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Treasure Island Books

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MONA LISA BROOCH

This was originally a fabric-covered button (possibly silk; it has that
feel) and I cut off the shank in order to treat it like a cabochon, and
around which I stitched glass seed beads. The button/cabochon
measures approximately 1-5/8" across. The completed brooch
measures approximately 2" across.

I first glued it to a stiff interfacing-like fabric known as Timtex (later I
started using Lacy's Stiff Stuff" for this sort of project because it
needles more smoothly without the wispy lint that comes off the
Timtex while stitching). Next, I bead-embroidered one row around
the stone. From there on I stitched what amounted to a tubular
peyote stitch up, around and slightly over the stone. After that, I
went back to the original bead-embroidered row and used the
peyote stitch to stitch outwards.

This very basic stitching pattern is of my own design; note that the
stitching is not a perfect circle but more of a hexagon. The angle of
the photo makes it appear that the frame of beading isn't even but it
is. It has a very slight wave or ruffle effect to it.

I found the button at a specialty fabric store in St. Paul, Minnesota
when Dale and I took a trip there for a chess tournament he played
in a few years ago. Mona's been sitting in my button box just waiting
for me to be inspired.

I've had a thing for the Mona Lisa for a very long time; she's become
the source of many elaborate jokes over the years between me and
my good friend, Phil, and often manifests herself as ephemera and
gifts (see the Mona Lisa Bookmark I made him last Christmas).