured beads. go for it!

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  9. it's just awesome. i love the design of the sweater, too! nice button choice, yo.

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    1. The buttons were lucky as they suited what I wanted, and when A was initially very ho-hum about the sweater I sold her on the idea that they were CHOCOLATE buttons. It seems if you go num-num and pretend to eat your kids they love what they're wearing. Funny huh.

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  10. Un. Freaking. Believable. This is just so much work, and so so so cool.

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  11. This is just gorgeous - I love the jumper, and the deer is amazing. Clever lady!

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  12. Wow, this is seriously impressive! I love the pullover, too, in it's own right. This is simply amazing!

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  13. Wow! The beaded deer applique is amazing!

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  14. That's just awesome!!!
    You are SEW creative!!!

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  15. such a cutie pie

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