Hot-Wire™ How-To: Make a Dragonfly Brooch
Note: We thank Pat Winter for sharing this amazing project featuring Kreinik’s new wired Braid, Hot-Wire™ (update November 2017: now called Wired Braid™). She designed the dragonfly to be a dimensional embellishment for a quilt project, but it makes a perfect stand-alone jewelry piece too. To learn more from this talented designer, follow Pat on her blog http://gatherings100.blogspot.
Gather these supplies:
- spool of Kreinik Wired Braid™ thread
- sheer fabric
- clear drying fabric glue
- matching fine metallic thread or Kreinik Blending Filament
- petite seed beads and tiny sequins are optional
Instructions:
1. Begin by choosing the Wired Braid™ and sheer fabric of your color choice. The color list for Kreinik Hot-Wire™ can be found here: http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Wired-Braid.html
2. Either use a wing pattern or free-form as I did to bend thread to form two lengths for longer front wing and two lengths a tad shorter for back wings without cutting thread (see photo #2).
3. As you can see in photo #3, the first two are just a bit longer. Twist one large and one small wing to the other side to form a set of four wings. Longer wings go on top. Take 1/2" of Hot-Wire™ and secure in center. This will be later hidden with beads.
4. Using small brush, apply clear drying fabric glue to one side of Wired Braid™ form and place onto sheer fabric. Press with palm of hand to make sure all thread surfaces are touching fabric. Let dry. (Note Liquid Stitch only takes a couple of minutes to dry.)
5. When dry you may embellish each wing. I used a matching Kreinik Blending Filament to make feather stitches from tips of wings to body. I then used tiny matching flat sequins secured with size 15 petite beads for whimsy. (Note: Cartwright sequins have a wonderful selection of tiny sequins - I found these at Sally Beauty Supply in the nail art dept.)
6. After embellishing each wing, carefully cut along the outside of all wings keeping them as one connected unit. You can bend the wings or leave them flat.
I will be sewing beads on top of center joint when I am ready to add it to the finished project. Once again, Thank you Kreinik!!!!!! Something new to play with!
Order Kreinik Wired Braid™ online at http://www.kreinik.com/shops/Wired-Braid.html or from your local needlework store.
By Pat Winter
