2020 Crazy Quilt Challenge: Blocks 5 and 6

Blocks 5 and 6 are now embellished.

They are part of a crazy quilt I'm making using 6 inch improv circles and neutrals.  The challenge is to use 2020 different items to create a crazy quilt by 2020. 

2020 Crazy Quilt Challenge Guidelines

Block 5

I crocheted that motif several years ago while camping- it's from the book The Go -To Book for Irish Crochet Motifs.  I hope it doesn't end up being too bulky for the small blocks.  The other trims and beads I had in my stash - usually thrift store finds. 

Block 5 Count

Fabrics: 4

Laces/trims: 3 

Embroidered motifs: 1

Stitches/stitch combos: running, lazy daisy with beads (2)

Beads/charms/buttons:  silver seed beads, dragonfly charm (2)

Threads: DMC Embroidery floss 3790, 844, 848 & Sullivan's floss 45239; perle #12 B5200; Gutermann 280 hand quilting thread (6)

Previous count 43; Grand total = 61

Block 6

The words are an Irish proverb I like.  It seemed appropriate because with back problems (I still have pain from herniated disc /sciatica. I got better, went into the garden to catch up on separating daylilies and hostas and fell off the end of my rolling stool...ouch! ) I tried to plough a lot of fields with my mind and it just plain didn't work! 

It's really difficult to embroider words so small but I got the job done.  That's my cursive these days...rather shaky with stiff hands.   Cursive makes me wonder...Does anyone know how to read cursive and words that aren't abbreviated these days? 

I tried a couple of new stitches  on a seam I haven't done before - woven zig zag chain and raised woven cross stitch.  They were pretty easy to do once I got the hang of it.  I actually did the raised woven cross stitches twice. The first time I used gold thread and then realized I was only going to use neutrals so that got ripped out. I guess I got some good practice on that stitch. 

I made those "flowers" from lacy hem tape I gathered and then sewed a four holed button in the middle.  I then did some drizzle stitches in the holes of the buttons for a flower center. 

Fabrics: 0 (previously counted in above)

Laces/trims: 3

Embroidered motifs: 1

Stitches/stitch combos: raised woven x stitch; woven zig zag chain; drizzle stitch; couching (on trim) (4)

Beads/charms/buttons:  1

Threads: DMC Embroidery floss 535; perle #5 842 and brown?? (3)

Previous count 61; Grand total = 73

The Ad Hoc Improv Challenge this quarter has been to add words to a quilt.  This quilt will have quite a few proverbs embroidered on it plus there may be some stamped words down the line too.  Who knows? 2020 is a long way off...isn't it? 

2020 in 2020 Crazy Quilt: Block 4

I've finished the embellishment of block 4 of the 2020 Crazy Quilt Challenge.  This is a six inch block. 

I tatted that butterfly long ago when I was teaching myself to tat because I found a tatting shuttle in some of my husband's grandmother's things my mother-in-law gave me.  I need to brush up again on some tatting and try some new things for this quilt.  The piece of ribbon and eyelet trim was found at the thrift store.  I have a giant box of trims I've found at the thrift store over the years - time to use them. 

Fabric: 0 (counted in block 1)

Laces/trims:  1/4 inch piece of satin ribbon, eyelet lace, tatted butterfly of white crochet thread 10, 1/4 inch twill tape = 4

Beads: 1

Threads: DMC Antique Effects E436; DMC embroidery floss 2 threads of 676, 543 (Sullivan's 45122), 3781 (Sullivan's 45393) = 4   (only counting threads not previously used on blocks like the variegated brown).

Stitches and Stitch Combos: Blanket stitch flowers (over twill tape), pistil stitch x3 cluster, dragonflies (in antique effects thread) = 3

Total new items this block = 12

Grand total items blocks 1 through 4 = 43 

How all the blocks of this circle set (blocks 1-4) look together.  I'm not sure if they will stay together in the final layout but for now I'm keeping all circle sets together.  I'm doing the whole quilt in neutrals from white to black and anything in between. That doesn't include "low volume" fabrics. 

This is how the four blocks looked before embroidery. 

This is my next circle set to work on. 

It will take a month of Sundays (and other days) to finish this crazy quilt but for today linking up to:

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts

I'm Finished With Crazy Cravings!

Crazy Cravings

50 x 62

It's definitely not your grandma's crazy quilt.

The 12 inch blocks were all hand pieced, embroidered, embellished. 

Then sewn together by machine. 

Then the seams were embellished.

I think normally crazy quilts are tied; however, I added batting and backing and then kind of free form hand quilted it with #10 crochet thread. 

I do love chocolate. 

And now I can cover myself in chocolate. 

This was fun to work on. I think it's been in the works for a couple of years. 

I like handwork and embroidery so a crazy quilt is a great way to mix the two...

...and end up with something yummy! 

The back. 

Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop?

Finish it Up Friday. 

Crazy Cravings Again

I finally finished up the embroidery stitches along all the connecting seams on my Crazy Cravings quilt. 

I took off the pink gingham border. I originally wanted to do some chicken scratch in the gingham but the squares were too tiny for me to even do chicken scratch you could see but also because the pink was too pink and also because I just plain didn't like it so it kept me from working on it. 

 Now that I've embellished all the connecting seams...

...and now that I've got it sandwiched with some pieced leftover batting and some pink and brown sale fabric that says chocolate all over it (forgot pic...will show next time)  I'm ready for quilting.   Not quite sure how I'm going to do that or even what thread or threads I will use but this is no longer a stalled project. 

Hopefully today I'll be joining others with some 

Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts. 

Back to the Crazy Farm

I've finished stitching on another 12 inch block for my Crazy Farm crazy quilt. 

A hummingbird in the morning glories. 

(Actually the hummingbirds around here like the fuschia and petunias on my deck and when the trumpet vine starts blooming they will be there). 

Daisies are blooming in my flower gardens and on my block. 

This seam reminds me of the damned  weed Virginia Creeper that winds its way all around the gardens before I can get it pulled up.  I swear it must grow 3 feet each day. 

The seams here are kind of plain and crooked. Must have been stitching them while enjoying a Margarita on the deck. 

Both sets of "flowers" use buttonhole stitches.  

I started on another block.  This is block 7 out of 20 I want for a lap quilt. 

I hope to finish embellishing the seams today. 

(Oops...you caught me...I know I'm not supposed to leave my needle in my project). 

Do you plan on doing any "slow stitching" today? 

If so, join us at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday. 

Slow Sunday Stitching

Gardening season is here so I haven't worked too much on any hand sewing. A few minutes after work each night  I've been embroidering dishtowels and crocheting dish cloths for Christmas (or whatever) gifts/stocking stuffers. 

I've done all the gardening I can stand today (and I don't think I can stand any longer) so I will settle down on the deck with some hand sewing and a Margarita if there aren't too many gnats out there. 

First I need to finish binding a quilt for my brother for Christmas. 

And then I'll work a bit on my Crazy Farm Crazy Quilt (lap size). I haven't done that in a while so I prepped two 12 inch blocks. I piece scraps to a muslin foundation by hand then embroider and embellish. 

Slow Stitching? 

Join us for Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts. 

What's Happening on the Crazy Farm?

I just finished block #3 for my Crazy Farm lap quilt. 

It was really difficult to see the stitching lines for this lady her chicks but I guess I managed okay. She's all done in black back stitch. I wasn't sure how well any colors would show up on that egg background.  I used 1 or 2 strands of black DMC.  The seam on the side is done in feather stitch, detached chains and pistil stitches.  I used a variegated cotton floss that changed colors from deep purple to lime green. 

On this seam I used some variegated floss too but it was all shades of green. I added some leaves to the turnips. 

I stitched up this motif in outline stitch using two strands of different flosses. The center to the sunflowers are all french knots. That was a lot of french knots! 

This flower seam is also stitched in two (or was it three?) strands of variegated floss.  I cut the butterflies out of some fabric with about 1/4 inch seam all around and then first appliqued them and then did a blanket stitch all around in one strand of brown. The bodies are all bullion stitches. 

On that long top seam I first did some long running stitches and some x stitches in between. Then I alternated some lazy daisy stitches on the running stitches. I did some back stitching around the seed packets but it was in black so doesn't show.  A couple of short seams have some herringbone stitches and one has a few straight stitch stars/asterisks. 

And so far I have 3 - 12 inch blocks finished out of the 20 I want. 

Doing any hand stitching today? Then head on over to Kathy's Quilts Slow Stitching Sunday and join the party. 

If you are interested in crazy quilting visit Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2014 for some inspiration. 

A New Year of Slow Sunday Stitching

As I posted previously my Crazy Cravings lap quilt is a top now but it is far from finished. First I need to somehow embellish all the connecting seams.  Some people leave them as is but I like to have some kind of stitching on all seams and don't like to be able to tell where one block starts and ends. 

When I'm finished with that I need to add some rick rack to the brown border and I was going to do some chicken scratch embroidery on the gingham border but I'm finding the 1/8 inch squares don't show it off so well so will probably either crochet some trim or do some herringbone stitching on the gingham.  Ahhh...the best laid plans....

 And this year's Crazy Quilt Journal Project is a Crazy Farm lap quilt.  This is my second block to work on. I'm going to try very hard to do two 12 inch blocks per month.

I'm also embroidering Days of the Week fruits for another project I have in the works but have not yet revealed. 

Good thing I take pictures of my projects every once in a while. Looks like I forgot to stitch the cherry blossoms.   I have 3 out of the 4 days finished.

I finished the applique on 10 more 30s Butterflies and now they are waiting for some blanket stitches and backstitches.  These are for a quilt that I'm making like the one I inherited from my grandmother that is falling apart. 

I took the two days off after New Year's Day so got a lot of hand stitching done. Normally I try to work on my hand stitching projects at least 15 minutes each evening after work and on Sunday.  Friday night and Saturday I work on my sewing machine.

For some inspirational projects being worked on by hand visit Kathy's Quilts Slow Stitching Sunday.

Crazy Cravings - It's a Top !

I finished the last block for my Crazy Cravings lap quilt and now have them all sewn together with borders.

 I think it measures about 57 x 69. 

The pink  border is a pink gingham and I plan on doing some chicken scratch embroidery in brown along it. I'm thinking I may add some white rick rack on the brown border or crochet some trim to add along the brown border (to make it look like frosting).  I also need to add some stitches where the blocks are now joined together.  

And when that's all finished I will add batting and backing and add some big stitch quilting to hold it all together. 

I'm so glad I have made it this far. 

This has been my Crazy Quilt Journal Project for 2013.  

For 2014 I'll be working on Crazy Farm! 

Linking to: 

Can I Get a Whoop, Whoop at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finish it Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts

Some Crazy Stuff

My crazy quilt this year for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2014 will be "Crazy Farm".  This is my finished January block (with a little of the bottom cut off in the picture). 

There will be a lot of flowers on my crazy farm.  (Ooops the eyes are really getting bad...I can see where I stitched the fabrics together by hand). 

I actually grow pumpkins on my little acreage. I grew mini ones this year. 

I don't use a watering can much in my actual garden. I had several pumps installed years ago so I could hook up hoses to water if need be. 

I LOVE roses - especially the old fashioned varieties. Here in Iowa wild roses are a real problem and difficult to get rid of out here in the country. 

Well, these were supposed to be hollyhocks but I don't believe I've ever seen any blue ones. At least I've never grown any blue ones.  I think when I started stitching on these I was thinking of my delphiniums. But, hey, this is a CRAZY farm so blue it is for my hollyhocks!

I've never raised sheep; however, my grandma (mom's mom) did. I remember feeding one of them with a baby bottle when I was a very small girl.  And I have to admit the small girl in me wanted to add some sheep dip to this stitching!!!! 

I tried some broderie perse applique - pear perse. 

Some lazy daisy flowers to kind of match the "flowers" in the fabric. 

All across the block some curvy chain stitches , bullion flowers in 6 strands of variegated thread and some variegated green leaves in can't remember that stitch. 

And now that my new project block is finished I can go back and finish up block #20 on my Crazy Cravings block this fine Slow Stitching Sunday. 

Don't miss what everyone else is slowly working on today at the linky party Slow Stitching Sunday at Kathy's Quilts.