Shisha Embroidery

Amazed 25 years ago when a co-worker embellished one of her Folkwear garments with shisha embroidery, I can't imagine why I waited so long to give it a try. There's this great tutorial on the process: Tutorial: Indian Shisha (mirror) Embroidery » Joyful Abode

I've done 8 of them so far and like most other hand work it's been very relaxing. Each one gets better looking. When I had the basic technique down, I found that I didn't like when the stitches were too close together and uniform (oh, there's one of those words that bug me). I experimented, still starting out with the basic technique, but letting go of having perfect stitches. If nothing else, I'll say that I love my mistakes, at least with the adventures in shisha embroidery. Fabrics with a looser weave, such as flannel, have worked better for me. My favorite threads, you ask? Laura's Artfabrik: Extraordinary hand dyed fabric and threads,
DMC #5 perle cottons, and I just picked up a couple of the "Watercolours" 3- ply cotton floss by CARON Collection Threads at our local stitchery shop. The mirrors are from Jo-Anns.






















The photo with the striped fabric in the hoop are mirrors that I hope to embellish a denim vest with. Using one strand each of the Watercolous and DMC Perle has worked very well and is giving me the texture that I crave. My plans are to cut around each one, leaving enough fabric to gather to the backs of the mirrors. Plus, it's more fun sometimes, to look at your little creations when they're sitting in a pretty container just waiting to be incorporated into your artwork. Last fall when I altered those denim jackets (and they were popular), I of course, didn't do one for myself. Jason found the vest in his closet of all places, and now that I've lost some weight, it fits me well.