Collections
Main Index 

Requirements
" Small sized Illuminations stamp
" Piece of silk viscose velvet (hand dyed)
" Illuminations metallic thread
" Beads
" Beading needle
" Sewing machine
" Lumiere or Luminarte Polished Pigments mixed with Matisse Gel Medium
" Glue stick
" Craft felt
" Hat pin/ brooch pin
" Wooden board
" Iron
" Baking Paper
" Piece of decorative backing fabric, ( can be painted)
" Foam wedge brush

Method
If using Polished Pigments for embossing, mix a small amount into a dab of Matissed Gel Medium until you are happy with the colour intensity. I used Yellow Rose for mine. Otherwise Lumiere metallic paint will work just as well.

Preheat your iron to a cotton setting, place your stamp onto wooden board and using the foam brush carefully dab the paint onto its surface. Be careful to apply paint only to the raised area of the stamp. Lay your piece of velvet, pile side down, onto the stamp and place baking paper over the top. Put your iron directly onto the velvet covered stamp. Hold still for a moment then applying minimal pressure move the iron so to prevent marks from the iron itself embossing the velvet. Lift your iron and you should be able to see the outline of the embossed image showing through the velvet. You will not harm the stamp with heat from the iron as they are made at industrial temperatures and will not melt under the iron. Gently peel the velvet from the stamp. Try to peel in the direction the pile is facing.

Cut around the embossed velvet leaving a margin. Using a glue stick, dab onto a piece of felt and stick image to it. Do the same for the backing fabric to the other side of felt. You now have a sandwich of velvet, felt and backing. Stitch around the embossed image on the edge of the stamped square and trim away leaving a border of 2mm or 1/8 inch excess. Switch to zigzag and stitch around the square several times using the metallic thread to cover the raw edges. Stitch beads around for decoration.

I didn't have a bead that was the right colour for my brooch so I coloured one with Treasure Gold and a gold Krylon pen. Place a small bead and larger bead onto the hat pin and then thread the embossed square through its centre ( through the felt) so you cannot see the pin from either side. It should be firmly on as not to require crimping to hold in place. If not, use a crimp to hold in place. ( a crimp is like a small metal bead that slides onto wire and is squashed to prevent beads from slipping out of place on jewellery.) Available from any place you buy beads.