This weekend I thought I’d try decorating myself with embroidery. Here is my kantha embroidery hair barrette:
It’s metallic gold thread on black cotton sateen so it’s actually fairly shiny, though that’s hard to photograph.
Even harder is photographing the back of my head (I didn’t have a friend nearby when writing this post).
To make it, I started with a plain hair barrette from Joann’s.
I traced the shape onto my fabric, and worked a flower in kantha embroidery (a traditional Indian embroidery based around running stitch).
It really shines in the sun – very pretty.
I cut the shape out with a little extra fabric around the edges, and sewed it onto the barrette over a little bit of batting for padding. I did a terrible job sewing it – it’s a mess on the back – but it doesn’t show and next time I will do better. Anybody got suggestions for the best way to attach it?
I think it came out quite lovely, and I hope it inspires some of y’all.
embroidery for ducks 
Looks cute!Why don’t you try fabric glue?
might try it on the next one
It looks just lovely in your hair!
thanks! I think I’d like to make some more – the ones in the store are so boring.
You can buy barrette fitments which you can attach to your work when you’ve finished it. Mount the embroidery on card, cover the overlap with felt and then glue or sew the fitting to the felt.
now that sounds easier than fiddling with the whole barrette.