Wednesday's Crazy WISPs

I've been working so much overtime I haven't made much progress on my Midnight Fantasy Garden blocks that will someday be a glow-in-the-dark wallhanging. I found some variegated rayon thread on sale at Hobby Lobby so picked it up and decided to try it on the leaves under the fairy. I couched down three rows of the thread all around on the leaves. On the two smaller leaves the brown part of the thread blends into the black and the couching stitches are more prominent than the thread itself.  But that's okay by me. I also found some variegated boucle yarn in the sale bin at Hobby Lobby so picked that up too and couched it all around under the leaves. I think it looks kind of like moss. I'm going to add a few tiny flowers on top of the moss.

 And, what is this, you ask? My cordonnets, I say.  These are some day going to be needlelace mushrooms I will add to my wallhanging. I finally got up the nerve to start on this. I read several books and some said to make a pad of layers of muslin with the outline either painted or drawn on the top layer of fabric. Other books said to make a pad of layers of muslin, then baste on traced paper design and then add a layer of architect linen (no idea what that is or where to find it) or Press and Seal. The books didn't exactly call the film by brand name but that's what I used. I was wondering which method to use and decided on the latter method mainly because I'm cheap and I decided if I used that method I could reuse the muslin again because it wouldn't have had a pattern traced on it.  Now I'm in the process of couching down the outlines in #80 thread. (I'm using Lizbeth 80).  The only thing I think I would change next time (if there is a next time) is to use tracing paper instead of printer paper for my pattern. It is rather difficult to use a fine needle to couch and pierce a layer of film and printer paper.

And finally, here is the start of my September CQJP 2012 block for my Crazy Basket Case lap quilt - a sewing basket.

And, if you are interested in other WISPS check the comments at Pintangle's WISP Wednesday. 

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.

Midnight Fantasy Garden (A WIP)

This is block 5 of my midnight fantasy Garden. There's not much completed on it yet except Mr. Gnome and a butterfly. I'm going to add a lot of bugs to this block. At top is a beetle and the dragonfly is made of glow in the dark thread.  You can see a little bit of a glow in the dark praying mantis down in the right hand corner. I want to do some stumpwork mushrooms and butterflies to add to this block as well as some more glow in the dark things.

This is block 4 of Midnight Fantasy Garden. I previously posted a little bit about this block but have added some items since - mostly a lot of pansies and a little mouse.

I blogged about block 1 which is complete and blocks 2 and 3 are out in RRs. Not sure how many blocks I'm going to have all together but this is going to be a glow in the dark midnight fantasy garden  large wallhanging to hang in the spare bedroom where the 7 yo granddaughters sleep when they visit every other weekend.

I'm linking up at Sharon Boggon's Pintangle WIP Wednesday.  (That reminds me...I really, really need to catch up on my TAST).

How Do You Like My New Threads?

They glow! I already had the white skein and the DMC spool. Combined together they glow pretty well in the dark. My new threads include several different types from Kreinik - grape and watermelon 1/16 ribbon, tangerine 1/8 inch ribbon, lime and lemon #8 fine braid and tangerine and blueberry blending filament.

Working on another of my Midnight Fantasy Garden blocks. I crocheted the white embroidery floss (6 strands - 7 hook) and the tangerine and grape 1/16 inch ribbon into flowers. It was not difficult to work with and the ribbon seemed like it was made of plastic. The fairy wings have some stem stitched white floss and stem stitched lime braid as well as some violet silk (or was it rayon) stitching like is on her dress and then all is outlined with lime backstitch.  I used a glow in the dark fabric pen to color in fairy skin.

Haven't used the blending filaments or the 1/8 ribbon yet but stay tuned...it's a work in process.

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.

Do You Have Elves in Your Garden?

I finished my elf I'm going to use on another Midnight Fantasy Garden block. I chain stitched his shirt to look like a knitted sweater. His beard is made of french knots and bullions. You can't really tell but his ears, nose and hands are outlined in black metallic thread.  I think his shirt will glow in the dark. 

And, if you look around my garden you may just see a few elves hiding among the flowers.  Oh, and garden tip...fabric scraps make for good mulch. I put some of the scraps I collected all winter around the roses today. 

If you'd like to see what's blooming in the garden visit my garden blog - Down and Dirty Gardening. 

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.  

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. 

Celebrate Life Challenge - My Grand Finale

I participated in a "Celebrate Life" challenge over on the CQ For Newbies Yahoo Group. Basically we learn new stitches or a different way to apply old ones. I've finally finished my 12 inch block I call Midnight Fantasy Garden.

To recap..week one was outline and and stem stitches.

Second week was buttonhole stitch.

Third week was cast-on stitch.

Fourth week was whipped spider wheel and whipped chain. I also challenged myself to make some angelina fiber leaves.

Fifth week was herringbone and...

...chevron stitch.

Sixth week was turkey work (or is it knot?) so I made some thistles with it.

Sixth week was also spiral trellis. I had a difficult time seeing where I was to put my needle for each stitch so you can see a few little holes where I missed a few stitches (or was that where I decreased stitches and shouldn't have?)

That was it for the required stitches but we also had to add two extra elements from a list of several. I did a spider and her web and it looks like the albino spider has a broken leg. There is a black spider hidden in there too. Both of them made the web but I think they were into the booze when they made it. The other element was a silk ribbon motif so I added some silk ribbon roses.

So that brings me to the finish of this block. The fairy body is painted with glow in the dark paint and I may also add stitches over the paint in glow in the dark thread. Or then again, I may not.

And that brings me to the end of this "Midnight Fantasy Garden". I have several others in the works, though.

Midnight Fantasy Garden

I made this bit of fabric with some of my orts. Sandwich some orts between a couple of pieces of dissolvable Solvy, stitch all over it with the sewing machine (I wish I would have used a bright thread, not white) and then put it in a bowl of water to dissolve the Solvy and let dry. 

After it was dry I cut out some butterfly wings to add to a Midnight Fantasy themed RR block of Meg's. 

A bunch of flowers and some crocheted butterflies later and I've finished my section of Meg's block and am ready to pass it on to the next stitcher. 

More Challenges

Sue over on the CQForNewbies Yahoo Group is hosting a "Celebrate Life" challenge. I used one of my Midnight Fantasy blocks for my challenge and this is what it looks like so far after using the following challenge stitches: stem, outline, buttonhole, cast-on, wrapped chain and wrapped spider web.  This weeks stitches were of the wrapped variety...

...so I made a wrapped chain stem for some angelina fiber leaves (my first attempt and also a challenge to self) and then added some fantasy flowers made of wrapped spider web - at least that's what I think it was called. Again, that was my first attempt. I rounded out the corner with a few crocheted butterflies. I think there are two more stitches to go. Wonder what they will be!

This is my February block for the CQJP 2012 Journal Project.  In case you don't know or don't remember from previous posts...these blocks, too, will become a lap quilt. So, challenge to self is to make embellishments washable and to have one or two baskets per block with colors mostly red and white. I want to have each seam different and want to use a lot of the vintage embroidery patterns I have collected.  Blocks are 12 inches and I think there will be 20 or 25 of them. And, I'm calling it "Crazy Basket Case" that's why all the baskets! 

This is another challenge I am participating in over on the CQForNewbies Yahoo group. This one is an RR and this is Jenni's block. The challenge is to add only orange embellishments. I'm not crazy about orange or monotones hence the challenge.  I think I read somewhere (Sunday paper?) that this year's color of the year is Tango Tangerine so I guess we were ahead of our time with this RR! Orange reminds me of the 70s which were some great years so I'm not sure why I don't like it. 

Doris stitched on Jenni's block before me so this is what her total block looks like before it heads off to Toni at the end of the month. 

Going Crazy (Again)

I've joined a "Be My (Vintage) Valentine" RR. Each participant sews up 6 - 6 inch blocks...

...and passes them around to other participants to embellish. Then they return home and (in this case) get turned into a bellpull.

And this block (12 inch finished) is for the "Midnight Fantasy Garden" themed RR. In this case each particpant embellishes the same block. This will be my fourth block in the Midnight Fantasy Garden theme. I want to make a huge glow-in-the dark wall hanging. My inspiration? The fairies that dance at midnight in my own garden!

A Little Sane and a Little Crazy

My Quiltville Orca Bay Mystery Week 6 Ohio Stars are complete and looking pretty wild and crazy. To see what everyone else is doing check out the Monday linky party. 

And speaking of crazy...this is my Midnight Fantasy Garden block I'll be using for a small stitch challenge over on CQ4Newbies called "Celebrate Life".