CQJP2015...ready, set, go!

I'm gathering my fabrics and have my muslin (calico for you girls in the UK and Australia) cut out ready to be pieced.  Beginning January 1st, the challenge begins.  Well over 140 participants will begin putting together a crazy quilt block and will finish it embellishments and all, by the end of the month. And then we'll do it again in Feb...Mar...all thru the entire 12 months of 2015!  This is a personal challenge headed up by Kathy Shaw so that we can challenge ourselves to improve our skills. 

Hopefully, I'll actually get some skills because right now I'm sorely lacking. I've re-viewed Allie Allerton's craftsy class on crazy quilting, and dusted off my Judith Baker Montano DVD so that I don't feel so nervous.   I'm very much looking forward to this year long challenge and will post the pictures on this blog.   

Ribbon Embroidery Stumpwork Sampler

This is excitement! For the last several months I've been gathering the supplies I needed to work Di Van Niekerk's beautiful RES Sampler and am finally beginning work!  

There are several pieces that  Di Van Niekerk offers to get started on her RES Sampler, and as I am fairly new to ribbon embroidery and brand new to stumpwork and always like to have as much help as I can get, I bought the first of the DVDs (which covers how to do the first 4 panels on the sampler), the RES book, the panel itself and the starter kit.  This is the sampler itself. Isn't it pretty? 

 

And here are a few other goodies. The 1st DVD pictured below can be bought at Amazon. Well, actually all 3 of the DVDs and the book can be bought at Amazon, I just chose to buy the 1st DVD, first.  Also pictured are two of the 2 mm handpainted silk ribbons and one of the 100% pure hand dyed stranded silk (Au Ver A Soir) imported from France that go in the kit.  Many other silks, cottons and overdyed threads, along with handpainted ribbons are included in the kit. 

Di has many outlets world-wide where you can buy her kits and individual supplies, books, panels, etc, but I chose to order directly from her. She is in South Africa, but it was easy as pie to order from her. She and Renn (her trusty side-kick sister-in-law) are both so personable, and their customer service is second to none. I had a few questions (well, more than a few) but they always responded quickly and were so very helpful. 

After securing an inexpensive set of stretcher bars (I really want the Evertites but have to save up for them), I set to work and without too much trouble was able to stretch the panel on the bars and begin.

Below is a pic of the lavender, with stems and flowers finished - got to do the leaves and grass next! 

 Before I got the stretcher bars I tried my hand at the stumpwork hydrangeas in the same panel. I'm the world's worst at French Knots but after doing a few dozen I'm finally getting the hang of it.  These little guys are worked on a separate plain cotton cloth and will be cut out of the back cloth, gathered and attached to the hydrangeas on the panel.  Don't worry, Di explains in the DVD and the book exactly how to do that.   This is how you begin: 

Looks funny doesn't it? But all you do is make heaps of French Knots and then make a running stitch around them, cut them out and pull the threads of the running stitch to gather them up into plump little flower heads, then attach to the panel. I'll take more pics to share with you as I do that.  I have to make several more hydrangea heads before I'm to that point though. 

This RES sampler is a very good one for beginners. Di has many more samplers and beautiful works to be completed on her site, though so please wander around her site - it's a feast for the eyes. I'm sure you'll find several somethings you just have to have! 

If you're new like me, I don't think you'll have any trouble following Di's instructions. For a glimpse of her style, go to Youtube and search for Di Van Niekerk - you'll find lots of short videos on how to do many of the stitches on this panel. 

See you all soon and in the meanwhile, happy stitching!

Rewarding you all for your patience, I thought you might like to download a freebie for use in your crazy quilts or altered art projects.  I think this pic of a beautiful girl with violets is so lush! 

It is compliments of Lorraine at Over the Rainebeau.  Thank you Lorraine! 

Hello friends,

It's been just shy of two years since the last time I posted. I lost my husband in October, 2011 and only now feeling up to stitching and blogging.

I see that Blogger dot com has changed things around a little bit and I'll need to get used to that but my blog never looked as good as I wanted it to anyway - so hopefully the changes will be for the better.

Hope to see you all soon, with a picture of something I've stitched. In the meanwhile, you can look at my dog ;)  who is pretending to be a giant knick knack sitting on my end table.

Connie's having a Give Away!

We all love those give aways, and the bloggers & crafters who offer them.

Rush over to http://cwkalina.blogspot.com where you'll not only find information about how to win these fabulous goodies, but also enjoy the great eye candy on Connie's blog.

Baby blanket

Just when I was establishing a comfort zone, I've broken away from it. The first baby boy our family has expected in 57 years will be born to my eldest niece in August, so as a first-time great-aunt I felt it was my duty and pleasure to make him a baby blanket.

I was inspired by a wonderful Australian needlework magazine aptly named Inspirations. A photo of my hand-traced pattern for the needlework is shown . The instructions call for using long and short stitch on the bears but because I have no experience with those stitches I decided to needle punch the bears. I did manage to do the long and short stitch on the boy bear's t-shirt and I've started the cupcake. The hibiscus flowers are a pinwheel buttonhole stitch. I have a long way to go. Good thing Baby isn't arriving til August!

Back to CQ'ing!

I finally found the nerve to play with color. Well, I guess perhaps it's not that nerve-y, for most, but admittedly I am still afraid of my block and the use of color. With good reason - on another seam on this same block I stitched some red lazy daisies which turned out a bit...erm, 'out there' shall we say?

Here I laid down a gold ribbon with a green cast to it and a perle size 5 thread called Color Variations Monet's Garden by DMC. I made tiny running stitches between the gold embroidered shapes in the ribbon.

When I've figured out what to do about those bright red, too large lazy daisies, I'll share ;).

I 've also finished piecing my 2nd (ever) block. I ran into
a bit of a quandary on this block because one of the pieces is too large. Not having a piece of fabric that would do for that corner, I decided to use one of my doilies to off-set it. I'm hoping once the block is embellished, it will look like that was the plan from the beginning.

Bronny

I have been practicing my stitches but don't have pics to show you yet, so I think this is a good time to introduce you to my furrbaby. This is Bronwyn, aka Bronny the Bonnie lil Lass, Beazie, Puppy Face and apparently 'Blue' as well because I just said the word 'blue' to the DH and she came running. Bronny is a red-headed tri-color Pembroke Welsh Corgi and she'll be 3 years old in May. She was born at T-bar Kennels in Prague, OK and is our 4th Corgi. My first corgi was a rescue named Bingo but I changed her name to Angharad (Annie) and she liked that much better. After all, a Welsh dog needs a Welsh name! She, too, was a red-headed tri. Our second corgi was Andrew, aka Drewie the Magnificent Corgi (a lovely sable), and our 3rd corgi was a foster Cardigan when we lived in Australia. She was a beautiful Blue Merle named Lara. When we moved back to the US life was no good without the thumpity-thump of a fat little corgi feet, so we got Bronny when she was 9 weeks old.

See the shawl like pattern coming around her shoulders toward her chest? Welsh folklore has it that those are the reins by which the fairies hold on when they ride the backs of the corgis. The black saddle on the backs of the tris and sables are the reason why I love the bold colored corgis best. The reds are pretty, but I adore the bold colors! Oh - please don't think badly of me for having her chained up - it was only to take her photo. She's a little escape artist so I had to secure her or these photos would have been of her bunny bum heading into the wide blue yonder.

Whooo hoo, new stash stuff!

Any crafter knows the delight of opening a package with new goodies in it. Today I received my order from Joann's and first thing I did was scan it to prove to you I really CAN use other colors than purple, lol. Well, I haven't used them yet but at least I bought them and I will use them on the new block I'm piecing. I promised you that you wouldn't have to look at purple forever and I intend to keep that promise ;)

I also bought bought 2 yards of muslin, much needed Chenille needles (sizes 18 and 22) and a set of looped needle threaders. Not sure how these work - I'll let you know. I decided to try these because I have a hard time handling the typical sized needle threaders. They are so light my fingers can't feel them and my eyes are not good enough to thread the needle threader....doh! But - such is life and we have to figure out a way around these obstacles.

I'm still looking for friends who are new to embroidery. I seem to have two types of friends - those who don't embroider at all, and those who have been doing it for many years. It'd be fun to have someone to share the trials and tribulations with.

Thanks for stopping by,

Di

My block is becoming a sampler

My block has no real rhyme nor reason to it but as it's my first block and I need to learn to embroider and embellish, I suppose it doesn't really matter. Just sort of wish I'd followed MamaDi's suggestion to use less lavish fabrics. It would have been easier and cheaper to use cottons. Here are a few of the stitches I've applied to it recently:

Top photo: From upper right-hand corner: Silk Ribbon Embroidery white spider's web rose and pulled ribbon floss; lower down on the right of the basket is a meandering chain stitch and above that is a double chain stitch, fly stitches (in green) on the vertical seam above that and to the left of them is a free style combination of detached chain, lazy daisy and straight plus back stitches and above that are fly stitches.

Bottom photo: Upper right at top-Fly stitch, variety of straight and detached chain stitches, straight and fly stitches in metallic (this is supposed to be a spider's web...guess I better practice more!), then a basket of fuschias in silk ribbon embroidery, a few French and Colonial knots around it. To the left of the basket on the bottom is an interlaced running stitch (using pearl cotton and ribbon floss) with beads; and above that the tete-de-bouef stitch.

As I was doing these stitches I started hankering for more thread colors so I took advantage of a great sale at Joann's and ordered a really big variety. You won't have to look at purple/purple and purple much longer. ;) I already have many 6 strand cotton flosses and overdyed 6 strands but I love the ease of using the pearls. It's easier to wield the larger needles thicker threads with my arthritic hands. They (the hands) just don't want to work with the smaller gauge threads...matter of fact, I can't even 'feel' them between my fingers.

I hope if you're new at embroidery and crazy quilting that you will join me in not giving up when things don't look as splendid as you'd hoped. We just need to keep practicing!

Til another stitch,

Di

Heart with Silk Ribbon Embroidery

This is my first attempt at silk ribbon embroidery. I've scanned the heart cushion and squished the flowers but this will give you an idea of what I've been doing.

I find silk ribbon embroidery more forgiving as a newbie embroiderer but am determined to learn to do both, well.

I used a combination of silk ribbons from Ribbonsmyth, Hand-dyed-fibers.com and Bucilla. Mostly utilizing the 4 mm width, which I find easiest to control so far.

And finally....back to it!

A few days after my post in November 2009, my husband fell ill, first with pneumonia then his lung collapsed twice. He has only one lung, so this was extremely serious. He was hospitalized for extended stays 3 times from Thanksgiving week '09 thru May '10. He's doing much better now and I'm finally able to get back to learning CQ and embroidery. I am so glad to get back to it. I'm not as afraid of the fabrics and silks, and threads as I was before. Maybe because I faced the most trying time of my life these last few months and now I know I can handle just about anything, LOL

For Valentine's Day I made a heart shaped cushion for my mother, on which I did a bit of silk ribbon embroidery. I can't show a photo of it because I don't have a camera and I can't figure out how to scan it to my laptop. My desktop computer has a virus (sigh, it's always somethin').

Some of the stitches I learned on Youtube. If you go to Youtube.com and search for 'silk ribbon embroidery' or 'how to make a silk ribbon rose' and use search phrases like that, you'll find a huge amount of helpful tutorials.

My needles are calling my name....

I been a bad-bad girl

It's been so long since I had a chance to blog I bet you all gave up on me.

I'm still unpacking from an interstate move and to boot I've been without a computer for a couple months. I moved back to my hometown after about 40 years away. It's wonderful to be back. My family have all moved away except for one cousin and one aunt but I have many dear friends here.

I'm looking forward to getting out my needles, 'freds' and stash to get going on my little project again. I have so much to catch up on, but happily the winters here are long (just how I like them) and I can stitch to my heart's content while the snow blows around outside.

I've joined a class sponsored by CQ International Novice division. It's entitled CQ A to Z and I really am really looking forward to it. Lots to look forward to!

A dear friend sent me an issue of Inspirations magazine quite some time back and I'm only now having the time to peruse it. If you're not familiar with Inspirations, it's an Australian publication on embroidery. To die for! Thank you Susan :) it truly is inspiring.

Til next time ~
Ciao,
Di

Mid-July and a stitch or two

Time flies by sometimes. It's been almost a month since I posted last, and the photos from last month remind me that I haven't gotten much done on my block. Gardening and painting the porch and shutters has kept me busy during the day and I can't see well enough at night to stitch, even by good lamplight, but here are 3 photos of what I have gotten done.

The far right top photo is my first attempt at the Knotted Herringbone stitch. This stitch was week #29 of the weekly "Build a Seam" challenge that Kerry at http://kerrykatiecakes2.blogspot.com/ . Check out her blog if you haven't yet. You'll learn lots of great stitches! You can join from the first stitch, in the middle or start at the end - it's just for yourself - so have fun with it.

Week #30 was the "Meandering Ribbon" challenge, which you also see on my block (pink and lavender ribbon with glass iridescent leaf beads). That challenge was to make a ribbon just meander along a seam.

To be honest, I am waiting impatiently for winter. It's too hot, too humid and too buggy for me in the south in the summer. I want to curl up in my chair with my stitching and home made soup simmering on the stove-top. We have a/c but it's not the same. I need it cold and blowing outside. It won't get cold here until about November :(.

So to those of you, who like me are in the minority, and love winter - hang tough this summer.

Ciao,

Di

First stitches on block

Detail of Silk Organza Rose

I finally got the gumption to put needle to block. I admit I practiced stitches for quite some time before getting the nerve! However, I practiced with a hoop and I didn't use one when I stitched this Woven Ribbon Rose on the block. Apparently this is also known as a spider web rose but I detest spiders and they are the death knell to my real roses, so for me, it's a woven rose. These are also my first leaves ever. It is looking scanty because I have many more details to add to the area around the rose - and of course the rest of the block is nekkid, for now. It looks a little better in reality, honest!

Not the greatest, but the best I can do so far. Practice, practice, practice....

I've managed - barely!

Sigh!

It's been a busy last few weeks for me and I have to admit I'm a bit discouraged about how far I've come (or not come!) in learning to embroider.

After as much practice as I could squeeze in, these are the only two accomplishments I'm not too terribly embarrassed to post. Both of these stitches are probably the easiest thing to do. The upper left hand scan is the Woven Rose (on muslin) and in the upper right hand is the Herringbone combined with the Running Stitch (ditto). It's a bit crookedy! But I had to show you something to prove I'm still alive, LOL.





My mentor, Diane, advised me to photograph or scan the blocks and stitches as I go along because photos and scans have a critical eye. It's really true and if anyone reading this is brand new at CQ or embroidery, like I am, I suggest you follow Diane's advice. For instance, on my Herringbone/Running stitch, I didn't realize, until I saw the scan, that it's a bit crooked and my stitches at the top were getting shorter, or going 'downhill' as it were.









The rose and the herringbone are the good news. Scary, huh?





Again, this is not to scare anyone off CQ'ing. If anything, it's to encourage you especially if you are new and getting discouraged about your progress. I know it gets me a bit down sometimes when I'm surrounded by beautiful work that I cannot manage to emulate at all. Check out all the blogs by beautiful stitchers and you'll see what I mean. But you'll also see such inspiring eye candy! I often wish I could find someone who is where I am - a non-sewing, non-embroidering person who doesn't even understand (or have) a sewing machine. If you're out there, I'd love to hear from you. Maybe we can trade war stories ;)





Diane and Leslie have bent over backwards to help me; Susan and Rose Anne have been so supportive and encouraging of me - I'd like to thank you all.





Lately I've been painting (no, not artistic painting unless you call a 3" brush applied to shutters and the porch artistic!) and trying to get things done before the onslaught of summer. It's very hot, and very humid and not in the least conducive to strenuous outdoor work in summertime middle Tennessee where I live. So, it's hurry, hurry, hurry to get it done.





Our small garden is planted with tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers and zucchini. I'm not much of a veggie gardener, but my roses are blooming and the peonies were really showy this year. Wish I had a camera - would have loved to show them off to you! My lavender plant that I thought I'd lost over winter is sending up new green and even some flowers, so I'm tickled about that.





And that's what I've been up to! Doesn't sound like much but it's worn me out. Getting a bit long in the tooth to be learning new tricks methinks!





Here is one final picture. I ran across it the other day. It was hiding in my old files dating back to when I owned The Age of Elegance in Clearwater, Florida. These are the original Body Parfaits, an extra light body cream best for summertime or oily skin. The story behind these Body Parfaits is interesting. They are very 'big' among handmade body product makers. I actually am the person who invented them and my best friend Karen came up with the name. It took me years to improve my recipe. Before I was able to trademark it, a supplier of some of the ingredients I used to make my Body Parfaits from scratch asked me one day how I made them. I confused her with my village priest I guess, and I told her assuming she wouldn't 'share' my method. But she did - at a soaper's convention. This was many years ago - probably about 8 or 9 years now I guess... Anyway, the soaper's conventions draw many soapers and she wanted to sell her ingredients. Soaper's conventions always have demonstrations. She 'demonstrated' not only my parfait but also the name and now so many people make the Body Parfaits that I still think about the loss at my one shot of fame, LOL. She probably made a pretty penny selling the ingredients for the Body Parfait but she also substituted chemicals for the basic structure I used. I asked her nicely to discontinue using my name but she ignored me. That's a pretty big thing in my book. But she's out of business and has been for at least 4 years. Karma.

See you soon - with more (and better) stitches I hope!

Finally - My First Block is Pieced!

This is the middle portion of my first Crazy Quilt block (can't get it all on the scanner). As yet it's not embellished. The photo above shows what is called 'auditioning'. I have placed the green floral braid and the lavender silk flower on the block to see how I like the effect before I sew them down.

As I learn to embroider and make my own silk flowers, I'll be adding alot to this block. This particular block was done in satins, silks and velvets. As you can see - in the purple 'colorway' (a fancy way of saying 'all in purples and hues of purples'.)

If you are interested in learning to Crazy Quilt, don't be put off by how long it takes me to accomplish piecing and learning. I have a few obligations that keep me from getting to it as often as I'd like to and you would probably get it done much faster. It is really fun and very satisfying!

Ciao, Di

And more gifts! This time from Stash Angel Rose Anne

Fabric & Trims from

Stash Angel

Rose Anne of Winnipeg, Manitoba

What a delightful surprise awaited me in my mailbox again today! I am truly blessed with the most generous new friends since joining the Crazy Quilting world!

Above is a scan of a few of the beautiful fabrics Rose Anne sent me as a gift and below is a scan of the trims she sent me to help me get started in this new (to me) craft. I'm not very good at scanning and have yet to figure out how to make some satins and pale fabrics come out nicely on the scanner, so you'll have to trust me when I say the fabrics I couldn't scan are to die for.

I'm particularly tickled over the beautiful threads and tatted motifs because those are the first I've ever owned. Just like when Connie sent me my first beads, when I saw those threads and motifs I was so touched!

I can't wait to use everything as I learn to crazy quilt.

Thank you Rose Anne!

~ Di

Stash Angel - Gifts from the heart

Thank you Angel Connie for the lovely Stash goodies!

Been super duper busy the last few weeks doing Spring cleaning and haven't gotten much fun stuff done so have been feeling the weight of the domestic goddess routine! But the other day a wonderful suprise came in my mailbox and I wanted to share with you.

I belong to a group that fosters mentors and apprentices in the needle arts. The group also has a designated area of ladies called Stash Angels. Anyone who's just started out in a craft knows what it is to need stash. It takes a long time and a more than a few cents to gather up a working stash; so these ladies just send stash items to newbies like me!

Isn't it really wonderful that there are people in the world who care about a stranger having enough 'goodies' to get started in a new craft?

This entire group of ladies, from the Stash Angels to the Mentors to the Apprentices are loving, giving and so very generous with their time, their friendship and yes....their STASH!

I don't have a digital camera anymore but am going to attempt to load up a scan or two of the goodies I received from Connie, my Stash Angel. The scans don't do these beautiful trims, beads and fabrics justice, and there was much more that I could not get onto my scanner bed, but I still want to show you what I received. Cannot wait to use them!

If you are interested in learning to crazy quilt, embellish and/or embroider; or already know how but want to join a really fun group of crazy ladies, look for us on Yahoo Groups. We're "Stitchmap"! We'd love to meet you!

Di

Lovely mentor!

A mutual online friend (S) found a wonderful woman to mentor me through the CQ process.

I'm thrilled to pieces. She's a lovely lady, very interesting and very talented. And apparently very patient.

So, D~ you know who you are - thank you so much. I look forward to a long friendship and appreciate your guiding me through the process. I promise to work hard and will try to do you proud!

And thank you too, S! I owe you big time for sending D to me! For now, I'm posting a photo of a double rainbow. This was taken in South Australia from my front porch right after a big rain storm. The river you see is the River Murray, which is THE river in South Australia. It's down a 300 foot cliff from the house. I sure miss that view!

Ciao for now ~ Di