Monday 7 December 2015

Christmas Angel 'Dorset Button'

My previous post tells you about how I became interested in Dorset Buttons.  As we are near to Christmas and I have a Dorset Button workshop coming up at my local yarn shop Spin A Yarn on Wednesday I thought it may be a good idea to create a Dorset Button style Christmas decoration.
Not as easy as it sounds!!!

A lady I met on my previous Dorset Button workshop had brought along some of those thin bracelet bangles and I thought this would be a great base for the start of a Christmas decoration.  They are about 2 . 5" diameter so would be perfect used with dk cotton.  This is the thread I actually used just because it was sparkly and I thought a good colour for an angel.  I can remember buying it in Crete a few years back and haven't used it much since.

Embroidery thread for dorset buttons

The Dorset Button 'bit' of the decoration is the angel's dress and I decided it would look pretty with some added beads.  There are a few ways of doing this, but I chose to add them to the spokes which means adding them as you go.

Christmas angel dorset button decoration

You may be wondering what the sticky tac is for?  Well traditionally, Dorset buttons are created by first covering the outside ring with blanket stitch but as the ring was so pretty anyway I decided to miss this bit out.  Of course, without this, it was a lot more slippery so getting the spokes to stay in place was nigh on impossible - hence the sticky tac!!!  Once you start on the 'rounding' it anchors the spokes in place.

When the 'rounding' had been completed, I set about decorating my angel.  I cut out hair and a face from card and gave her dangly beaded legs.  The wings were a shiny fabric bonded and sandwiched
between a couple of layers of organza to give them some substance.  Here is the finished result.

Dorset button Christmas decoration

Below you can see the beaded detail of her dress,

Close up of beaded skirt of Dorset button Christmas angel

This is what she looks like from behind.  You can see I attached the wings with a few stitches and the card I used even gave her a little flower in her hair.
Back of Dorset Button Christmas angel

I struggled taking photos of her as the light was fading fast but I love the way in the next photo the light casts a shadow on the wall behind her.
Christmas angel Dorset Button shadow on wall

I do hope she will give a little inspiration to those on the workshop.  I will have to find a special place for her over Christmas and I wonder - do you think she could do with a name?  What would you call her?