Latest CQ

This is Beryl's block for the "Anything Goes" RR. The block had beautiful gold/orange/yellow fabrics so I chose an analogous color scheme since I seem to like that combo most. I pulled all my purple, red and orange threads (and a touch of green) and stitched several seam treatments and then filled in with the twisted silk ribbon chrysanthemums.

This is Kerry's Tea Time block. I didn't pick any special color scheme. I just tried to use what was in the block. I started with a small cross stitched teapot and cupcake done mostly in gold to pick up the gold in the piece on the block. I did a curvy seam treatment up in the upper right corner in the same colors as the circles on the fabric. I added the teapot and cup buttons. They stuck too far out and were too heavy for the block so I made a tiny hole to insert button back into hole so button would lay flat. It looked much better that way. The silk thread vine with pink silk flowers that meanders around doesn't show up too well. And finally, I appliqued on some varied flavors of tea bags. This was the last of the blocks for this RR so I'll be mailing them home to Kerry soon.

This is a block I made for the CQ4Newbies Asian Challenge. It follows same color schem as Beryl's block...red, purple, orange. As challenge moves along we will be introduced to several different seam treatments that need to be added as well as some other items. A big embroidered dragon is going in the middle! I don't really like the Asian blocks; however, I just remembered that my sister is now a Buddhist (one in a long line of religions she has embraced) so I will be making this 16 inch block into a pillow for her for Christmas. 

Tea Time (Again)

This is my work for a Tea Time RR over on CQI Yahoo Group. Lorrie's block came to me with the beautiful cross stitched tea cup in the middle. Lorrie had several requests for her block. 1. Add the other half of the hanky that she had attached below the tea cup. I made a hanky butterly with the other half. She also requested we use some buttons she included. I used them as the center of crocheted flowers and also used cast on stitch around a couple of them that I used to attach some ribbon with fairies on it. That was another of Lorrie's requests - a fairy. I don't have any fairy charms so I added some ribbon I had in my scrapbooking stash with fairies on it. I also added a cross stitched tea kettle and "Tea Party" surrounded by a couple of bullion roses.

Four Finishes

I have been taking a creative writing workshop for the last 6 weeks so, in addition to a 10 hr per day job and the grandkids, I've been busy. But it seems there is always time for stitching. I've fallen behind on my Civil War Quilt blocks, my Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt blocks, my Fairy Crazy Quilt and all other sorts of things for myself; however, I've kept up on my CQ RRs. And that is mainly because I can sit and veg out but still be busy and stress free while I stitch.

Unfortunately, the TV shows many people in many countries in distress; the news tells of children missing and abused; a cousin has been diagnosed with cancer. Sit, stitch, watch, listen, learn, give, love, pray...the mantra of the day.

This is for an English Garden RR. This is Rita's block and I have included foxglove, deliphiniums, lavender, roses, pansies, poppies, clematis - some of my favorite flowers.

Next up is Peggy Sue's Tea Time block for another CQI RR. I wish the sugar bowl showed up a little better. It was difficult for me to know what colors to use on this block so I used mostly purples to go with that little patch on the upper left.

This is Helina's Summer block. All of her blocks have now been mailed home. This was the last one for me to work on for this RR. Summer to me means tomatoes, lemonade, watermelon, ice cream, pinwheels and flowers. I hope it means the same to her.

And, finally, I have Lorries Winter/Christmas block. Her theme was "Jesus is the Reason for the Season."

Dreaming of a Summer Tea

This is my work on Lorrie's Summer block -  a cheery bouquet of flowers. And that is just what is needed during the dark days of winter. Even stitching flowers can lift the spirits.

And here's my work on Ritva's Tea Time block. You can't really tell that almost all the stem stitches are overwrapped with some type of sparkly sulky, but it is. A couple of seams have teeny-tiny rick rack. Another seam has teeny-tiny cast on stitches.

So, I'm ready for a Summer Tea Party. But first the snow has to melt a little.

Canning

First I canned. Then I rested with a cup of tea.

4.5 inch blocks for an on-going "4.5 Anything Pieced Goes (APG)" swap.

I got fancy this month.

Tea Time

My work on a Tea Time RR block for Cathy K. For the tea pot, cup, cupcake and girl on stool I used the tissue paper transfer method to get the motif on the block. That involves using a tweezers to get out al the little pieces of tissue paper when all embroidery is complete. I also added a spider web of silver sulky and beaded spider, cast on stitch pansies and some bullions here and there. The silk ribbon flowers were stitched over the pattern in the fabric.

More Craziness

This is my work on Margreet's Spring block. I wanted to do a lot of miniature silk ribbon flowers that are found blooming in my garden in the spring. They were so miniature that by the time I finished that giant tulip in Margreet's fabric just didn't seem to fit. I tatted a butterfly to stick on top of it so hopefully it broke up the obvious "bigness". And when I was done I figured the bergamot in the upper left corner was a little out of proportion with the rest of the flowers but that's the way it is.

This is Marianne's block after Angie and I have stitched on it. This is for the white/cream/silver RR over on CQ4 Newbies.

Marianne asked for snowflakes so here I added one. You can't really tell from the photo but it is a sparkly silver. I added the silver spider web, cream feather stitch with white irridescent beads.

Marianne also requested a swan if anyone felt ambitious. I'm not sure I am too ambitious but here's a swan for her. I added it on top of the silver rickrack because the rickrack looked like sparkly, ripply water to me.

And finally, my blocks for another Tea Time RR to start Dec 1. I know...they are busy. I think I am doomed to be busy. It's my sane quilting leaking into the crazy quilting. But if I only get seam treatments I'm fine. A couple of these may be added to my "Ode to the Kitchen" quilt that exists only in my mind at this time.