It Starts With Squares

Ready for Round 2? Here goes. Kanzashi making starts with squares, and the squares have to be measured pretty carefully. Helen uses a sewing gauge and pen to measure hers. As you can see in the picture, I was supervising this morning as Helen measured and cut her vintage kimono silk. She's lucky to have this nice garden window to work in.....nice big flat surface with lots of light. I let her use it as long as it doesn't interfere with morning naps. I'm a white cat, so I'm always a little chilly and have to warm myself in the sunshine.

So, squares. After you've cut them, you fold and sometimes pinch them in various ingenious Japanese ways to make petals. Once you have your shape, the fun begins. Use a bobby pin or something to clamp the petal into place and sew (or glue, which is the correct Japanese way). Then the real fun begins---forming them into a flower or whatever you're making. That's the scariest part, and the part with the most creative potential.

Helen had a little fall leaves pin project for this morning. She used vintage chirimen and dupioni silk. It involved a leaf stem that she made from wire, which caused a fair amount of angst. Here's a picture:

The leaves represented are Japanese maple, birch and oak. Well, part of an oak. It will be in Helen's Etsy shop soon. Did I mention the Helen had an Etsy shop??? She has all kinds of fabric hair accessories and brooches. You can find it here www.empressbarrettes.etsy.com

UPDATE: This pin has already been included in a fall leaves themed Etsy treasury, after being listed there for only a few hours! Check out the treasury here http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MjI2NzY5ODR8MjcyMDYxMzg4NQ/ode-to-the-magnificent-leaf

YET ANOTHER UPDATE: Another Etsy treasury in just a few days for this pin http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTQ1NjgwNTB8MjcyMDYxNjUxMQ/love-to-step-on-crunchy-
leaves-i-do

STILL ANOTHER UPDATE: A third Etsy treasury for this one http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTk3NDgwNHwyNzIzMjMxMjI0/golden-fall?ref=af_shop_tre

SON OF UPDATE: Here's number 4 http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTc1NjIwOHwyNzIwNjcyMDk5/leave-ing-summer-behind?ref=af_shop_tre

BRIDE OF UPDATE: Number 5 .......who would have thought this would be so popular an item with Etsy sellers? http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTEyMjI4MTZ8MjcyMzI0MzUxNA/fall-fashion-trends-2012

GRANDCHILD OF UPDATE: Number 6....... http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MjIxOTUyNDh8MjcyMDY5NDg2Nw/the-right-colors-fall-reds-browns-greens

GREAT-GRANCHILD OF UPDATE: Number 7 is here http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTUzOTI5Mjh8MjcyMDcwMTk0MQ/fall-leaves?ref=af_shop_tre I think the reason this item is in so many Etsy treasuries is that Helen did such a good job of tagging it so as to optimize for searches with the keywords "fall leaves".

DISTANT RELATIVE OF UPDATE: Number 8 http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTIyODIwNXwyNzIwNzE0MDkx/the-changing-of-the-leaves?ref=af_shop_tre

NEIGHBOR OF UPDATE: Number 9 http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTYwNDg3NTV8MjcyMzI4MzMwMg/fallin?ref=af_shop_tre

UPDATE'S BFF: Number 10.....unbelievable.... http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTAzMDMyMTh8MjcyMDczNTMyMQ/september?ref=pr_treasury

REMEMBER THE UPDATE?: It took a while, but here we are at Etsy Treasury #11 http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MjE2OTY3OTJ8MjcyMDc5OTgxOQ/fall-leafs?ref=af_you_favtreasury

MORE UPDATE: Helen just renewed this item on Etsy, so we're expecting a rash of new treasures, like this one, #12 http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTQyODIxNzF8MjcyMzQwODUxNg/autumn-love-gifts?ref=af_you_favtreasury

BETTER UPDATE: Here's #13 http://www.etsy.com/treasury/OTUyNDY2NnwyNzIzNDE2ODcy/cottage-in-the-forest