Monday 10 September 2018

A Tiny Felt Brooch

Little blanket stitches frame a sweet snippet of embroidered flowers, attaching an ever-so-small piece of long-ago stitching to a scrap of soft, woollen felt. Pinned on to a dress or a blouse, with a small pin, and it becomes a tiny brooch.

A tiny handmade brooch.

Tiny brooches like these, made by the talented Jude Van Heel,  featured in a recent issue of Grass Roots magazine (No. 248 Aug/Sept 2018). I set my copy aside, the instructions flagged for when a little window of time opened up for making one. Just such a time presented itself on Saturday evening and I so enjoyed the quiet time I spent stitching the little circle of flowers to the felt backing. Even with very careful stitches, so as not to fray the edge of the old linen, this project took less than an hour.  

A little safety pin for the back.

I didn't have a brooch pin for the back but a little safety pin works just fine. It's only tiny and very light so it doesn't pull on the fabric that it's pinned to. 

Perfect for a dress or a blouse.

I love that a project like this makes use of old embroidered linens, perhaps those stained or forever unfinished or floundering in op-shop piles. I always think the stitching too beautiful not to find a use for and this is one tiny, sweet way to make something from such linens.  I'm sure I'll make a few more soon. 


Meg


22 comments:

  1. That is very pretty and a great way to showcase some lovely stitching from years past, Meg.

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    1. I adore vintage stitching, Chel. I love finding new ways to use it in little craft projects. Meg:)

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  2. That's a lovely idea! A wonderful project for when you want to do something quick and easy! Thank you so much for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment.

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    1. They are so simple to make and I do hope to make a few more soon so that I can give them as little gifts at Xmas time. Thank you for stopping by here too ... it's always lovely to find or rediscover blogs to read. Meg:)

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  3. Very pretty! Andrea

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    1. Thanks, Andrea. I quite like this little cluster of flowers. Meg:)

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    1. I am happy with how it turned out, Jan. I love the colours of the threads. Meg:)

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  5. Oh I saw these too and thought they would make lovely little gifts to sew and pop in the mail. (Thinking ahead when we move) You did such a lovely job Meg. Just beautiful against a simple top or dress.

    xx

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    1. Thanks, Emma. I think the old embroidery really makes them beautiful. I too think they make the perfect gift for posting in the mail as they are so tiny and light. Meg:)

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  6. It's really pretty, Meg, and so feminine. What a sweet gift.

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    1. Thanks, Stephenie. I think little brooches like these would make very sweet gifts too. Meg:)

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  7. I love this! I was thinking about making small Christmas gifts and this is a lovely idea. Thanks Meg. :)

    I also bought a can of condensed milk to make your lemon pie. Hopefully soon. :)

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    1. I think they make perfect little gifts, Nil. They are simple and sweet and easy to pop in the post too. I hope you enjoy that pie! Meg:)

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  8. Nothing beats sitting and crafting, hand sewing is so restful, as is knitting and crochet, and the bonus at the end is a beautiful item. Love your broach.

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    1. I agree, Marlene. I get really absorbed by the process of hand stitching and embroidery; one tiny stitch after the other is all I concentrate on and that is very calming. I guess the modern day term for that feeling would be "flow". Meg:)

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  9. That is lovely. I think it would look great on a denim jacket.

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    1. Oh, yes! I never thought of pinning it to a denim jacket but I think it would look good. Meg:)

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  10. I was thinking you must be quite skilled, to get this done in under an hour. Then at the end, I realised you had cut up an existing embroidery. Lovely work. :)

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    1. Hi,Chris! The little embroidered flowers came from an old, stained doily. You just cut out your little piece of embroidery, along with a piece of felt the same shape and size, then blanket stitch the two together. So simple ... and quick! Meg:)

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  11. That's so sweet Meg. I agree with Cherie K, on a denim jacket would look great.

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    1. Thanks, Anne. I think it's colours will look lovely on a denim jacket too. Meg:)

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