Introduction: Embroidered Earrings

About: I'm a Multi-media Artist. Pursuing Film Production. Especially passionate about the art department of film productions. I just want to create.

I had a vision, it was so exciting; i immediately woke up from sleep.
Isn't that what creation's all about ;something so alive, so exciting; you can't wait to get out of your bed.

So the vision was me wearing a very special set of earrings.
It was my favourite painting THE STARRY NIGHT by ÀRTIST VAN GOGH done in embroidery in the form of earrings.
It was like a dream just imagining every stroke of paint recreated using thread.

A PAINTING BY THREAD if you will.

So i immediately got to gathering the supplies and just began......

And it was beautiful converting that dream into a reality.




Step 1: MATERIALS:~


1.) Close weave cloth.
2.) Wooden Embroidery hoop.
3.) Cotton embroidery floss in required colours and shades.
4.) Hand embroidery needles.
5.) Metal bangles (2 per earring).
6.) Earring hooks (2 per pair of earrings).
7.) Transfuse paper/iron on patch paper/seal paper.
8.) Fevicol or fabric glue.
9.) Pliers.

Step 2: THE SKETCH:~

Using the bangle stencil the inner circle onto the cloth. This will be our work area.
Sketch your drawing in the inner circle. I first drew the outline onto a paper and traced onto the cloth with the help of a light source underneath it.

Step 3: PREPARING THE HOOP:~

Keep the cloth onto the inner hoop and fix the outer hoop so that the cloth is nicely stretched in between the hoops. Then tighten the screw to fix everything so that the cloth is tight and tense. Sans wrinkles. I'm working with a light blue cloth as that is the base for my sky portion that will be exposed or uncovered by thread.

Step 4: PAINTING BY THREAD:~

Thread the needle with color thread and begin embroidering. The thread floss comes in strands of six. Don't feel obliged to use all at once. You can play around using in any number.
For the hill and its border I used six stands together.
For the mountains I used 4 strands together.
For the house I used 3 strands together.
For the tower I used 2 strands together.
For the grass, the fields and the beautiful starry sky I used single strand.

Step 5: TO AVOID

I would like to bring to attention to only use close weave cloth....i tried using cross stitch fabric but it wasn't suitable for detailed work.

Step 6: EXPERIMENTING WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF STITCHES:~

This is my first time embroidering anything....
So I had to experiment as I go.
It was so much fun.
If something goes wrong just cut and remove that thread and continue. I tried around a bunch of Combinations in colour and types of stitch, till I got the perfect look I was going for.

Embossed or 3d hill:-
I used back stitch for border. Ran some horizontal lines that were covered by vertical satin stitch giving a 3d effect.

Grass and fields:-
Satin stitch.

The sunset:-
Long and short stitch.

Stars:-
French knot.

The eddies or flowing star trails:-
Running stitch.

Houses:-
Satin stitch body,
And a mat weave rooftop.

Knot every thread at the back when done.
Have fun painting with thread.

Step 7: THE BODY

It is a very intricate and detailed design
And took me 6 days to complete one side of the earring and 3 more for the other. Once I found out the look I was going for.

This is how the back of the embroidery will look like; don't worry we are going to seal it up later on.


Once you are done with the painting remove the cloth from the hoop and cut at an extra diameter circle from the embroidery.
Place the metal bangle at the back side stretch the cloth over the bangle and lap and stick at the back. Make sure it is nicely stretched at the front. Hold in place till it dries.

Step 8: PREPARING THE BORDER

Take the second bangle, apply glue on its circumference and completely wrap it all around the length by black floss (6 strands).
Let dry. Then stick this onto the front perfectly in alignment with the circle of the painting. This raven black border just enhances the overall beauty by ten times. Just bringing the whole look together.

Step 9: CONVERTING INTO EARRING

It's time to be who you were meant to be

The cloth is tightly stretched between the two bangles. Open and
Pass the earring hook's loop end so that it holds the second bangle but is secured in between both, then seal by tightening the loop using a plier.

Step 10: SEALING THE EMBROIDERY FOREST AT THE BACK

Cut a circle of the Transfuse paper the size of the bangle and heat seal on top of the embroidery tangled up like a forest at the back using an iron.

Step 11: PHOTOSHOOT

Behold your wearable masterpiece.
A journey from DREAM to REALITY.
Jewelry Challenge

Second Prize in the
Jewelry Challenge