It's Sew Easy: Banner and Tags

You may remember me saying that I've been stalking, no, following, no, admiring from a totally safe and not-at-all-creepy distance, a wonderful artist named Julie Fei-Fan Balzer.  Well, she recently started an online class, "It's Sew Easy:  A Journey Into Mixed-Media Stitch" and I am participating!  (While the class has technically started, it is self-paced and it is not too late to join in if you are interested!  Join me!)

I bought a sewing machine back in 1994.  It was a pretty big purchase for us at the time, us being fairly newly-wed and me getting my first real job after being unemployed for about a year. But I took a class and learned how to use it well enough that I could make some cloth napkins or hem some of Big Daddy's torn riding pants into shorts. Over the years I've been able to make some pretty good Halloween costumes for the kids, knowing they'd only need to last through a night of trick-or-treating.

Julie's class is geared toward the beginner who just picked up a machine for this course, but also for the accomplished seamstress who will find challenge in stretching the art side of sewing.  I figured I might fall somewhere in the middle of the group, learning some helpful tips and tricks with the machine (yeah, like, several every lesson!) and soaking up mixed-media techniques using fabric, paint, paper, and embroidery, like a brand new sponge.  Boy, Julie is amazing, and truly inspiring and encouraging.  She is such a great teacher.  What I didn't expect, is that all the other women in  the class are not dabbling, stay-at-home moms--they are true artists.  Their blogs are about their art and creativity, and they teach art classes, too.  I feel a little star-struck, rubbing cyber-shoulders with this crowd! 

So, here's a look at what I made for the first couple of projects:

The first project was to hand-paint some papers, punch out some shapes, and sew them all together to make streamer-type banner.  Very festive!  Julie wrapped hers around a plainly wrapped package, and it was beautiful--definitely something I'm going to have to try!

 

The second project was to make three different gift tags, based on three different techniques:

The first was made by cutting many fabric circles, freehand, layering them up and randomly stitching them to a manila tag.

The second tag involved tearing squares of random  papers and stitching them in rows on the tag, then hitting them with a paint splat.  The example used old book pages and letters.  Julie suggested using the patterned insides of security envelopes, and since I'd just organized a bunch of bills, I thought that was a great idea!

The last tag was definitely outside my comfort zone.  It involved hand-dying some scraps of lace.  I'm not a lace type of gal.  And I'm not a very good measurer either, so after I dyed my lace (with watercolor paint, because it was "there" and my inks were not) I found that it didn't actually cover the tag in vertical strips like I'd intended.  So I measured and found that it would work if I made diagonal strips.  But, again, I misjudged.  So I had to get creative to fill up the big blank area at the top of the tag.

If it weren't for the lace, I'd think this was pretty cute. 
The denim leaves were a late addition after staring at this and hating it for a couple days. 

 I love the pink-stitched veining.
Hmm, I wonder where I got that idea??? 
(Hint:  go back to top and look at Julie's class logo.)

She's genius, I tell ya! 

Can't wait to share more of my creations with you all!!

Comments

[Sue Wheeler]

Lisa there is nothing lacking in your creativity! Your butterflies and tags are gorgeous.....and I agree with you that Julie is fabulous!

[Julie @BalzerDesigns]

Stunning! Gorgeous! Absolutely amazing! You are rockin' it, girl!

[Nicole Maki]

Very pretty!

I love denim leaves and the patterns inside the security envelope are awesome.

Great job!

[Lois]

Lisa, I love love LOVE your rose and the denim leaves. So beautiful!!

[Lisa Flaherty]

Thank you all so much! :)