Katie Strachan's Modern Casket Toy Winner

You may have remembered Katie Strachan's amazing beaded basket entries and she has again outdone herself!  Winning the 1st place prize in the modern category for her flat casket insert (goes in the bottom under the tray) with toys inside.  It is just amazing!!  I want to hold and look at all the toys and then you realize that the top of the box is worked in so many techniques as well as the inside of the lid!  Can you believe it!!  One can't wait to see the box this will go with!

Inspiration - by Katie Strachan

I had too many ideas for casket toys, so I blended them all together.  These are inspired by some of my favorite historical smalls.  The overall form is inspired by a 17th century needlework pillow, with tiered tassels decorating each corner.  The design for the lid is inspired by a favorite sweet bag, but rendered in autumn colors.  The interior lid is a version of a lovely glove gauntlet from Seligman's Domestic Needlework, depicting a heraldic garden.  The three smalls are a heart purse 

(also in Domestic Needlework), a frog purse, and a needlecase inspired by this fob in the Met.

Technique - by Katie Strachan

The box is made of mat board, and the top is padded with wool roving.  I cut, papered, and covered every piece, thought it would never end.  The top has needlelace, counted thread work, right angle weave beaded leaves, and stems made with plaited braid stitch/expanded bullion over silk wrapped wire. The heart is made with a shaped paperclay form so that it comes smoothly together - something I learned from doing the frog.  He is a flat piece padded out with felt, which makes for bulky edges.  The purse form is hollow so there's a little cavity inside to put a threadwinder (or a pair of lacet gloves?).  The needlecase is a wood form covered with paper and then detached buttonhole (soie perlee with a gilt tambour return).  I made fly fringe, a kumihimo braid, and then attached beads.  If anyone can figure out how the braid is made on the Met's fob, please let me know!