Japanese Maple Leaves and Their Stems

It's been so long since I posted anything! So sorry. I want to thank everyone for all the lovely well-wishes. I'm feeling MUCH better! Yep, I have kidney disease, and I spent a fair amount of time in the kitty hospital, but I'm doing pretty well, now. I have a special new low protein diet, and Helen has to give me subcutaneous fluids twice a week. I'm not enjoying that process, BTW, but what can I do? We might be able to reduce the frequency if my blood numbers show progress at my next veterinary visit. The doctor was very impressed last time.

OK, so it's fall, isn't it? If Helen and I had had more time last month, we would have talked about this earlier, but better late than never.We both love Japanese maple leaf kanzashi. They're just so pretty. But you know what, in almost every example I can find, I don't like the leaf stems.....I'm not going to show you pictures, but typically, stems look awkward, pasted on, not organic. I don't know....I asked Helen if she could come up with something better, and here's a little mini-tutorial to show you Another Way.

All you accomplished kanzashi-makers will know that to create a Japanese maple leaf, you want to make 5 or more long skinny petals. Helen likes to make 3 of about the same length for the middle of the leaf, and 2 more a little shorter for the outer part of the leaf. Now, about the stem.

Try this: cut about a 3 inch piece of wire and twist it from the center, like this...

making loops with the ends, and folding them together, like this...

Now that you have your loops, you can sew them to the center "lobe" of your leaf....simply insert the lobe (petal) inside the folded loops. Sew as you would a "hook and eye" type fastener. The stem part of the wire is on top of the leaf, like this...

 

Here's a side view....click for bigger!

 

 

 

All right, now put together the rest of your leaf. Helen sewed on the middle lobes and then glued the outer ones.....it might have been OK to glue all of them. The reason she did some sewing was because she was unsure about what bead to sew at the base of the leaf, and didn't want to try sewing through hardened hot glue. Here are two completed maple leaves mounted on snap clips....

 

 

The small aventurine beads help to obscure raw edges at the base of the leaves.

 

So, this is just one way to accomplish a Japanese maple leaf! We would LOVE to hear from you about the way you like to do it. Sharing ideas is what promotes progress, right?

Linen Kanzashi

Most kanzashi are made from silk, but for some things, there's nothing like linen. Particularly if you are just starting as a kanzashi maker, linen is an exceptionally well-behaved fabric. It's stable (not too floppy), stays put, lightweight, easy to sew, makes good clean lines, and stately. Helen has a linen daffodil posted in her Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/listing/72414841/daffodil-brooch-or-hair-fascinator , as a for instance......

and here are some fall colors linen bobby pins https://www.etsy.com/listing/108613446/fall-colors-flower-hair-pins-bobby-pins ...

Let's look at some linen creations by other artists. Sheri from Bungalowquilts on Etsy www.bungalowquilts.etsy.com has made a gorgeous cream linen ring bearer's pillow....

Natasha Fields from Sixit on Etsy www.sixit.etsy.com has made a wonderful striped flower, a realtive rarity for kanzashi....

....and an anonymous artist I found from Google images has made this beautiful pink creation....

So! Don't forget linen.

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