2013 was a brilliant year for Fashion Magpie Jewellery, so I'd like to say thank to you all for your support and feedback.
To kick start the year I'm going to start with a tutorial for a brooch I've been making. It's inspiration came from a hair bobble I brought from a company called Inca jewellery a few years ago.
In this tutorial I'm going to use stamped jewel enamel (something else I've been experimenting with.) Felt, beads, needle and thread and loads of glue.
Here is a picture of the results from my jewel enamel experimentation first.
For the tutorial I'm going to use the tree design, so lets begin.
Step 1 is simple cut your felt to the desired size then glue the jewel enamel (or any other focal piece) in the centre and leave to dry.
For step 2 thread your needle and tie a knot on one end, now thread the needle through the back of the felt to the front as close to the focal piece as you can and then thread your first bead on to the needle. For my design I've used a lime green seed bead but you can use anything you wish. Now push the needle back through the felt, approximately the length of the bead, then back so that your next bead will sit snugly next to the first. Now repeat this step until you have gone all the way round your focal piece and your design looks a bit like mine below.
For step 3, repeat step 2 until you have a second ring of beads. You may repeat this several times until your happy with the results.
Step 4. Now you should have finished sewing your beads on so it's time to cut the excess felt off being careful not to cut through any of your threads on the back.
Step 5. Cut a second piece of felt for your back, I've chosen to stay with the green but you could use contrasting colours.
Step 6. Cut two slits for your fastening to poke through like in the picture.
For step 7, glue the fastening to the back. you can be as messy as you like with this bit as it'll be covered later, just make sure the glue doesn't get through the slits and onto your fastening. From experience I can tell you that if it gets through, it'll glue the fastening in place and you won't be able to use it!
Step 8. Glue front and back together and when the glue has dried you can cut the excess felt off the back.
And finally you now have a finished brooch!
