I really wished the snow could have stayed away all winter, but I guess I should be happy that it stayed nice outside as long as it did. Toby likes it though.......it's fun to burrow in: I continue to play with solids and decided the other day just to sew some leftover strips together and see what I could come up with. Once it was done, I had no idea how how I was going to quilt it until I looked at my sewing machine and decided to make it a stitch sampler. I named it, "Stitches". (I never seem to run out of clever names, dontcha know??!! lol) I have something else in the works and the only thing I can say is that I used a ton of colors: That was only a few of the many that I used. This wall hanging is taking me an age, so we'll see what happens. If I get a partner who likes color for a new swap that I joined, perhaps they might be blessed with it, who knows? First though, I have to finish it! I go from liking it to not. Sometimes that means I've been looking at it too long! lol So often, I wish I worked faster!!! I don't want to forget so many others in my head that need to come out. Oh...one more thing. I don't think I showed you a mosaic of all the ladies together. It made a hit with my friends in Flickr: Cute, huh? Perhaps I will continue with that series when this "solid" marathon is done. Let me know if you'd like to be in the next bunch. Wouldn't that be fun??? Until next time...........
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Tumbling block 7 is part of a free block of the month pattern, in the Diamonds are forever Crazy quilt stitch along.
Blog of Susan Elliott where she shares her life through her needlework and photography.
A blog about Crazy Quilting and Embroidery. Home of Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine.
Rengin's work on Hideko's block has me so excited. Again this block is from the new RR "Victorian Ladies". One of the things I feel strongly about is teamwork in RRs and just because this is a DYOB (do your own block) in my mind that does not translate to "do your own thing". There is a theme and the blocks are sent out as a unit and when finished should still work as a unified body of work. So being first and setting a path for others in the RR to follow is especially important... Well Rengin has not only just set a path she has "blazed a dramatic trail" If I were following this block, at this moment I would have every black piece of lace I owned spread out on the table. Hideko chose all black and white images for her Victorian ladies and requested a "gothic" look... The black laces Rengin chose are so reminiscent of the black iron fences, railings and balconies of that era and are the perfect mood setter for Hideko's block... Hideko's blocks had not only black and white images, the other patches were of a very neutral hue except for one very delicate subdued print... Rengin handled this print with great finesse and did not overwhelm it with heavy pink roses... The tiny pink flower beads repeat the small flowers in the prints and pick up the colored patch to the right and carry it across the block... Rengin carried the black from her laces into every seam... The image is framed beautifully with the black laces and the tiny Victorian charms are a perfect addition. Since I talked about balance yesterday I want you to notice how Rengin put the fan lower left... This patch needed something to balance the block but not overpower the delicate patch.. This neutral fan does it nicely. I love how bold and dramatic the black lace is juxtaposed with the delicate stitching and print ..A job well done and these blocks have the potential of being a spectacular set when all are finished...
When I was a little girl my mother had several Hummel Figurines sitting on shelves as decorations in our home. Because of their delicate nature, I was not allowed to touch them, so I spent many hours staring at the porcelain details. They became "surrogate dolls" where I would imagine myself inserted into their farmland settings. It brought back a lot of memories to view Geri Hruzek's Little Darlings Crazy Quilt at the Arizona Quilters Guild Show Hummel figurines were based on the drawings of Sister Maria Innocentia Hummel and became popular during WWII. Soldiers stationed in West Germany sent the figurines home as gifts and they quickly became a collectors item. Geri won a Honorable Mention ribbon at the show. She wrote: "Completely handmade including the piecing, embroidery, embellishments, appliques and quilting." Wow Look at the detail! I can't imagine how many hours went into all of the embellishments and stitching's. Apple Tree My mother's figurines are long gone now. I wonder if they might have been donated to a thrift shop when styles of collectables changed. I enjoy the figurines on Geri's quilt even more. Crazy quilts always have so many fun places for the eye to look in just one small section. Beautifully done!
Primarily created for display rather than function, crazy embroidered quilts are believed to have originated in the mid to late-1800s. Victorian ladies broke all of the rules of traditional quilt making: symmetry, color, functionality... to name a few. For perhaps the first time in textile history,…
Explore suziqu's 221 photos on Flickr!
The Asian-themed traditional Round Robin (#1) began and ended in 2010. The ladies had a lot of fun with this and were very creative in their...
I recently made this postcard for a class I teach at a near-by quilt shop. It was fun to use such a wide variety of embellishments.
Pat Winter's wonderful magazine, Crazy Quilt Gatherings has recently come out with the summer issue and I am absolutely thrilled to have several of my crazy quilted eyeglass cases published in the company of many gorgeous creations of crazy quilters I admire. As always, Pat has done a marvelous job gathering delightful eye candy along with interesting articles, tutorials and techniques that any crazy quilter would love. The magazine can be purchased at MagCloud and if you do so, you will find me smiling at you on page 25 :) Thank you, dear Pat! And, as you can see in this photo I took of my copy of the magazine, I have just finished a new eyeglass case, for a lady whose favorite color is brown. It was a bit of a challenge, as brown and I - to put it mildly - are not the best friends ever. Wishing you all a wonderful day,
Comment QUILT if you love quilting and sewing as much as I do! Seriously though, grab your spot in the 7 Quilt Blocks to Make Before You Die workshop! Who’s meeting me there? No quilt police over...
Crazy Quilting, Lace Dyeing, Vintage, Mixed Media, Gardening, Quilting
Bugs and insects and the like may seem an unusual subject for a crazy quilt round robin, but traditionally butterflies and beetles were “regulars” in vintage crazy quilts. They were, of course, not as frequently stitched as the good luck spider, but were popular nonetheless. This round robin was organized to practice and showcase the stitchers’ talent for stumpwork. Stumpwork is generally defined as embroidery raised from the surface of the work to give it a 3-D effect. Often it is stitched separately and then attached to the base piece (which, in this case is the block). Our stitchers, as you will see, came up with many clever variations to depict bees, butterflies, beetles and other charming little bugs and critters. The accomplished stitchers in this round robin were Diane M. (Canada), Cathy L (USA), Arlene (Australia), Janet (USA) and Meg (Uruguay). CATHY L’S BLOCK Cathy’s Naked Block Diane’s work on Cathy’s Block Work by Janet Arlene’s beetle - front view Arlene’s beetle - back view Cathy’s block with Meg’s work - Completed DIANE’S BLOCK Diane’s Naked Block Janet’s work Diane’s block after Meg’s work Arlene’s Beetle & ribbon trail Entire block after Arlene’s work Diane’s completed block after Cathy L’s work ARLENE’S BLOCK Arlene’s Naked Block Beetle and flower by Cathy L Bees and flowers by Cathy L Butterflies and flower by Cathy L Parade of beetles by Diane. Bees and a butterfly, too! Janet added lovely floral work and a big blue butterfly After Meg’s additions in upper right and lower left, here is Diane’s completed block MEG’S BLOCK Meg’s Naked Block Stumpwork bee by Arlene Another one of Arlene’s great stumpwork beetles Meg’s block after Arlene Lovely floral by Cathy L More work by Cathy Meg’s block after Arlene and Cathy Diane did this seam. It’s a variation of (what else?) the FLY stitch Beaded butterfly by Diane Another seam and butterfly by Diane Meg’s completed block JANET’S BLOCK Janet’s Naked Block Beetle by Meg Janet’s Block after Meg Work by Arlene Janet’s block after Meg and Arlene Cathy L’s Work Beaded butterfly by Diane More butterflies by Diane “The Showdown” as playfully titled by Diane. Great bugs! Dianes block completed. The ladies left room for Janet to add her final touches.
Jennifer Clouston –– Embellish away! 10 crazy-quilt projects Embrace the versatility of crazy quilting with quick-to-sew projects! In a follow-up to best-selling Foolproof Crazy Quilting, Jennifer Clouston shares 10 small, useful items from a tablet purse and summer slippers to a tea cozy, each with full-size patterns. Expertly mix cotton, wool, linen, and silk for eclectic fabric pairings that complement each project. Beginning and experienced crazy quilters will love the dictionary of 60 embroidery and beading stitches, foundation piecing primer, plus stitch maps for all seam treatments and embellishments. • 10 small and useful quilted projects for everyday life, from a hexagon purse to summer slippers • Eclectic style! Expertly combine fabrics, such as cotton, wool, linen, and silk • Stitch dictionary with 60 embroidery and beading stitches, stitch maps for all seam treatments, and embellishments, plus full-size patterns • Follow-up to best-selling Foolproof Crazy Quilting #11134 96p + pattern pullouts, color 8.5 x 11 ISBN: 978-1-61745-132-4 UPC: 734817-111344 (eISBN: 978-1-61745-133-1) Related Blog Posts Free Project from Foolproof Crazy-Quilt Projects Free Project! Envelope Needle Case Foolproof Crazy-Quilt Projects Sneak Peek at Jennifer Clouston's Stitch Guides Embroidered Sewing Wallet
I spent the day with my husband at Royal Perth Hospital while he went through the procedure of being injected with dye and then hanging around for over three hours until he could have the bone scan. Needless to say I took these two hexagons with me to stitch the black Feather Stitching around the edges. Here is Hexie number Sixteen which shows a little girl with her grandfather in his garden. The original painting is called "In Grandpa's Garden" so the hexie really suited lots of flowers and gardening charms like the fountain, watering can, humming bird and Ladybird (Australia) Ladybug (USA). Hexie Seventeen turned out to be one of my favourites - amazing how it developed a happy Spring personality (I won't say Summer because the little girl feeding the Swans is wearing a Winter dress). Several people contributed to this hexie - I bought the berry lace motif from Cathy Kizerian, I won the Dragonfly button from Thearica Burrough's with her "Message in a Bottle challenge" and the two white Swan earrings were given to me by a friend in a box of junk jewellery. The patch of very, very old blue Satin at the bottom stretched with the heat of the iron. At first I was going to Kantha quilt it flat but then I decided that I rather liked the puffy, watery look so I left it. The blanks for hexies 18 and 19 have been stitched so now I will have the fun of embellishing them both and that will complete a second circle of hexies around the central hexie. ie. one in the middle, six around that and then twelve around those. I'll take a photo of them all sewn together. The next circle after that will need twenty four hexies to complete - could take some time, lol. Blah!!! The close-up photo of hexie 17 shows that I will have to revamp the sequin flowers along the edge behind the two swan earrings. I attached the large flower sequins (which are actually irridescent greeny-red, not that dark red colour) then the tiny apricot coloured sequin centres with a 3-wrap Colonial Knot. The iron has flattened the Colonial Knot and one sequin centre has popped off and a whole flower above the higher of the two swans has popped off leaving just the knot. OK, seed beads will do the trick. While I'm at it, I will also Kantha quilt the water.......sigh, and I thought I'd finished!! So here is the new version. Hexie Seventeen mark 2.
Crazy quilting became “all the rage” in the US after people saw something similar done in the Japanese Pavilion at the Philadelphia Exposition in 1876. While traditional quilting…
This week I added some more seam treatments to my Lady with roses block. The half cirkles are made of handdyed variegated pearl cotton, the green is a handdyed twisted rayon, both come from LES Designs. The pink lazy daisies are made of Edmar Lola rayon. I am trying something new right now, can you guess what I am working on?
I have finished Hexie 15 which is a garden themed one centered around an image of a lady in a yellow dress holding a rose. The coral pink fabric is vintage from around 1910 so I hope it stands up to the test of time. Also the same coloured Kiko's flowers are worked in Heminway Sons pure silk embroidery thread dating from 1850s......again I hope that the threads can take it but it was the perfect colour to match the vintage fabric. Then I had a play with some bottles of dyes which are probably about eight years old and although the colours are not quite as bright as they were in the beginning, they worked well for crazy quilting motifs. I spent a couple of hours sitting under the patio in the sunshine totally lost in playing and enjoying myself. When I finished with the motifs, I tried dyeing some white satin ribbon roses and while they probably look more natural than solid colours, they didn't turn out quite how I expected them to. However I will use them on cq blocks where hopefully they will blend in with the surrounding leaves. I only dyed half of this length of roses, berries and leaves because I want to keep the other half natural to be included in my "Cream on Cream" crazy quilt. It's a gorgeous edging both ways, ie. plain and dyed. These two photos feature some of the same motifs. In the photo on the right the heart motif is shown in the original dyed colour-way and there is also a gorgeous bunch of leaves and berries which are not included in the photo on the left. In the photo on the left, the heart motif has been redyed in the same colours to make it darker and therefore, brighter and there is also a medallion motif on the left which is not in the right hand photo and I've included some of the dyed Roses. If the sun is shining tomorrow, I will have another playing session.
I've taken a lot of pictures of vintage Crazy Quilts, but not very many modern day interpretations. I was especially happy to see 2 contemporary CQ versions at the Arizona Quilters Guild show. All Creatures Large and Small by Gerlinde Hruzek won First Place in the "Other" category. This artist used so many mediums in the making of her quilt: Needlepoint, embroidery, applique, crochet and ribbon work to name a few. The far away picture just does not give justice to how wonderful this quilt really is. The close up shots give a much better visual. Look at the imagination and variety! Someday I would really like to make a Crazy Quilt. (Maybe it's because I'm a little crazy?) These pictures bring wonderful inspiration. I could have stared for hours to visually absorb all there was to see. It almost felt a little bit like an I-Spy quilt. Do you spy 3 cats? Or a fish? Imagination made and quilted by Sheila Groman Sheila wrote "Imagination is a fanciful Crazy Quilt created with applique, standard and silk embroidery, ribbon, lace, heirloom gloves, needlepoint, crewel, beads, cross-stitch, and tatting." Whew! Yes, I'd say Imagination is a perfect title.
Sue Garman's Ladies of the Seas is the most incredible applique quilt I think I have ever seen. The number of patches, and the immense det...
This week I added some more seam treatments to my Lady with roses block. The half cirkles are made of handdyed variegated pearl cotton, the green is a handdyed twisted rayon, both come from LES Designs. The pink lazy daisies are made of Edmar Lola rayon. I am trying something new right now, can you guess what I am working on?
Cleaning was inevitable. It had to happen.... I rarely custom quilt for customers anymore but I have a few ladies who have been with me from my beginning who I will always quilt for. This particular lady loves the asian panels and I have really enjoyed quilting these tops. There are a wealth of quilting designs to be found in the fabric and I have always felt comfortable playing with the lush traditional Japanese motifs. I auditioned threads to get the process started. I will probably choose the lightest thread you see. And despite my dislike of changing threads I will likely switch on the ivory, to... ivory. My default thread color choice is almost always the lightest color present in the quilt top. My machine and I love Superior Threads. So Fine 50 wt. thread is what I use for the majority of my long-arm quilting. Studio clean, quilt loaded, now what? You guessed it....Plexiglas. The Plexiglas had a boxy maze drawn on it already, instead of erasing it I laid it down and used it as a starting point. I liked the way it looked over the circle, so I left it and started adding straight line work mixed with a tracing of the Japanese water and flower motifs. Moving the Plexiglas from the quilt top to a white table, gives a different perspective, enabling you to see the quilting design independent of the quilt top. It's a great opportunity to start evaluating how the quilting works or doesn't work compositionally on its own. I like where it's going but the circles need more definition, at this point I decide to get rid of the boxy maze outside of the circle and define the circles with a quarter inch (ish) echo. hmm... it's ok but something isn't quite right. I feel like the density of the quilting in the circles is too heavy. Densely quilted areas are going to recede while the areas that are less densely quilted are going to pop. In this case I would prefer that the background recede not the circles... back to the drawing board so to speak. I leave the boxy maze but change the scale, I do like a quilting design that maintains a similar density throughout. All the straight line work is still too much of the same for me, there is not a strong delineation between background and foreground. I am going to lose the boxy maze and add swirls to the background area to define and simplify the space. I like the feel of where this is going, I think it is starting to work more fluidly with the quilt top. I love working through my designs this way, I am able to see a lot of different ideas come to life without committing to anything. I will continue working out the kinks in this quilting design but I feel more confident in my direction and don't feel like I am just staring at a blank canvas any longer. I hope this gives you some ideas on how to make friends with your Plexiglas. I will leave you with a couple finished Asian panel quilt details, the first quilt is the back of an owl panel, the second and third are Kimono quilts, all pieced by Carlene Embry. Have a wonderful week.
Bugs and insects and the like may seem an unusual subject for a crazy quilt round robin, but traditionally butterflies and beetles were “reg...
Beautiful photos and thoughts collected from various sources. Not my own photos
Barbara from the USA
CRAZY QUILTING using hand dyed embroidery threads available at http://etsy.com/shop/colourcomplements
The Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013 is about promoting the art of crazy quilting and expanding the participant’s individual artistic creativity and technical knowledge.
