ADDING EMBELLISHMENTS TO YOUR PROJECTS...

I have to tell you, I have been working on the cutest toddler sweater for my gorgeous grand daughter.  Of course I modified it a tad, I always do!  You know sometimes a project is super cute, but with a little imagination and some embellishment you can take it one step further to awesome!  Keep reading to see my take on embellishing crochet projects, and tips on where to get inspiration for your own ideas...

"Textile embellishment is an art form and a skill and should not (cannot!) be taken on by a amateur." WHAT!?! I actually read that on the Internet this morning while I was doing a little research. Give me a break! Embellishing your projects and garments is a wonderful way to add that little spark. Whether it is taking a gift from really cute to "Wow! You made that?!" or adding new life to your wardrobe, embellishing is fun and often just what you need to add a little spark!

You can use almost anything to embellish your work. From embroidery to beading to ribbon or elastic, adding studs or rhinestones, and so much more! When you add an embellishment, you really add life to the piece. Just take a look at the following examples and you will see what I mean:

Without Embellishment

With Embellishment

Without Embellishment

With Embellishment

Take a look at the sweater I made for my gorgeous Granddaughter.

Without Embellishment (and sleeves, hee hee!)

With Embellishment (Ribbons and Flowers)

See how much difference a little ribbon or a few beads can make. You can use this idea to bring new life into your wardrobe too! Just make several crocheted rose brooches in different colors and wear them on different shirts, sweaters, or jackets. Add a simple beaded embroidery to a collar. Use your inner craftiness to make some jewelry pieces that you can use to change things up, and try playing with scarves. I have a link for how to tie a scarf on the top right of this page.

Use the same philosophy when embellishing your projects. When I made my Granddaughter's sweater, I thought it was really cute. The pattern (available here) that used to make the sweater called for a hood. I thought it would be cuter without it so I skipped it. I also improvised the trim. When it was finished it just seemed to need something! I looked in my notions and found a spool of ribbon. I knew just what to do! After adding it, I think it is much cuter, what do you think?


A word of caution: don't overdo it! If you do, you might end up with something like this:

Over Embellished!!!

There are tons of places to get inspiration for embellishments. A stroll through a trendy shop, like Anthropologie, is a great idea booster. Catalogs and magazines can help too. I personally love copying something from a magazine knowing I can make a good duplicate of their design for way less! I will have a post on that coming soon, I have a super secret squirrel project in the works! You can also browse through other patterns for inspiration. The web is full of endless pictures, websites, and its all free! See, we are thrifty and stylish!

That's it for now folks. Stay safe and I will see ya next post!


Love and Hugs!


Jillie