Do you want to have some fun with a mixed-media fabric project? This soft Dia De Los Muertos skull uses discharge paste, fabric paint, embroidery and embellishments – you can use a lot of your toys for this one! Enhance your decor with a small decorative throw pillow or attach a loop to the back and hang it on the wall.
This tutorial assumes you know the basics of cutting stencils and stenciling on fabric. If you need more of an introduction to those skills, see my tutorial “Fun With Stencils”. You’ll need a few very basic sewing and embroidery skills too.
Normally when I’m planning a new craft project, I try not to be too influenced by trends. The new Pearl Ex Chromatic colors however seem to be in harmony with some things going on in the world of fashion, so I decided that bead-making would be a great application for these bold new colors. Bright jewel and metallic tones are perfect for jewelry!
Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments are a versatile pearlized powder that can be added to nearly any artist medium. They need to be mixed with or coated with some kind of binder for permanence. In this project we’ll be rolling the beads in the powder to apply it to the surface of the beads, and then sealing the surface with PearlEx Varnish.
Necklace With Metallic Apple Green Beads
26 inch necklace with clasp with 2 inch wide beaded pendant sporting a 3 ¾ inch silver colored chain tassel. Beads on pendant are made of polymer clay with a Pearl Ex powder coating, sealed with varnish. Chain and findings are recycled from thrift store jewelry.
Necklace With Metallic Sapphire Blue Beads
56 1/4 inch necklace with four segments of metallic blue and gold beads on wire. No clasp, can wear as one long strand like a “flapper” necklace or double the strand. Blue rondelle beads are made of polymer clay with a Pearl Ex powder coating, sealed with varnish. Gold color chain is recycled from thrift store jewelry.