Prize Ribbon - Golden Sapphire (Sold)

#139. The eighth piece from The Empress Dowager's Prize Ribbons.

I was so eager to cut into this sunshiney-yellow fabric that I forgot to get a picture of it before. Haha!

Here's one of its sister in orange - the same leafy Marimekko design in yellow was used here.

Product Information:
~ All pieces are 100% handstitched with love.
~ Each piece is a one-off -> no two pieces of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels are the same
~ The largest "gem" measures 7cm in diameter and the smaller one is 3cm.
~ Height (from top of large "gem" to pointy end of "tail"): 9.5cm
~ Nickel brooch pin and blanket-stitched felt reinforcement on back (see here)

Price:
~ SOLD! ~

For Sale: A Milky Way Of Canary-Yellow Gold

#128. A Milky Way! All 175cm of it!

I usually only make pieces in the Milky Way setting to-order because it's too much work to put in if they don't sell in the shop.

But I made this one (from the same piece of 100% cotton fabric as #123) for the market on Saturday to show as a sample. It didn't sell but I got an order to make one from a different fabric. Yay!

So this happy yellow number is up for sale if you would like to have it.

I think it's a great piece to add to your Summer wardrobe. You can wear it all dangly and long.

Or twisted in various lengths...

It's a very versatile 175cm of fun!

Product Information:
~ All pieces are 100% handstitched with love.
~ Each piece is a one-off -> no two pieces of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels are the same
~ Size of "gems" from the smallest to the largest: 2cm, 3cm, 4cm and 6cm in diameter
~ Total length of the Milky Way: 175cm

Price:
~ AU$180.00 (for currency converter, click here) - cheap for a one-of-a-kind handmade piece compared to those mass-produced chainstore trinkets!

To purchase:
~ Please click here for shipping and payment information.

For Sale: A Clump Of Canary-Yellow Gold

#123.

Finding a use for yet another lovely piece of fabric that Phoebe has handed down to me. The way that she makes her jewelIery, she often is left with off-cuts. Pieces that are too small for her to use but just right for me. I like that we're not letting good things go to waste!

And now, if you decide to take this happy yellow piece home with you, you'll be continuing with the chain!

Product Information:
~ All pieces are 100% handstitched with love.
~ Each piece is a one-off -> no two pieces of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels are the same
~ The smaller "gems" measure 3cm in diameter and the larger ones are 4.5cm
~ From the first "gem" on the left to the last one on the right: 30cm
~ Length of ribbon-tie: approximately 40cm on each side (to allow for the wearing of your New Jewels at various lengths

Price:
~ AU$55.00 (for currency converter, click here) - cheap for a one-of-a-kind handmade piece compared to those mass-produced chainstore trinkets!

To purchase:
~ Please click here for shipping and payment information.

A Clump Of Solid Cartoon Gold (SOLD)

#85.

The second piece that I would love to see on Marge Simpson.

She would have to wear something other than her usual strapless dress, though. Yellow on her yellow skin might not a be good look. Haha!

The happy cartoony fabric that this piece is cut from. More in the other colours to come!

SOLD!

#2 On Its New Mistress At Last!

My dear pal Poochie sure took her own sweet time sending me these photos of herself and her Gold Band of Fiery Sapphire & Onyx Chips!

Here she is wearing #2 with one of her favourite little white dresses by Thakoon or Doo.ri for Gap, I think.

Poochie is so clever with putting things together! I like how the line of the necklace follows that of the dress (she apologises for the tan lines, though).






















Further proof of her clever-ness here, clashing the prints on #2 with the stripes on her t-shirt.

I'm very happy to see #2 getting along with its new friends from Poochie's wardrobe. It will soon get another baubly friend as Poochie has just ordered another commissioned piece. Whoopeedoo!

Golden Dragon On A Cloud Of Pearls (Sold)

#12 - Golden Dragon On A Cloud Of Pearls.

A piece so Oriental that I'm sure Empress Dowager Cixi (the "Empress Dowager" in The Empress Dowager's New Jewels) will approve.

She might like how I've worn it with a vintage kimono for added Orientalism too.

It's pretty obvious how this piece got its name - Golden Dragon from the exquisite piece of scale-y blue and gold brocade, and Cloud Of Pearls from the slightly iridescent Japanese cloud-print silk. The stitches that join the "gems" are in "gold" to match the scales.

They are not my usual Marimekko fabric but they are equally special. Maybe even more because I've used up whatever I have of both and I don't think I'll be able to find them again.

I like how both the piece and its name conjure up images of some high-flying sword-wielding Chinese maiden in a kung-fu flick but it looks great with Western garb too.

SOLD!

#8's New Owner

I like photos of The Empress Dowager's New Jewels with their new owners.

It's one tiny request of mine that I hope future owners will accede to because it is really nice to know where the baubles that I've painstakenly handstitched have gone to, see their new friends and home, and the many ways that their new mistresses wear them (photos without heads are welcome too if you wish to remain anonymous).

"Paging for pals in Singapore...owners of #2, #4 and #5...I'm still waiting for you to send yours!"

Dreamer from the style blog, AusStyle, has put my pals to shame...





















All photos of Dreamer from here

That's her with Random Sprinkles Of Gems around her neck - she received them yesterday and I got the photos today!

And not just one!






#8 is not exactly a CheungLik/Wear-And-Tear piece that she's wished for on her illustrated Post-it fashion wishlist but this Melbourne high-schoolgirl has a knack for turning everything she wears into cute golden-ness, including fabric "gems".

Random Sprinkles Of Gems

#8 - the most time-consuming piece to-date.

The seventeen pieces of tiny "gems" were pretty fiddly to cut and sew but I wanted to try out this new "setting" which I have not got a name for yet.

It took quite a while but I'm really happy with the result. Might try making a larger piece with more strands for more drama mama-ness.

This is named Random Sprinkles of Gems because instead of colour-grouping them, I literally sprinkled the "gems" on my work bench, according to size, watched them form a pattern as they land and joined that pattern.

The Marimekko fabric from which it is made also added to the random-ness...

...I was left with the green and blue bits on this after I used the mustard and black squiggly bit in the middle for Cascading Tiger's Eye...

...this was what remained after I made A Gold Band of Fiery Sapphire & Onyx Chips.

I'm a little sad to see both these pieces of fabric finally used up because Marimekko doesn't make them anymore.

Edit-to-add: See the "jewels" on the new mistress here!

A Gold Band Of Fiery Sapphire & Onyx Chips

My second piece.

Made with my pal Poochie in mind because she's the only girl who can wear an outfit plus accessories in combinations of colours that I would never have thought of. And she pulls them off with such ease and insouciance.

I've sent her photos and she loves it. Phew! And she is going to send me some fabric for a commissioned piece soon.

This is the Marimekko fabric that the Gold Band of Fiery Sapphire & Onyx Chips was cut out of. I believe they are not running the print anymore so Poochie is lucky to have a one-of-a-kind piece. With a pooch on it!

Edit-to-add: See the "jewels" on their new mistress here!