Making A Shabby Chic Painting

I decided to paint another shabby chic painting to place it beside the other  tutu painting that I painted. I will show you how I painted my tutu. I really had fun splashing paint. This style of painting is forgiving and free, you don't need to be afraid. It is not about details, but imperfection and freedom of expression. I saw some of the originals Laurence Amelie   painting for inspiration. My painting was a combination of various paintings that I saw. I changed the original; for example, by painting roses instead of little blue flowers, or using an art knife instead of a brush. I was trying to paint my own impression of a tutu dress hanging  in a garden, swinging with the rhythm of the wind.

First, I prepared my canvas with gesso and let it dry. After dried, I wet the canvas with water--you could use a spray bottle with water or a brush.

With a wet sponge, I applied watercolor paint on canvas, mixing different colors.

Then, with a hairdryer, I mixed all the color together.

The good thing about the hairdryer is that you will not have brush marks on the painting, and the other reason  is that it will speed the drying.

After the watercolor is dry, the fun begins. I used an art knife to make the tutu dress using acrylic paint.

You can splash acrylic paint mixed with water (a light cream consistency ) using a brush. Place newspaper around the canvas.

Splash paint on the tutu. You can apply  oil paint with the art knife to give it more texture. There's no limit to the creativity.

Now you can paint the roses, or your favorite flowers on the tutu.

They don't need to be perfect, remember that is an impression of a flower.

 I painted some vines; I think this is a climbing rose :)

I'm displaying my tutu painting on the living room for my shabby chic decor.

~Have a wonderful day full of beautiful things~

Doily Dress

 I saw a wedding doily dress on Google image gallery and I loved it.  I thought about making a doily dress. The dress that I saw was made with different patterns of doilies, all in different sizes. I decided to make all the doilies using the same doily pattern. I really had fun making doilies; I pinned them on a dress and joined them together with a mesh stitch, working all around the doily. I did the same technique with my Irish crochet dress.

I found a mini doily pattern that I really like. You can find this pattern Here

I decided to join the mini doilies on the bodice of the dress and the larger doilies for the skirt. To make the doily larger for the skirt , I just repeated 4 rows from the pattern.

Join doilies with mesh stitch.

Join the the back to the front of the dress.

Here is the dress with a red lining underneath--perfect for Valentine's Day.

I crocheted buttons for the back of the dress. Check my other post for how to crochet buttons.

 ~Have a wonderful day full of beautiful things~

Making an Irish Crochet Dress.

I am so exited about this project. This is the first time that I worked with this wonderful Irish crochet technique. I confess that this project took me more time to finish than my other dresses using regular crochet. The difference of Irish crochet is that the motifs are made first, then pinned on a pattern. The mesh stitch is worked around motifs. 

I used as a pattern my favorite dress; I pinned on the motifs.

After finishing the front side of the dress, I worked the other side.

I joined  the back and front with a mesh stitch; that way they will blend perfectly. 

Before unpinning your work, it's important to press it. This way it will maintain its form, otherwise it will become distorted.

I decided to add sleeves on my dress.

A typical floral or leaf motifs are worked over a foundation cord, pulling up the cord periodically to make stitches lie flat. I didn't use a cord. To make a leaf motif: Work 15 chains, 3 single crochet in second chain from hook.(to form the tip of the leaf) Work 2 half double crochet on each of the next 2 chains, then the rest with double crochet. The last 3 chains work: 2 half double crochet and 1 single crochet. Turn, repeat on the other side.

It's important to work the 3 single crochet on the tip of the leaf, this way the leaf will not curl up.

Work 3 rows in total.

Then work on base of leaf 1 single crochet on the next stitch,1 half double crochet on the next stitch , chain 1, 1 double crochet, chain 1, repeat to the top of the leaf, on last 2 stitches work 1 half double crochet finishing with 3 single crochet on tip of leaf. Work all the way down on the leaf's edge a single crochet turn, slip stitch all the way up to the tip of the leaf. Single crochet on each stitch to the base of the leaf. Turn, slip stitch all around the leaf. Work 15 chains for the other connected leaf. Repeat instructions. Work 24 chains for stem. 

Work single crochet on each chain of stem.Turn, single crochet all the way down. Fasten off.

Pinning motifs on pattern.

Working mesh stitch around motifs.

Join sleeve to dress with a mesh stitch.

I crocheted buttons for the back of the dress.

Here is the dress with a red lining underneath.

~Have a wonderful day full of  beautiful things and a happy Christmas around your loved ones.~