Sunday, December 10, 2023

Applique, X-Stitch, Crochet

A new project - Fan Flowers
I need to applique a bunch of "flowers" to their backgrounds. 

Fan Flowers is one of many free patterns at Tilda's World. My color scheme is nothing like the pattern. I'm using bits and pieces left over from making a couple of other quilt (tops) - Easy Sunday and Crooked Mile. 

I thought rather than make a template from what was in the pattern I would use my Easy Dresden ruler to cut pieces.  But when I went to pin the "flower" to the background there was too much fabric around the circle area so I put in a few basting stitches and gathered that area up a bit. I think all should be okay when I add my circles to the flowers. 

Then there's my cross stitch  for a biscornu. 

I have found I really don't like working with the Jewel Effects embroidery floss. I have only a couple of colors in my floss stash that I must have picked up on sale or something because I have never used them. It just so happened that one of the colors of jewel effects I have is what is listed for use in this pattern. Oh, (un)lucky me! I started with two strands on the dragonfly body and a needle with a larger eye in order to get through the holes in the fabric without fraying. But the thread kept fraying. When I finally got the dragonfly bodies finished I used one strand for the wings and I found that stitching went a little easier.  But then the 2 thread bodies started to have stitches come undone because evidently I had not anchored the beginning and ending threads enough.   I know I have some Thread Heaven around here from when I used to do a lot of crazy quilting but so far I have not been able to find it in my stitching tins of supplies I use for crazy quilting.   Frustrated, I set the cross stitch aside for a few days. When I picked it back up I decided to work on something other than dragonflies. Then I noticed one of my light purple "flowers" is not in the right place - it is one row off. So...I put it aside again. I need to pick it up again when I don't have so many distractions and can concentrate more on it. 

This is my goal for the top piece of the biscornu. 

In other news...I started crocheting another pair of socks since I was so excited about the last pair I made.  So far it is smooth sailing.  crocheting. 


 

13 comments:

Dorothy said...

Thank you for the link to Tilda's free patterns.
What a rabbit hole/treasure trove !!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

do crochet socks feel thicker and heavier then knit socks? I wonder if they have more the feel of "slipper" socks. The stitching is really pretty I like that butterfly design

Julierose said...

I love your applique on that vibrant background, Cathy!!:))) And I love looking through the Tilda linky--thanks so much! Lots of ideas...
those socks look really comfy--hugs, Julierose

CathieJ said...

What a beautiful quilt. I love the fabrics that you used in that first fan. Some flosses can be so frustrating. I just had to frog some wrongly placed stitches also. I hope you can get back to your stitching soon. I am looking forward to seeing this next pair of crocheted socks.

Deb A said...

I have never seen crocheted socks! Yours look so pretty. The dragonfly's do look pretty, despite all the issues.

Angela said...

I feel your frustration! No cross-stitching for me as every project would be a similar experience to yours!

Linda said...

I’ve never done cross stitch but I have used threads that fray and it’s miserable! Good for you starting another pair of socks.

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I love your Tilda pattern with the Dresden flowers, Cathy! Your colors will make a beautiful quilt. I know what you mean about the fraying floss - it's awful! I tried a silver one to outline a drinking glass and it frayed like crazy, so frustrating. Have fun with your stitching today!

gayle said...

Thanks for the Tilda link! I remember coming across that a while back, but didn't think to bookmark it and could never recall where I'd seen it. (I'm eyeing the fish pattern as a possible RSC block!)
I think I tried that fraying sparkly thread one time and said never again. Sooooo frustrating...

Nann said...

I had to look up biscornu. Both the term and the "fad" are new to me. OTOH, I have heard of Tilda and I like the fans-in-progress!

Jenny said...

Fan Flowers is a very pretty design, I'll have to go and check out the link too. Another pair of crochet socks, looks like you've caught sock making fever!

Kara Kwilts said...

When I used to x-stitch, I would start 2 strands by using 1 thread and taking both ends together and thread them through the eye of the needle. That leaves a loop on the other end, you put the needle through where the 1st stitch goes and you put the needle through the loop and snug it down. It can't come loose. :) Have a great day! Kara

Pamela Arbour said...

I love your applique flowers. It's going to be beautiful. I did go to the website but I didn't see that pattern. That is just as well for me. I will just get my satisfaction from watching your progress. Love your new socks too. Way to go. You have really accomplished a lot lately.