Something cheerful for a February Birthday.
Just a couple of pictures of a birthday present I need to get in the mail today…. so it arrives only 10 days late. My beloved mother-in-law is one of the better things about this month, and I wish I’d learned to make Kanzashi blossoms in time to get these there on time. The blossoms, traditionally made as ornaments for the headgear of Geisha, are surprisingly simple, and Clover Kanzashi makers make it foolproof. I haven’t included a link here, because the online pictures don’t capture how simple the process is. YouTube has many videos, and the template comes with simple directions.
Since my present is already overdue, I made a bag last night, too. The directions are from a free Craftsy.com “mini-class” too, to which I’ve been meaning to pay attention. Craftsy does great online classes, and lets you watch their videos at different speeds, making them both educational and amusing. This bag is as easy as promised, and has a little pocket inside.
The fabric for the bag and lining are ones I’ve had for awhile. The solid is Kona, Avocado.
There’s more to say, as usual. I have 3 more Kanzashi templates on the way from an Etsy seller. The ones I currently have are a small “pointed” petal and a medium orchid. For the record, the little ones are VERY little, so I’m getting bigger ones now. For those of us awash in scraps, this is a really fun hobby. If you don’t have a button box in the drawer, with hundreds of buttons, beads are traditional, too. If you have a hot glue gun that’s meant to help, too, but it isn’t necessary.
I wouldn’t think twice about making these with an interested kid 10 years old or older, if I had one… Happy February, friends.
And for you…
sewberkeley 