Dragon

Dragon Ornament

his Dragon ornament is the ideal gift for the fantasy lovers on your holiday list. This keepsake is carefully handcrafted from repurposed and recycled materials. Create memories with your loved ones as you decorate the Christmas Tree together. Even more, celebrate birthdays and other occasions with these darling and whimsical Dragon collectibles. Hang them from the tree or set them on the mantle to add a splash of magic to your décor!

A Childhood Memory

I remember my twin-sister and I spending many afternoons with my grandmother in her sewing room. While grandma would sit at her old black Singer, we would go through her basket of fabric remnants, picking out our favorite fabrics for making doll clothes. Afterwards, we would sit on the bed with scissors, an assortment of colored threads, a large pincushion and our dolls. Then, we would spend hours sewing pieces of materials by hand, making skirts and tops. Although, we would lose our intense concentration as we would smell the delicious “merienda.” In between sewing perfectly straight seams with her black Singer, grandma would check on our progress. Then, she would compliment our kid-hand-sewn seams. Moreover, grandma would help us cut the right pattern for whatever outfit we, young fashion designers in the making, had dreamed of. Those were magical afternoons at grandma’s house that still influence me today.

Dragon Ornament Design Process

In designing the Dragon, my first decision was whether to give him a fierce expression or a more friendly one. In the end, I opted towards a friendlier temperament. With that settled, I started designing his body which proved to be exceedingly difficult. I lost count of the number of prototypes I had to sew before arriving at the right shape and expression.

The Inspiration Spark

I had the inspiration to create this collection when I encountered a stretchy material with a print of shiny scales. Now, a stretchy material is good when turning the sewn material ‘inside in.’ But when stuffing the dragon, the stretchy nature of the material becomes a hindrance. Because if you stuff it too much or the stuffing balls up, the desired shape may be lost. I tried many different types of interface to minimize the shape distortion. I ended up with an interface that I could affix to the material and still turn it ‘inside in’ with ease.

The Making of the Dragon Ornament

Given the miniature scale of the dragon, I did most of the sewing by hand. I sew very tiny stitches, about 1/16” long each, that are very close together. This was necessary since I had to stuff the dragon. As you can imagine, this was a painstaking task. Incidentally, hand-sewing the Dragon evoked a dear childhood memory. I was immediately transported to my grandmother’s sewing room sitting by her side learning how to sew by hand.

Dragon had to have wings, so I designed its wings like those of bats. I selected shiny materials, some with scaly patterns. Subsequently, I made the wings with an extra thick interface to achieve the rigidity I needed. Thankfully, I was able to use the sewing machine to sew the wings. Next, I figured that all dragons must have horns. Thus, I hand-molded the horns with bake-clay. I hand-embroidered his facial features, besides his eyebrows, which I made from stiffened felt. To complete his character, I gave him fire to make sure he could fly!

Dedication

Even though I am unsure whether grandma believed in dragons, I dedicate the Dragon ornaments to her. Without her sewing lessons, I would have never been able to create him!

Specifications

Year Designed

2018

Size

Actual size may vary, approximately 4.0” x 4.0” x 4.0”

Materials

Fabric, cardboard, sequins, glass beads, bake-clay, cellophane, paper, synthetic stuffing, faux-fur, felt.

Note:  Given the handmade nature of the ornament, all ornaments are different.  The pictures depict just one sample of the ornament.