Thursday, April 28, 2011

Sequined Bling

I was thinking about turning the very beady bracelet I did the other day into a bookmark, but I have too much respect for books to subject them to the spine killing treatment of beads. So the problem is how to get the bling without the hard fat lumps that beads present. Then I had an idea. How about using sequins? All of the shine with none of the fat.

Here it is, in all it's unblocked glory. The threads are size 20 Lizbeth Turquoise Lt #662 and Summer Fun #104 with pink sequins. The reflection from the sequins really inhibits acquiring a good scan and although I tried numerous background colours nothing really worked well. Can you spot the one upside down sequin?
Here's the little miscreant. I was trying so hard not to do that, and only noticed it as I was about to finish the bookmark.
I misjudged thread length - twice. I reloaded the shuttle the first time and measured out what I thought I'd need to finish and ran out again 2 measly rings from the end. Two. rings. However, as a designer these things happen frequently, so adding in more thread is no big deal. See the instructions on the sidebar for how I do it. The ends are hidden while I add the thread. So it's just a matter of cutting off the ends when I'm done and you can't even see where I added the thread.

I don't usually use something as thick as size 20 for bookmarks, but as this one is probably going to be used in paperback novels it's all right. Not only that, the thickness of the thread will help to cushion the pages from the edges of the sequins better than size 80 would. Over time the sequins may cut through the threads, but it's a bookmark, not an heirloom.

Most of the time I block my work, even though I tat tightly enough, and pull it into shape enough as I work that it doesn't really need it. I don't go the -pin every picot in place- route, but I do generally pin out the major points before I hit it with a shot of super heated water from the steam iron. I wouldn't want to put the iron on this one, though. I expect that the sequins are made out of plastic and would, A- melt and lose their shine and shape, and B- stick to my iron and make one horrible mess.

5 comments:

Fox said...

Nice!

Funny, I was deliberating about sequins a few days ago, in a shop.

Now, I wish I had purchased them and tried what you have done here. Maybe later!
Fox : )

Carolivy said...

This bookmark is terrific! I always wondered what to do with sequins, now I know.

Hugs
Carol

Bonnie said...

I love beads with tatting, but as you did I worry about beads on bookmarks, sequins is a great idea! Your bookmark is beautiful, I'd never have notice the upside down one.

Margarets designer cards said...

The sequins look lovely and a nice change to beads, they work very well and at least its flat for a book.
Nice Idea.
Margaret

Nancy G said...

Very nice. Thanks for sharing!