168. Bunny gets a fancy new collar

Inspired by a gorgeous video by @LesleyHanlinArt, I had to try for myself. Join me as we give a hand-painted fabric bunny a touch of elegance with a "fancy new collar." In this project, I’m combining watercolour painting on calico with slow-stitching and ribbon embroidery to create a unique piece for my fabric journal. Learning new things isn't always easy, and I wanted to be real about the struggle in this video. From earlier sketches that looked a bit more "rat-like" than bunny-like, to the nerves of drawing whiskers on a finished piece, I’m sharing the bumps in the creative road. We often see the polished result, but the magic really happens in the trial, error, and the "warming up" of our hands and hearts. Although my attempt at the bunny does not quite do Lesley's tutorial justice, I am so happy with what I learnt. I hope seeing my process, dodgy first attempts and all, gives you the confidence to try something new today! What you’ll learn: *How to prevent lace from fraying using a simple glue trick. *Auditioning different embellishments to find the perfect fit. *A step-by-step tutorial on the woven ribbon rose. *Ideas for turning this bunny into Easter bags, wall hangings, and more. Pop over to see Lesley's watercolour bunny tutorial:    • Paint this easy, no-sketch watercolor bunn...   00:00 Introduction and inspiration 00:30 Reviewing earlier bunny sketches 01:38 Preparing the calico painting 02:08 Designing the lace collar 02:35 Organising fabric scraps and supplies 04:16 Stitching the lace and leaves 05:42 Pro tip: Preventing lace fraying 07:40 Auditioning floral embellishments 11:43 Adding facial details to the bunny 14:35 Tutorial: Creating the woven ribbon rose 19:40 Finishing touches and rose buds 31:56 Final reveal and project ideas #slowstitch #textileart #fabricart #handstitching #embroidery #ribbonroses #bunnyart #mixedmediaart #fabricpainting