I began by making a design for the lid. I contained a glass rivoli with seed beads and sewed this onto a firm Vilene base. The next step was to manipulate and sew strands of Soutache (Russian Braid) in a swirling pattern incorporating more beads. The biggest problem was keeping the work symmetrical.
The completed pattern was sewn to green cotton fabric, mounted onto an oval shape which was later attached to the lid. Work on the sides had to be accurately sewn in place before being added to the base. Oh why do I make things difficult with more symmetry?