As I was hanging the Christmas stockings this year, I remembered where some of the embellishments came from -- my late father's old ties. There were some wild, wide ties in decades past, so I saved them and used strips from them as trims.
That got me to wondering -- other than old ties, what recycled things have you found useful as highlights or focal points?
Buttons and buckles!
I hate the fact that when I make something with a zip feature (as opposed to a utilitarian zip hidden somewhere), the whole thing is let down by the boring old zip pull. I have been collecting odd interesting beads that I can attach to make the zip look special. Or I might tie on a suitable bit of braid or ribbon.
I make a fleece with gros grain ribbon embellishment - this was brilliant. I wore the fleece till it disintegrated but the ribbon looked good to the last. I put some woven braided ribbon on another fleece but that didn't last so long.
I bought a maru dai (japanese loom thingy that looks like a big bobbin for bobbin knitting) and learned to make braid. I haven't had time to do much, but I have been collecting suitable thread so I can do custom embellishments for all the garmets I'm going to get around to making one day.
Go to your local yacht chandler (sorry if you're in the middle of the US - nobody in the UK is going to be very far from a yacht chandler :-)) and buy some small shackles, cotter pins, split pins etc. Don't use split rings, they're nasty things that will catch on everything. The chandler will also sell brightly coloured shock cord, twine and rope. Climbing shops also sell tiny coloured metal carribinas that you could use for for functional or non functional embelishment. The local hardware shop will sell chain, curtain rings and key rings that could be useful. You should be ablt to get all these goods mail order. I haven't actually investigated plumbing supplies but I bet you can do something interesting with washers :-)
BTW I haven't used all this stuff - you just got me thinking - thanks :-)
Cheers, Bren
My latest bit of fun was to make fringe from offcuts of threads, knitting yarn, ribbon, etc - it was an idea in A-Z of Embellishments and it works really well. I'm thinking of doing a whole scarf in it - it'll look like Cousin It.
I recycle everything I can get my hands on - embroidery from vintage garments, old lace, old buttons, especially silk-covered ones. I've used broken fan pieces and old necklace segments, and seashells with holes in.
This past week I've been chopping up old suits and dresses - there's enough fabric in each thing to (usually) make at least a camisole front. Camisoles, in velvet, sequinned fabric and with bead appliqué is my project for the New Year, to be worn under velvet kimonos.
:) Trish
Since I lived near a fabric store that went out of business... I've been using all the fancy buttons I bought 80% off on their last day.
BUT... Threads magazine has had lots of articles on different embellishments... including making your own with the heat set clays (like FIMO and Sculpy). They have a couple of good videos:
I once made an Irish gown from $1/yd fabric trimmed in nice grosgrain ribbon scavenged from a friend's wedding decorations. AND I once bought a really hideous dress at the Salvation Army store for the simple purpose of cutting off the lovely buttons--
------------------------------------------------------ Wendy Z Chicago, IL (Moo) Wench Wear Costumes
Odd sources for embellishments?
That got me to wondering -- other than old ties, what recycled things have you found useful as highlights or focal points?
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