A treasure trove of ribbons -sharing a few of my favorite Ribbon filled art creations

"Each new day, a gift to be opened, sunrise slowly unties it's ribbon of hope."

I love the anticipation in each new day, the opportunity for good to win, for grace to be extended, for generous hearts to make a burden a little lighter.  I thought that I would share a few of my hope filled ribbon adorned projects.  The little handbag (at the end of the post) was featured in Haute Handbags with the instructions and the inspiration for you to make one that carries meaning and memories.  I've included the article and also what you need to gather and how you can make on.  "Vintage" is a repurposed book front cover, frame molding and a metal drawer pull with ribbon and embroidery.  The tassel represents home and heart and was also featured in Somerset Life (a few issues back).  The  ribbon rosette was for  the grand prize winner for the Christmas Chili Cook off and my Lace and Ribboned Apron features coffee dyed lace and ribbons with hand embroidery.   I hope you enjoy this little picture post as a little hope and love is sent your way tied up with ribbons and bows.

A tribute to vintage elements- an old book cover, frame moldings and a
metal drawer pull softened all by ribbon and hand embroidery

  

velvet rick rack, pearl button and  a cameo add just enough romance

A  hand dyed and tied  ribbon bow with a vintage rhinestone button

Home is where your heart lives with vintage type keys and
precious birds that adorn the flower topped tassel

Vintage lace and ribbons, hand made tassel
with german glass glitter birds

Ribbon Rosette with sheer and printed ribbon 

Close up of the paper and ribbons blending to create a ribbon delight 

Hand dyed lace and ribbons to create a one of kind apron

vintage buttons, ribbon rosette in the bottom left corner

Manipulated ribbon and beads to create a rosette

Carry Love and Hope with you always.

This handbag was a treasure to make. I had thought of this bag for a while before I made it as I gathered every element the bag began to come to  life and create a memory all of its own.  The following article appeared in Haute Handbag (April 2014).  I've reprinted here for you so that you can make an Immeasurable treasure bag and fill it with your own memories and special days.

Immeasurable Treasures - Hand bag created with ribbons, vintage buttons,
charms, embellishments and printed muslin tags

Close up of some of the embellishments and ribbons 

Handmade printed tags of special days;
beads and ribbon bows all throughout the handbag

Immeasurable Treasures Tag Bag- Haute Handbag April 2014

My life has been filled with blessings, treasures and gifts of family, friendship, grace and faith.  For a long time, I had wanted to create a “tag bag”.  For some reason, I’m drawn to tags whether they are paper, fabric, die cuts, punches, or labels.  I love to put tags on everything.  I am also equally drawn to handbags- small, large, leather, fabric, straw, beaded, handmade, vintage, repurposed—you get the idea.  Combine the love of tags, bags with the love of fabric, lace and embellishments add to it my blessings and the result is Immeasurable Treasures.  The first step in this purse making was the words.  I definitely had a few trial and errors.   I feel that it is good to share what doesn’t work so that one can avoid frustration.  For example, I first stamped each of my children’s names onto twill tape – it was way too large.  Then I went the route of computer-generated words printed on muslin.  This technique worked wonderfully.  Then choosing a few tag dies from my die cutting supplies, I cut the words and the dates (that had been backed with another fabric prior to cutting) to create my first set of tags.  Knowing that I wanted lace and fabric, I decided on a simple blue theme with a sample fabric swatch from a fabric book and hand dyed lace (hem tape) along with dmc pearle cotton and candle wicking thread that was also hand dyed.  Choosing the embellishments were a fun and creative expression of treasures with in the heart.  I chose from scrapbooking elements, beads, crystals, vintage jewelry and metal words.  Using crinkled seam binding, I created the ribbon fringe at the bottom of the bag   To finish the top of the bag, a piece of over dyed lace and 2 vintage buttons were sewn using French knots and embroidery thread.   As one looks through my tag bag, a glimpse of who I am emerges.  Faith, Family, Friendship, Love and Grace– and if you search a little deeper – Texas, which is Home to me.  As I attached each tag, sewed each element I thought of those special days, people and places in my life - truly immeasurable treasures.

Gather

*Small canvas bag

*Muslin

*Freezer Paper

*Fabric- small swatch for bag and an 8 ½ by 11 piece of fabric

*Fusible web such as Wonder Under

*Adhesive such as Fabric fusion or E6000

*2 yards of lace and Hem tape

*Ribbon-seam binding for fringe

*Ribbon – for embellishments

*Eyelets, eyelet setter

*Embroidery thread

*Needle

*Die cutting supplies or tag templates

*Embellishments – beads, buttons, charms, words…

*Lace for top of bag

Technique

1. To create the words, cut (do not tear) the muslin and freezer paper to 8 ½ by 11.  Iron the shiny side of freezer paper to the muslin, making sure that the 4 corners are well –ironed and that there are no loose threads.  The freezer paper will stay attached until you gently pull it off once you have printed your words. 

Tip:  Create several sheets of “Muslin” paper to have on hand or if the first one doesn’t print as well as you would like.

2.  In your word document software such as Pages or Microsoft Word, create your word list.  Once created, set your Muslin paper in the computer tray (remove all other paper) and print.  Making sure your muslin is fed so that the printing occurs on the muslin not the freezer paper.

3.  Once printed, remove freezer paper.  Using fusible web and the fabric of your choice, iron it to the muslin words.

4.  Using die-cutting supplies, cut tags.  If you would like, you can cut them free hand or use a paper template.

5.  With eyelet setter and eyelets, attach eyelets to the tags.

 6.  Pin the crinkled seam binding to the bottom of the bag.  Once pinned in place either stitch or adhere with fusible web or fabric adhesive.

7.  With needle and embroidery thread, sew the fabric swatch to the canvas bag at each of the four corners and secure the fabric at the top edge of seam binding fringe.

8.  Begin to make all the dangles.  Thread ribbon, lace or embroidery thread through muslin tags, charms and beads.

9.  Using needle and thread, secure threaded dangles to the top of the bag, vary the widths and the lengths. 

Tip:  Make sure that the word tags face forward.

10.  Once all dangles are attached, manipulate the over dyed lace to create pleats or folds for interest.  Then using embroidery thread, secure lace with French knots and sew large buttons on each corner going through the canvas. 

Tip:  When choosing embellishments, if there is one that is the focal point – such as “Grace” in my tag bag, have it dangle longer than the purse.

Thank you so much for your time in reading this post.  I hope you'll be inspired to bring hope into your day and ribbon into your art!!

May ribbons of blessing be around you today!!!