Monday, September 29, 2014

Intermediate Crazy Quilting Class - Task #11 - Silk Ribbon Sunflowers and Violets

It's been a couple of weeks since I last posted. I have no idea what I have been doing. Messing about with stuff I guess:)

I did finally get around to doing the next task in the CQ class I'm taking.  More silk ribbon embroidery but this time sunflowers and violets.

Here is what I produced.......sunflowers to the bottom left.  I quite like them myself. I did the middles in French knots and they are very soft to the touch.


The violets that Kathy teaches are very cute but I didn't have enough ribbon in the right size or colour. I did a few teeny tiny ones in the middle here and then filled in with some other flowers.  I must give them another try once I get more ribbon.


I put them on my fan shaped block in a little empty space. It turned out to be quite a good idea as the lace edging looks like a little fence. Purely accidental on my part:)

Someone in my class asked what kind of laying tool I used when I did my sunflowers.

I have this thing. I don't know where I got it or what it actually is. At first I thought it might be from an old manicure kit but now I think I got it as a freebie with some DAS paper clay.


Don't know but it seems to work for me.

Take care:)

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Intermediate Crazy Quilting Class - Another Raised Applique

I thought I'd do another raised applique to add to one of my CQ blocks. I decided to do the little cat that was part of the class material.

It was not easy turning the little head and trying to get it through that little neck. There was a bit of swearing done:)  I used felt again which wasn't really a good choice. Next time I think I'll use a very thin knit...a t-shirt weight maybe.


The Intermediate CQ class is made up of several individual task units. At the end I hope that my three practice blocks will end up looking somewhat complete and with a certain amount of flow. Here is my "silkie" block so far. I still have a lot of touches to add.



I thought I'd join up with The Needle & Thread Network today.

The N&TN is a forum for Canadian textile artists and today is their 3rd year for weekly linkups. Please come over and visit and see what my fellow Canadians are up to.

Take care:)

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Intermediate Crazy Quilt Class - Task # 10 - Wisteria

I have never actually seen wisteria growing but from the pictures I found on Google I'd say it's pretty spectacular.

I was at a loss as to where to put my wisteria vine and in the end decided to do it in the middle of my fan block.



I made a trellis out of some very narrow white ribbon and used some variegated embroidery thread as the  woody vine.

Take care:) 

Saturday, September 13, 2014

Intermediate Crazy Quilting Class - Task #9 - Spring Garden

I really enjoyed doing these sweet little flowers.

The tulips were a bit difficult and may look a bit fat...lol....but for my first effort I think I did pretty good:)


Friday, September 12, 2014

Intermediate Crazy Quilting - Task #8 - Dimensional or Raised Applique

This was really a fun task. We had a choice of three appliques to do. I decided to do the white bunny.

I made it with some white craft felt that I bought at Michael's. Originally I had just put it on the block with some bits of grass embroidery but it didn't look right. It looked lost and lonely.

I had some pale green fuzzy fibre that I had also bought at Michael's in their scrapbook section.

I couched it down and when I placed the bunny there it looked much better. After appliqueing him/her down I added some greenery and a wee bit of colour.


Much better.....

The next task is more silk ribbon embroidery that is so pretty. I just have to decide what block to put it on. Stay tuned.

Take care:)

Monday, September 8, 2014

TAST Status......

So far I have done 24 out of the 123 stitches on the list.....only 99 more to go!!!!!


Since Deva's stay at the vets she has decided to spend more time with me lately. I have a short set of storage drawers on wheels that I have to put beside the window. She's quite insistent about it.

She snoozes there.

She has gotten a bit chubby too.

If there is any action outside she can go behind the curtain and sit on the window sill. Very convenient:)

Take care.

Intermediat Crazy Quilting - Task # 7 - Silk Ribbon Embroideried Frame and Cluster.

Oh how I dreaded this part. I can't go to the next task until I do this one. I procrastinated as much as I could...but.

I find silk ribbon so hard to use. It hates me!!

Here is my block before......





Here is my "silkie" framed with silk ribbon embroidery. The colours in this block seem to be tending towards green, rose and pick so I think I will continue with that in my seam treatments as well.


Here is my grape block before.....


...and, my silk ribbon cluster in the corner of the fan.


Take care.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

TAST Challenge Blog

Just for the heck of it I have created a blog to track my TAST challenge. I am by no means an expert. In fact I'm quite the opposite. I can do basic embroidery stitches but I have never done anything out of the ordinary.

So far I have posted about the first 15 stitches in the challenge. Some have been easy and some not. But, I will say I'm enjoying it a lot and will keep plugging along:)


I don't know if it's me but I have found some of the instructions a bit confusing. So I'm very grateful to Mary Corbet and her How-To Videos. They have been so helpful.

I was also very happy to find a great stitchery resource at Sarah's Hand Embroidery Tutorials. 

I've made little swatches with the stitches on them. Nothing too fancy or complicated. I will eventually put them into my stitch diary as a future reference. 

Anyway I'm determined to finish all 123 stitches on the TAST list.

Take care:)