Asian Challenge Pillow Complete!

My Asian challenge block has now turned into a 14 inch pillow for my sister for Christmas. As you can see it doesn't go well with my couch or my decorating style so I'm not sad to give it up. My sister likes the Asian motifs and she appreciates handmade.

Here it is from a different view so maybe all the stitching will show up.

This was the sixth stitch of the challenge - lattice stitch. I had a difficult time being able to see the threads let alone weave them. I used perle #8 on the smaller flowers and used 3mm satin ribon for the larger red one with the orange french knot center. I see a stray thread in this picture that I didn't see when taking the pic so block that out with your mind since I don't know how to photoshop it out.

One of the extras we were supposed to add was a fan. This is mine out of silk ribbon.

And there you have it.. a Christmas present finished for my sister. Now back to the list...

Motifs

There is a yahoo group for a Grand Motif Swap. Check it out if you want to swap some motifs. I participated in it a couple of years ago and got back some fantastic motifs for use on crazy quilts.  What follows are some of the items I have made so far for the swap.

Pennies

Ribbon Pansies

Crocheted Sunflowers and Fantasy Flowers

Crocheted Hearts and Baskets

Stitching the Bird

I saw this motif in one of my embroidery books and thought it would be right for this block. I just thought she was cute hanging on to the daisy upside down. But now that I look at it I wonder if maybe the bird should have been right side up and the daisy upside down. Hmmm, well, it's there to stay now. This is Nicki's block for the "For the Birds" RR.

Here's a more detailed pic of the bird whic I did mostly in stem stitch using two strands of DMC sometimes in different colors and other times just one color. 4 different colors of blue were used all together.

Since someone dropped out of the RR we decided we would all work on a joint block for each person from here on in. I chose this one which is more of a fantasy bird block. Nicki had the lace motif already on the block. I'm not good at dressing up motifs so left that for someone else to do. Instead I added a few fantasy flowers and birds.

Crazy Stuff

This is Diane's completed Tea Time RR block after Nicki, Thearica, Carolyn and I stitched on it. Details of some of my work follows.

Tea cup and tea bag and a few flowers. Tea cup stem stiched with variegated DMC blue and wrapped with gold sulky thread.

I added silky ribbon with tea cup motifs on it and embellished the cups which was kind of difficult to do since the cups are so tiny. Then I added a herringbone seam treatment below mainly because I need practice with that stitch. I also added lazy daisies and bead.

This seam I added above Carolyn's tea set - bullions of perle #8 and flowers of silk ribbons and beads. I wanted to add a butterfly above it but had to restrain myself since Diane requested no butterflies.

Tea pot, mug and cupcake of 2 strands of DMC with silk ribbon flowers and a few beads. Cupcake frosting of some sparkly Sulky thread.

"Tea party" in backstitch and some silk ribbon flowers again.

This is Peggy Sue's block for an Encrusted RR. I was the second person to stitch on it and after seeing Rose Anne's beautiful work felt a little intimidated. I also felt the colors were a little weird - purple and red? But I see they do go together just fine.

I added a crocheted heart and basket full of leaves. Along the side I added some lacy seam binding and embellished on top of that with fern stitch/cast on stitch, some french knots and I can't remember what all else. I practiced herringbone stitch again and added lazy daisy stitches again.

Here I added a piece of lace from the thrift store across two patches and embellished with bullions and some pistil stitches. You can't see very well but there are green cast-on stitches below the holes. And I crocheted a purple flower motif (looks blue in this pic) and added a purchased flower to the center of that.

Bees, Butterflies, Beetles

I am in a Round Robin at CQI (Crazy Quilt International) group. With this group we are to embellish blocks by adding bees, butterflies and beetles. My bees are worked in french knots. Some butterflies are hiding amongst flowers on the ribbon I used.

This is my first attempt at stumpwork. The beetle's wings are wired. This strained the eyesight as well as the fingers which don't do well with teeny-tiny. But I do like how the lady turned out.

And finally, we have the tatted butterflies as well as the seam treatment of chain stitch and beads that are supposed to look like butterflies!

I like the RRs because they force me to try new things I wouldn't try on my own blocks (because I'm lazy if I am working on my own blocks).

I Have Learned to Tat!

For some strange reason I was bound and determined to learn how to tat. I taught myself to do most everything else I have been bound and determined to learn so I went off and bought the book Learn to Tat by Janette Baker and a few shuttles because I was too afraid to use the ones my husband inherited from his grandmother.

Class 3 I made a couple of small butterflies then ventured off to the web to find a few different patterns.

I've finished up the lessons in the book and will be starting on Celtic Tatting by Rozella F Linden.

I'm so excited!

And for fun I crocheted some little baskets to use on crazy quilts. I'm trying to keep my stiff and sometimes numb fingers working.