Soft as silk

Create Lisa Steed Davey's luxurious floral jewellery with traditional Japanese techniques

Lisa Steed Davey, MJ Designer

Use scrap fabric to practise making the flowers beforehand. When you are happy with how they look, then use your expensive silk

Tsumani Kanzashi is the Japanese art of making fabric flowers to be fastened in the hair which have been traditionally worn by Geisha for over 200 years. Tsumani translates as pinching squares of fabric into formed shapes, and Kanzashi means hairpin. There are many ways to form the petals and this project uses one of the simplest methods to create the blooms adorning this glamorous pink and black boudoir-style set.

Flowers

1. To make up each flower, cut six squares in the size and fabric required. Take a square and fold diagonally in half (Fig. 1). Fold one corner down to form another triangle (Fig. 2), then repeat for the opposite corner (Fig. 3). Fold both middle points across on either side of the triangle, rather like folding an aeroplane (Fig. 4), then put a pin in the middle and cut the tail away where shown in the diagram (Fig. 5) to form a petal.
2. Repeat for the remaining five squares. Once you have made them all up, thread the petals together and tie together in a ring. Ease each petal around so you are happy with the shape, then stitch in place on the reverse to secure and take out the pins. Finally, sew a cover button in the centre of the flower to complete.

Bib Necklace

1. Following the instructions above, make up the following size and style of flower: 6.5cm squares of pink spotty fabric, with a 23mm cover button in pale pink silk topped with black net. 10.4cm squares of dusky pink silk dupion topped with black net, with a 29mm cover button in pink spotty fabric. 10.4cm squares of pink spotty fabric, with a 29mm cover button in dusky pink dupion with black net on top. 8cm squares of pale pink silk with a 23mm cover button in pink spotty fabric.
2. In addition, make up a 38mm cover button with dusky pink silk and black net on top, plus two 23mm cover buttons in pink spotty fabric. To form a base for the flowers, print and cut out the collar pattern provided on our website. Draw around the template on dusky pink silk and cut two collar shapes out. Sew around the two curved edges, leaving the ends open then cut notches into the curves as shown on the collar diagram, so they give a nice smooth line when turned through.
3. Turn the collar through with a loop turner by putting it in one of the open ends, then pulling it out of the other, and press with an iron. Cut two long strips of silk on the bias, measuring 4cm wide. Fold in half lengthways and using a 1cm seam, sew down the long edge, turn through and iron. Place a silk strip inside the gap at one end of the collar, along with a matching length of pink organza ribbon, then turn in the raw edges and top stitch in place. Repeat for the other end of the bib.
4. Sew each of the flowers onto the collar in the following order; 8cm pink flower close to the left-hand side, followed by the 10.4cm pink spotty flower and the 10.4cm pink silk and black net flower next to the centre point of the bib. Add the 6.5cm pink spotty flower on the other side. Do not worry about sewing through the two layers of silk as you will cover all your stitch work afterwards.
5. Sew a 23mm pink spotty button at the right-hand side of the collar, followed by the 38mm black net button and the other 23mm pink spotty button. Fill in the gaps around the flowers by sewing on black seed beads and black pearls. Tie 10cm lengths of pink and black organza ribbon into knots in the middle, then stitch around the cover buttons. Finally, cut a piece of pink felt, using the template provided on our website and sew onto the reverse of the bib to cover the stitching.

Bracelet

1. Make up a 6.5cm flower in pale pink silk, plus a 15mm cover button with pink silk and black net over the top. Attach the cover button to the centre of the flower, then sew black seeds in between each petal. Cut out a piece of pink silk and another of black net, both large enough to cover a 29mm cover button. Layer the net onto the silk then sew on the flower in the middle.
2. Place the fabric and flower on the cover button so the flower sits on top. Before assembling the button, place a length of black organza and pink satin ribbon inside, both long enough to fit your wrist, then clip on the back plate and cover with a circle of pink silk. Attach ribbon ends to the bracelet, then add a jump ring and magnetic clasp.

Earrings

1. Cover two 23mm cover buttons in pink silk with black net on top. Sew three tassels of black beads on each so they hang down in the following order. Middle tassel, seven petite black seeds, three larger black seeds, one black pearl, three larger black seeds then one petite seed. Sew back through the beads until you get to the button.
2. On either side of the central tassel, sew the following beads: five petite black seeds, two larger seeds, one pearl, two larger seeds and a petite seed, then sew back through the beads up to the button.
3. Glue a disc connector to the reverse of the button, in line with and opposite the longest tassel, then cover with a piece of matching fabric. Attach a jump ring and earwire to the connector then tie on a short length of black organza ribbon. Repeat to make a pair.