Brown

 I finished my work on Beth's block for the Brown Color Study RR hosted on CQ4Newbies Yahoo Group.
I added the buttonhole/french knot seam, feather stitch w/ bullion seam, bullion roses/leaves, big ribbon rose with button/bead center and leaf...

 and I added a crocheted basket full of bullions, beads and sequins.

 I just remembered I did not blog about my work on Ruby's block that came before Beths. I added branches and leaves, half buttonhole wheels...

 ...feather stitch w/ ribbon flowers...

...seam with bead flowers and teddy bear button.   I also added a crochet basket of flowers to Ruby's block but don't see that I have that picture handy.

All the stitching/embellishments are supposed to be brown in this RR. I think this Brown RR has been one of the best colors to study so far.

Flitting...Part II (or Those Crazy WIPs)

Yesterday I posted about how I flit from project to project. That was only the sane quilting projects. What follows are two crazy quilt WIPS. I have to say I may flit about quite a bit but  I usually do finish all the projects I start. Now I'm working so much overtime that I hardly have time to do anything. 

 This is my August block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012. The object of the project is to complete a CQ block per month.  My blocks are for a lap quilt and it's called Crazy Basket Case. I've used mostly red and white, included one or two baskets per block, and all has to be washable. Plus I've tried very hard to make each seam on each block unique.

 And in no particular order here's my Crazy Basket Case lap quilt so far. It's on my design floor since I don't have a design wall.

 This is one of my Midnight Fantasy Glow in the Dark blocks. I showed this one last time. Since then I decided to use a couple of strands of skin toned DMC to fill in the gnome's face, hands and ears since his features got lost if I just left those areas black like the background. I also finished my fluorescent green praying mantis. I tried some boucle thread and made a few lazy daisies down by Mr. Gnome's feet. I found that the thread frayed a bit and broke off so will use shorter lengths of thread next time. I do like the bumpy look of the thread. I've also used glow in the dark thread to make some leaves over on that butterfly fabric. I'm working up enough courage to start on some stumpwork mushrooms that will go in some of that blank area where that flowery fabric is. I've read the directions over and over and over and over and over again. Maybe this weekend I will actually start on them. There will also be a few stumpwork butterflies on that butterfly fabric.

 This is another block for my Midnight Fantasy Glow-in-the-Dark Garden. I stitched the fairy riding the dragonfly in the middle and the rest of the block was stitched on by 4 other ladies in a Butterfly and Dragonfly RR over on the Crazy Quilting International Yahoo Group. Someone remarked in my booklet that it looked like a Pink Floyd Block. Anyway, all the ladies added their magic but nothing glows in the dark so I will probably fill in more on this block to add my own touches too.

 Here is another block for my Garden that just returned home from a different RR actually themed Midnight Fantasy Garden. I stitched the fairy in the middle. The teddy bear was added by one of the talented ladies.  I took off a few of the plastic trinkets and premade flower sthat were added during the RR and will again fill in with a few glowing stitches/items of my own.

And here is how all 5 of the blocks (out of 12?) look so far. They are all WIPs within WIPs. Nothing is planned. I use my left brain at work all day so like to use my right brain at home. And sometimes I just don't feel like using my brain at all.

I'm linking up at Connie's Quilting by the River Linky Party and at Sharon's WIP Wednesday where you can see what everyone else in blog land is working on.

Tale of Two RRs

This is the final block I need to work on for the Fool's Goldwork RR hosted at CQI Yahoo Group. Wendy requested a peacock theme and so here's my peacock. I cut the peacock from gold ribbon, and padded it with felt. I then trimmed the body/feather with gold trim. Rest of body was stitched with 3 different gold threads.

Before I added the peacock I had embellished all the seams with treatments of white (or was it ecru?) perle #8. It would have bothered me if those seams were bare but I also didn't want them to detract from the peacock.  The bottom of the block has some other chicken peacock scratch stitched with various gold threads and beads. I added a butterfly also cut from gold colored organza ribbon and trimmed in gold threads to break up the white space but it occurred to me after I was finished that the butterfly is as big as the peacock and it reminded me of those old Japanese movies where two giant creatures fight each other. Who would win? Butterfly or peacock. Ah, my mind wanders...Anyway...when I thought I was finished I thought that dark brown triangle looked like a tumor protruding from Mr. Peacock so I think I toned it down with a trail of bullion roses made of 2 strands DMC and 1 strand gold DMC antique effects. Some of the leaves are stitched with DMC pearlescent and sparkle more than shown here.

I wasn't sure I would like the fool's goldwork because I'm not a gold/sparkly person; however, I have really enjoyed this, have a book on real goldwork to use for further ideas and have an entire tub of gold stuff I need to use up. So...maybe something will be in the works soon (or not).

Hosted on the CQ4Newbies Yahoo Group is a "Brown Color Study" RR. The block and all embellishments are supposed to be done in brown. Each lady sends her block around to others in their group to embellish and then eventually each block makes it's way back to each owner.

This is Toni's block and it had a lot of rectangular spaces. I find it difficult to stitch seams on blocks made in this style but look at each block as a challenge so..

Since it is hot here and I'm without A/C (I did go to work and experience some today, though) my thoughts of course led to fans. I embellished a long seam with my rendition of chain stitch/buttonhole fans with lazy daisy handles of variegated perle. Below that I added a variegated silk ribbon fan since I needed something to stand out on that striped brown.

Continuing on with fans...Toni's block had an Asian looking dragon in the fabric she used in the middle of the block So, I stitched an Asian lady with fan next to it. (Yes, that's supposed to be an Asian lady with fan and some bonsai in the background.) That's a stray thread near the bottom of the lady's kimono on the right. I think each of my pics has a stray thread somewhere. I also added a feather stitch/bullion seam between dragon and dragon  Asian lady.  Like the peacock block I used two strands of DMC plus one strand of antique effects brown metallic thread on the bullions. That's why they look kind of stripey. 

 And finally...I crocheted a little brown basket and added cast-on flowers/beads to it. And the seam above is satin ribbon, french knots and kiko flower stitches.

And here's what it looks like before it passes on to the next lady to stitch on (except I somehow managed to chop off some of the top half of the block in the photo.

Oh, one last thing...I'm not sure I showed MY brown color study block that is going around for the other ladies to embellish. I wonder what everyone will choose to do.

Butterflies and Dragonflies

This is my last block I need to stitch on for the Butterflies and Dragonflies RR over on CQI Yahoo Group. Each lady sends around a block and the other ladies embellish it according to theme. This is Meg's block and she mostly wanted dragonflies so I added a beaded turquoise one, an organza and bullion one and a perle #8 one in gold. I also added an organza fluttery butterfly to break up the herringbone seam I added at top. I also added the curvy stem stitched seam with buttonhole flowers.

This is Meg's whole block after several ladies have added their touches.

Zen and the Art of Crazy Quilt Embellishment

This is my work on one of the blocks for Lisa with a Vintage Valentine theme. Lisa requested "clean and serene Zen feeling" for her blocks. My life is anything but in Zen mode right now so hope my disconnect between body and mind finds this block kind of Zenish looking.   I used the muted tones in the block which I hope adds to the serenity. The left side has some variegated feather stitch with some variegated leaves. Right side has some variegated brown chain stitching and some gray silk ribbon flowers with variegated pink centers.  To denote balance I added one of those silk ribbon flowers to the left side. And since it's a valentine theme I added a mother of pearl gray heart. But Lisa requested nothing too heavy.  I haven't stitched with a heavy heart. Clean and serene? Zen feeling? The jury is out on that.

Does a Midnight Fantasy Really Have to Include Viagra?

Every time I make a post about this Midnight Fantasy RR I'm in I start to get spam messages about all sorts of male member enhancement drugs. The spammers must key off of "midnight fantasy" or some such. I'm here to tell you that not all Midnight Fantasies include drugs but who knows that the silky women here are thinking or what their men are lacking.

At any rate...this is the last of the blocks I need to stitch on in this RR.  Before this arrived Meg, Lorrie and Lynn had their way with the block and left little room for me. Only one seam was left and it was dinky. So, I had to add my stuff here and there.

I added a large pansy up in the corner to offset the large broderie perse flowers Meg had added (and I love). Below that I added some transparent ribbon pansies. It doesn't show well but the bluish ribbon is variegated and the leaves are greenish. Ribbon was 1/4 inch.

And these pansies are made of 5/8 inch ribbon - deep purple and yellow. The flower meaning for pansies is "thoughts" (pense) and again...who knows what those silky women are thinking but how about a pansy for their thoughts.  I added 3 of these to the block. 

This is the itty bitty seam the ladies left for me to embellish. I added a bush of one petaled kiko flower stitches. I love to add together DMC antique effects thread plus DMC. It really does give a sort of antique effect although this photo doesn't show it all that well. The variegated green stems are mixed with gold antique effects and the flowers are a rose colored DMC mixed with a darker rose colored antique effects thread.

I crammed a few more kiko flowers over in a small blank spot on the other side of the block. Flowers have five petals this time and reverse color scheme.

And finally, this side of the silky lady was empty so it only seamed appropriate that I add a few sweetheart roses since that appears to be what silky lady is sniffing while she experiences her midnight fantasy.

Fool's Goldwork

I'm in a Fool's Gold RR over on the Crazy Quilting International Yahoo Group. The purpose of this RR is to use faux gold threads and trims with goldwork techniques instead of the more expensive gold threads. Each member of the RR stitches together 6 - 6 inch blocks to send around to each member to embellish one. 

Kerry had some lovely wedding dresses on her block and wanted romantic theme. I started on the block by adding lace and stitching to each seam. What's more romantic than lace? 

Roses might be just as romantic as lace so I added a couple. I first cut felt and then covered it with silk on one and organdy on the other. Then I stab stitched them to the block and added stitching first with backstitch then I wrapped the backstitches with perle 5 gold threads. The outside of the roses are couched with flat gold trim.  Next I laid down a couple of different trims to simulate some foliage and added beads. I also added a few leaves. Then I added some feather stitch of variegated pale pink and white perle and added bullions wrapped in gold thread. The leaves were done in 2 strands of DMC and 1 strand of gold DMC antique effects. I really like to add DMC to all the antique effects threads. More beads and gold trimmed ribbon with french knots finished it off. 

The end. 

I Participate Too Much!

My name was removed from some of the RR waiting lists over at Crazy Quilt International because I evidently participate too much according to new rules made. Their theory is that if you are in too many (3 in the list owners' judgement) RRs your work will suffer. I have news for them. I've participated in many RRs. The same people who are late mailing blocks will still mail blocks late. There are people who are just that way. I've been in RRs with people who participate in just 1 RR and can't get their blocks done on time.

 Then there are those people who just plop trinkets on blocks and do very little stitching and always will and call it their fair share. You learn to avoid RRs with those people. I think those specific people should be addressed in private about this. I would want to be if I was one of those people. They probably don't think they are doing anything wrong if they have done it in RR after RR and gotten away with it. 

At any rate...I don't like the new rules and although the group moderators believe them to be fair I don't. It is their list and they can make their rules. I do agree with that.  I think; however, that the offenders that caused the new rules to be made should have been privately emailed first as to their problems. If I was an offender I would like to be advised of it myself.  So after I finish up my blocks in each RR I will not participate in RRs on CQI anymore. That will leave me more time to do my own thing. So that may be a good thing. 

This is my work on Lorrie's Midnight Fantasy Garden block. Lorrie has always made her blocks bigger than the rules called for. This one is gigantic- outside the rules.  Anyway... the silky was already on the block. I stitched feather stitch, leaves and bead flowers around it. I crocheted butterflies, flowers and a star and plopped them on the block. I added a "star studded" seam, buttonhole stitch flowers, curvy chain stitch seam and motif of feather stitch with french knots. It is difficult to decide what is a fair share of the block to complete when it is so big. 

This is my work on Arlene's Butterfly and Dragonly block. I had to add some beaded seams to go with the rest of the work done on the block. It doesn't show well but next to the pink tinged crochet butterfly is a seam of buttonhole stitch further embellished with bead flowers. Below that is feather stitch motif of metallic antique effects in gold because many of the fabrics in her block have gold accents. Blue silk ribbon french knots and green silk ribbon leaves finish it off and a butterfly button sits below it. Buttonhole wheels of variegated blue perle cotton outlined in metallic antique effects is done on another seam above another crocheted butterfly. Another seam has chain stitched curvy seam with leaves and flower bead buttons added to balance out all the other flower beads on the block. And, finally, I added a beaded dragonfly. 

This is Arlene's block after Kathy, Candji and me. There is a little room left for Meg, the last stitcher. 

All the sane Yahoo Quilt Groups don't limit participation so guess you will see more sane quilting here in the future. Above are some Starz blocks for a swap over on Mailblocks Yahoo Group. 

Now, with my lack of participation I will probably make more charity quilts, teach the grandkids sewing/embroidery/crochet and other life skills, catch up on scrapbooking and genealogy notebooks and reading, garden (weed) more than usual and do some doomsday prepping.  

Fool's Goldwork

This is my work on Gerry's Fool's Gold themed block. She asked for a Jacobean styled flower. At first I couldn't decide which block to use. I saw so many patterned fabrics that I thought "oh poop" how do I do this! 

So, I decided I had to do some applique work so went off to find a Jacobean flower pattern that wouldn't be too difficult to applique. I couldn't find one in my books that I liked. I finally found one on Mary Corbet's site.  Obviously I changed the butterfly. I thought the one on the pattern was too difficult for me to do nicely and I thought it was ugly anyway but it's probably more in keeping with the Jacobean style than mine. 

I found some cream colored felt in my stash and some different organdy ribbons and silks. Then I stab stitched down the felt and applique shape. Then I couched different cords/threads around the shapes.   Then more embroidery and couching took place on the appliques and in the leaf shapes. I wasn't even going to add a butterfly but it sure was bare up in the corner after I finished the flower so...now there's a butterfly made following the same procedure as the flower. 

One weird thing...that missing thread down that diamond patterned piece bugged me the whole time and my eyes kept going over there. Don't know what to do about that. 

And, the whole thing is more glittery than it looks. 

That's it from this fool! 

I've Been Working on the RRs All the Live Long Week

This is my work on Connie's Be My Vintage Valentine themed block. I added a yoyo heart, a little garden of hearts, rosebuds and flowers like the little girls are holding in the silky. 

This is a bigger block and an RR where everyone works on the same block. The theme for this one is Butterfly and Dragonfly. 

I added a curvy buttonhole flower seam, a buttonhole stitch seam with flowers, bullion roses and one of those 3D butterflies cut from fabric that has a butterfly motif. 

And here's another attempt at a dragonfly - this time silk ribbon and beads. Also made a fluttery butterfly out of layers of fabric and then added some Kiko Flower stitches all around. 

Here's what the block looks like after Candji and I have stitched on it. Kathy did the butterfly embroidery in the middle herself.  I really had a hard time staying with pastels!!! 

This and That

My work on Nicki's valentine block. I chain stitched on top of some baby rick rack which was on top of some stretchy gingham trim, added some perle 8 cherry stems and rhinestone and bead cherries. Some felt with buttonhole stitch and fabric cutouts on a couple and heart cookie button on another.

My work on Lorrie's Sew It Up block. I first cross stitched a basket of yarn with 14 count waste canvas, made a zipper flower, chevron stitch seam with buttons, and you can see the rest. I was totally uninspired since she used butterfly and dragonfly themed fabric and I was supposed to think "sewing"...

And this is my contribution to the joint block. In this DYB everyone in this RR stitched on a 6th block in addition to stitching one entire block. I crocheted a bunch of chain and ended it with a flower with a button center.

I'm off to make pies for Easter from pumpkin I grew and froze last fall.

Midnight Fantasy Garden

This is my work on Lyn's Midnight Fantasy Garden block. I stitched some fuschia in silk thread. I didn't take a photo of the bottom of the block but she has a deep purple patch there and the fuschia picks up the color in that. There is feather stitch with variegated orange bullions, an embellished chevron stitch seam and a chain stitch and french knot motif both in variegated threads. 

Butterflies and Dragonflies

This is my work for Candji on a Butterfly and Dragonfly themed RR block. I stitched an art noveau dragonfly with 2 strands of DMC and 1 strand of metallic. The feelers look a little like antlers but that's how they were in the pattern I traced. I tried a sequin flower (near the crocheted butterfly) and made my first ever beaded dragonfly (near the bullion roses).

Another crocheted butterfly near some fantasy flowers of drizzle stitch, Kiko flower stitch and pistil stitches and beads.

I tried a needlace butterfly but it was too shameful to put on the block. I'll just have to keep trying...that's the reason I wanted to join this RR...to force myself to try some needlace butterflies. I have several books that tell how to do it and I love them but...like I said...I'll have to keep trying.

Snow and Ice

This is my work on Colleen's winter themed block. I tried to keep embellishments to white (snow) and silver (ice).

You can't really see them from the photo above but there are ice crystal sequin flowers in amongst the silver rhinestones.

Fanning for Gold

This is my work on Arlene's block for the Fool's Gold RR over on CQ International Yahoo Group. I chose a block with a fan on it so I didn't have to rack my brain for a  motif to add. First I added did a feather stitch between the two middle blades of the fan.  Then I added some bullions to the feather stitch and outlined them in gold metallic effects DMC with a lazy daisy stitch. Next I couched some trim along the first fan blade and added some bullion roses made out of perle #5 gold metallic (not the easiest thing to do). The other fan seam has double herringbone, straight stitches and beads. At the bottom of the fan I couched down some cording with dmc that matches the second blade of the fan. I wish I had used some darker thread so it would show better...but I didn't. I couched in a brick pattern. Then I added a black perle8 bullion fantasy flower surrounded by some gold flat trim raised leaves and pistil stitches. Oh, and I couched on the black bullion with gold. Then I added gold rick rack with zig zag chain stitch of 1 strand of gold metallic thread and 1 strand of dark purple DMC. Then I cut some leaves out of gold ribbon I fused with interfacing and made a gathered fantasy flower out of some wired gold ribbon and surrounded it with a variety of gold beads. 

And so...I'm done fanning for gold! ;-) 

All That Glitters is Not Really Gold

This is my work on Karen's block in a Fool's Gold RR. This is not the traditional goldwork but instead is done with cheaper and what we call fool's gold embellishments.  I've been waiting for a book on traditional goldwork to arrive so I could follow some traditional methods but couldn't wait any longer so started right in on Karen's block. I had no idea what to stitch for her but when her booklet mentioned she liked grapevines I decided to give her some.  

I first made a vine from several different gold trims couched down. 

The leaves are two pieces of a couple of different types of organdy ironed together with interfacing in the middle. Of course the gooey interfacing stuck to the iron because the organdy is porous so the second time I put a piece of computer paper over it all to iron it together.  I then traced some leaf shapes onto the organdy and stitched them onto the vines. I also stitched around some leaves in the hoop and cut them out and added them as leaves that are kind of freestanding because the fabric is so stiff. 

Grapes are two different types of purple fabric I had in my stash - one is a variegated fairy frost and the other is gold flecked. Those too were ironed together with interfacing in between to keep raw edges from fraying. I cut out little circles from both fabrics to use for grapes. I first stab stitched down a little cushion of felt then put the grapes on top and buttonhole stitched around them with gold thread. I supposed traditional goldwork would have couched gold around them but this is Fool's Goldwork - a new type of stitchery. 

When all the grapes and such were complete I was left with a blank corner so decided on a fluttery butterfly from some organza wire rimmed gold ribbon. I cut 4 butterflies from two different types of ribbons, stacked them, added a bead body and gold feelers (I almost said antlers). 

I noticed when I cut the butterflies that I had some gold covered wire left from the sides of the ribbon. Voila, I curled them around a crochet hook and had some tendrils for the grapevines.