Have you visited the Crazy Quilt Show on-line at Pigtales and Quilts? There are some wonderful examples of CQ entered in a contest on this site. The creators of the CQs are waiting for you to come look at their work. You can actually vote for your favorite and help some lucky CQer win some fabulous prizes. There are also some wonderful CQ enthusiasts who have linked to the site and you can visit their blogs to feast your eyes on even more eye candy. You can win prizes yourself if you link up right away. Only a few days left.
Also of interest to those loving CQ would be the Crazy Quilting Journal Project (CQJP). Over 200 ladies and gentlemen from all overthe world have registered to participate by sharing a completed CQ block/project each month for 12 months. The works shown so far for January and February are outstanding. You will find a link over in my side bar.
Enjoy the sharing going on at both of these sites and consider participating in one or both of them next year. In the meantime, check them out and try to contain your drool.
Hugs, Shari
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Saturday, February 4, 2012
CQJP 2012 January Block
I did it! I actually found time to finish a block in a month. As a committee person for the project I thought I had BETTER find the time or I wouldn't be in any position to encourage others to do so, lol.
I have entitled this block Inside Neptune's Garden Net. I hope it gives you the feeling that you are under the sea, inside the golden net of Neptune with those 3 large fish, looking for a way out through the seaweed.
When I decided to participate in CQJP 2012 I thought it would be an opportunity to challenge myself a bit with each block by doing something that I hadn't done before but might have wanted to try. I also decided it would be a good time to revisit some techniques that I hadn't done for awhile.
On this particular block the challenge was to work with that gold netting. I can tell you it was a true challenge to get it to lay on the fabric and not curl the fabric right back up because the netting has a 'memory'. It was a gold net bag that had held some chocolates. It expands well when full but it retracts to its original condition when not full of chocolate, evidently, lol. I had only the corners and the side points tacked down and I thought that would hold the netting open. My initial plan was to stitch all the seaweed elements over it to hold it in place - the next morning. When I picked up the block the next day it was all rolled up inside the netting. What a tangled net we weave....lol. So, I spent the better part of the afternoon that day tacking that netting in place from the center out on the fabric. I fought with it like crazy because it really wanted to keep retracting back to its tight bag shape. Does this make it 'crazy' quilting?
One of the techniques I revisited was stenciling the distant fish onto the fabric with Shiva oil paint sticks. I even cut my own indistinct stencil. I really like the effect of depth it gives to the block. I laid a lot of dark seaweed on both sides using scraps of yarn, perle cotton and other funky stuff. I used a lot of feather stitches, fly stitches and some of the fibers are just laid on with couching stitches. I also tried my hand at scrunching a large piece of fabric for the sand and tacking it down to retain the pleating. I just love scrunching fabric. Then I laid the netting, the fluffy/bushy central seaweed and the seashells, coral rocks, skull and blown glass bead.
I decided to use needle weaving for the legs of the starfish holding the shell down. The center is a very tight buttonhole and cross stitch, with silver blending filament accents to make it show up a bit more. I love the vintage trim that winds its way across the ocean floor. The sand dollar is cut off a necklace from the thrift store, as is the skull by the seaweed on the right.
The 3 large fish are also thrift store jewelry parts. They are mother of pearl cut from an abalone shell. I used some rose petal motifs from some old dyed lace curtains for their tails. I trimmed one petal down a bit to fit under the body so I could tack it in place before setting the fish body in place over the lace. The veins in the tail are also silver blending filament.
I hope you enjoyed this part of the journey. I have begun my February block. It is pieced and I have some ideas but need to pull the threads and other embellishments before I can start my stitching.
Hugs, Shari
I have entitled this block Inside Neptune's Garden Net. I hope it gives you the feeling that you are under the sea, inside the golden net of Neptune with those 3 large fish, looking for a way out through the seaweed.
When I decided to participate in CQJP 2012 I thought it would be an opportunity to challenge myself a bit with each block by doing something that I hadn't done before but might have wanted to try. I also decided it would be a good time to revisit some techniques that I hadn't done for awhile.
On this particular block the challenge was to work with that gold netting. I can tell you it was a true challenge to get it to lay on the fabric and not curl the fabric right back up because the netting has a 'memory'. It was a gold net bag that had held some chocolates. It expands well when full but it retracts to its original condition when not full of chocolate, evidently, lol. I had only the corners and the side points tacked down and I thought that would hold the netting open. My initial plan was to stitch all the seaweed elements over it to hold it in place - the next morning. When I picked up the block the next day it was all rolled up inside the netting. What a tangled net we weave....lol. So, I spent the better part of the afternoon that day tacking that netting in place from the center out on the fabric. I fought with it like crazy because it really wanted to keep retracting back to its tight bag shape. Does this make it 'crazy' quilting?
One of the techniques I revisited was stenciling the distant fish onto the fabric with Shiva oil paint sticks. I even cut my own indistinct stencil. I really like the effect of depth it gives to the block. I laid a lot of dark seaweed on both sides using scraps of yarn, perle cotton and other funky stuff. I used a lot of feather stitches, fly stitches and some of the fibers are just laid on with couching stitches. I also tried my hand at scrunching a large piece of fabric for the sand and tacking it down to retain the pleating. I just love scrunching fabric. Then I laid the netting, the fluffy/bushy central seaweed and the seashells, coral rocks, skull and blown glass bead.
I decided to use needle weaving for the legs of the starfish holding the shell down. The center is a very tight buttonhole and cross stitch, with silver blending filament accents to make it show up a bit more. I love the vintage trim that winds its way across the ocean floor. The sand dollar is cut off a necklace from the thrift store, as is the skull by the seaweed on the right.
The 3 large fish are also thrift store jewelry parts. They are mother of pearl cut from an abalone shell. I used some rose petal motifs from some old dyed lace curtains for their tails. I trimmed one petal down a bit to fit under the body so I could tack it in place before setting the fish body in place over the lace. The veins in the tail are also silver blending filament.
I hope you enjoyed this part of the journey. I have begun my February block. It is pieced and I have some ideas but need to pull the threads and other embellishments before I can start my stitching.
Hugs, Shari
Monday, December 19, 2011
Chinese Auction Fun
My friend Connie and I went to a Holiday Luncheon last Saturday. The members of the Rocky Mountain Crazy Quilt Association celebrate each December with an afternoon of cheer and fun instead of the regular business and workshop meeting. This year we participated in a Chinese Auction. Each person was to bring a white elephant type gift for exchanging.
I took a Bootie Bag filled with stash items that a crazy quilter would enjoy. In return I received a lovely fabric and lace lap quilt. It was made by Leah Mae Williams in 1996 and was brought by Holly. She tells me she originally purchased the quilt at a craft show. The quilt is so sweet with such great blocks that I have no idea why she was willing to give it up. But, I am glad she did!
Each block has a different design done using lace and/or some patches of manipulated fabrics. The colors are white, off white, and the palest peach tone with black satin ribbon accents. The whole thing is very nicely handquilted. It is amazing how uniformly the hand quilting is done. Here is an example of just one block.
Click on the pictures below to see the details of each block. There are some neat techniques shown. I am particularly fond of the way the corner of a hankie was used on the fan, the use of prairie points on another block, the various ways shirred or gathered fabric was used on several blocks and the use of the crocheted lace on the cuff of the lacey glove. The lace inserts on the basket of flowers is pretty cool, too, as is the use of the lace rosettes on the blocks. Every time I look at it I discover something different. I keep discovering different types of lace that are actually being used, too.
I took a Bootie Bag filled with stash items that a crazy quilter would enjoy. In return I received a lovely fabric and lace lap quilt. It was made by Leah Mae Williams in 1996 and was brought by Holly. She tells me she originally purchased the quilt at a craft show. The quilt is so sweet with such great blocks that I have no idea why she was willing to give it up. But, I am glad she did!
Each block has a different design done using lace and/or some patches of manipulated fabrics. The colors are white, off white, and the palest peach tone with black satin ribbon accents. The whole thing is very nicely handquilted. It is amazing how uniformly the hand quilting is done. Here is an example of just one block.
Click on the pictures below to see the details of each block. There are some neat techniques shown. I am particularly fond of the way the corner of a hankie was used on the fan, the use of prairie points on another block, the various ways shirred or gathered fabric was used on several blocks and the use of the crocheted lace on the cuff of the lacey glove. The lace inserts on the basket of flowers is pretty cool, too, as is the use of the lace rosettes on the blocks. Every time I look at it I discover something different. I keep discovering different types of lace that are actually being used, too.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Booty Bag for Connie
When I went to Las Vegas in the late summer of 2010 I bought some beautiful peacock feather appliques. I gave one to each of the moderators of Stitchmap and challenged them to make a swap item. I also participated in the swap. The swap coordinator was my daughter Moon and it was her job to keep us all on track.
Moon assigned us swap partners, setting a 6 month due date for the swap to be completed. Like most of the others I procrastinated. The major obstacle for me was thinking of a gift that was useful and that could carry off the peacock theme. Imagine my surprise when Moon sent me Connnie's name as the one I was to make this swap gift for. Now I was feeling pressure. I had to keep it secret and we pal around all the time! How does one keep such information from a good friend when that friend keeps wanting to talk about the swap and exchange ideas???
Somehow I managed to not let her know I had drawn her name.......I give myself pats on the back for that.
I decided to make her a Booty Bag that she could use for whatever purpose she wanted. They can be made in just about any size and used for evening bags to utility bags - depending on what they are made out of or how they are embellished.
I chose to use mostly jewel tones and black in fancy fabrics. I found a piece of a velvet vest front with a multi-colored swirling pattern in it. I used this and the feather to pull my other fabrics selections. I stitched it with silk threads and silk ribbon. I hand dyed some small lace motifs and set about creating the CQ block.
Connie and I spent a day recently doing some decoupaged buttons and I remembered that she liked this one little lady. So, I made a beaded cabochon for her.
I added her initial in silk ribbon so some unscrupulous friend (like me) wouldn't take the bag away from her or just keep it, LOL! I used some vintage ombre ribbon from the 1930's to make the little flowers because we had been together when I bought that ribbon in Niwot, Colorado. I added the free hand swirls and sequins to try and repeat the feeling of a peacock tail.
Here is one more picture of the bag showing the hand dyed dragonfly and a better color shot of that beautiful velvet that I used as my inspiration fabric. In the next picture is a small flower lace motif that I also hand dyed for the bag.
When I put the feather in place it tied the whole bag together. The "Touche" is a personal joke so I can't share that but the label is from a ladie's dress. I save a lot of those because the names are cool and they can be used like this on a crazy quilt.
I don't know how well it shows up in that first picture but I also added a real peacock feather at the base of the applique feather. This is my interpretation of how to show we are birds of a feather who flock together.......ROFLOL!!!
Moon will tell you that Connie had to pry this out of my hands the day I delivered it to her.
Hugs, Shari
Moon assigned us swap partners, setting a 6 month due date for the swap to be completed. Like most of the others I procrastinated. The major obstacle for me was thinking of a gift that was useful and that could carry off the peacock theme. Imagine my surprise when Moon sent me Connnie's name as the one I was to make this swap gift for. Now I was feeling pressure. I had to keep it secret and we pal around all the time! How does one keep such information from a good friend when that friend keeps wanting to talk about the swap and exchange ideas???
Somehow I managed to not let her know I had drawn her name.......I give myself pats on the back for that.
I decided to make her a Booty Bag that she could use for whatever purpose she wanted. They can be made in just about any size and used for evening bags to utility bags - depending on what they are made out of or how they are embellished.
I chose to use mostly jewel tones and black in fancy fabrics. I found a piece of a velvet vest front with a multi-colored swirling pattern in it. I used this and the feather to pull my other fabrics selections. I stitched it with silk threads and silk ribbon. I hand dyed some small lace motifs and set about creating the CQ block.
Connie and I spent a day recently doing some decoupaged buttons and I remembered that she liked this one little lady. So, I made a beaded cabochon for her.
I added her initial in silk ribbon so some unscrupulous friend (like me) wouldn't take the bag away from her or just keep it, LOL! I used some vintage ombre ribbon from the 1930's to make the little flowers because we had been together when I bought that ribbon in Niwot, Colorado. I added the free hand swirls and sequins to try and repeat the feeling of a peacock tail.
Here is one more picture of the bag showing the hand dyed dragonfly and a better color shot of that beautiful velvet that I used as my inspiration fabric. In the next picture is a small flower lace motif that I also hand dyed for the bag.
When I put the feather in place it tied the whole bag together. The "Touche" is a personal joke so I can't share that but the label is from a ladie's dress. I save a lot of those because the names are cool and they can be used like this on a crazy quilt.
I don't know how well it shows up in that first picture but I also added a real peacock feather at the base of the applique feather. This is my interpretation of how to show we are birds of a feather who flock together.......ROFLOL!!!
Moon will tell you that Connie had to pry this out of my hands the day I delivered it to her.
Hugs, Shari
Estate Sale Find
I recently went to an estate sale with my friend Connie. We found many wonderful stitching related items there and I felt I got a good bargain on everything. I would share pictures of what I picked up but it is the usual stuff: fabric, lace, patterns, a couple of old books, etc. I am sure I will find a way to use everything I bought.
The best buy of the day is this 8" x 8.5" crazy quilt block from 1904!
I actually saw another lady pick it up and set it down. I couldn't wait for it to be out of her hands. I snatched it right up and set it on my pile of goodies. I didn't even really look at the price right away. The date alone was enough for me to want it.
Connie and I took our gathered up goodies into the living room, sat down and began to weed out what we really wanted vs. what we might want to keep if we could still afford it after paying for what we just had to have. When I got to the CQ patch I let out a "Yippee". Connie looked at me and asked if I had just hit the jackpot. I handed her the quilt block.......it was marked 50 cents! Obviously no one who set up that sale knew what they had in this little treasure.
The back is a muslin foundation that is very much discolered with age but so neatly done that the little stitches look like small road maps for a doll's town. The knots are tiny and the stitches pretty much uniform. The thread colors are a bit brighter on the back than on the front so I imagine the back saw less sunlight wherever it had been stored. There is no evidence that the block was ever sewn into a quilt or other object.
The front has 3 dark wool patches (a man's coat?), 1 purple velvet patch, 1 red gabardine patch,1 beige oriental print damask-like patch and the rest are all pure silks. Only the gabardine has a shredded rend in it. The red silk patch (ladie's dress piece?) has 4 tiny holes in it might be bug related. Other than that the fabrics are still in very good condition.
The seam treatment stitches are all single stitch herringbone. They are done in perle cotton #12 or embroidery floss using 2 plies and there are some basting stitches around the outer edges done in cotton sewing thread.
I believe this quilt block might have been made for a Memory Quilt when someone was going to be moving from one place to another. The names/initials are done in tiny chain stitch. A few of the stitches have been snagged and are waving little flags of "hello" at me.
I wish I knew who the block had belonged to and more about the "girls" Mollie, Lula and Clara who signed the quilt. One set of initials is definitely JH. It is hard to tell if the other set is MH or HW. I am going to fanticize it is MH and that JH & MH were a newly married couple moving to another state......maybe the girls were little sisters of the bride?
I am looking for suggestions of how best to display this treasure.
Ever the romantic.........
Shari
The best buy of the day is this 8" x 8.5" crazy quilt block from 1904!
I actually saw another lady pick it up and set it down. I couldn't wait for it to be out of her hands. I snatched it right up and set it on my pile of goodies. I didn't even really look at the price right away. The date alone was enough for me to want it.
Connie and I took our gathered up goodies into the living room, sat down and began to weed out what we really wanted vs. what we might want to keep if we could still afford it after paying for what we just had to have. When I got to the CQ patch I let out a "Yippee". Connie looked at me and asked if I had just hit the jackpot. I handed her the quilt block.......it was marked 50 cents! Obviously no one who set up that sale knew what they had in this little treasure.
The back is a muslin foundation that is very much discolered with age but so neatly done that the little stitches look like small road maps for a doll's town. The knots are tiny and the stitches pretty much uniform. The thread colors are a bit brighter on the back than on the front so I imagine the back saw less sunlight wherever it had been stored. There is no evidence that the block was ever sewn into a quilt or other object.
The front has 3 dark wool patches (a man's coat?), 1 purple velvet patch, 1 red gabardine patch,1 beige oriental print damask-like patch and the rest are all pure silks. Only the gabardine has a shredded rend in it. The red silk patch (ladie's dress piece?) has 4 tiny holes in it might be bug related. Other than that the fabrics are still in very good condition.
The seam treatment stitches are all single stitch herringbone. They are done in perle cotton #12 or embroidery floss using 2 plies and there are some basting stitches around the outer edges done in cotton sewing thread.
I believe this quilt block might have been made for a Memory Quilt when someone was going to be moving from one place to another. The names/initials are done in tiny chain stitch. A few of the stitches have been snagged and are waving little flags of "hello" at me.
I wish I knew who the block had belonged to and more about the "girls" Mollie, Lula and Clara who signed the quilt. One set of initials is definitely JH. It is hard to tell if the other set is MH or HW. I am going to fanticize it is MH and that JH & MH were a newly married couple moving to another state......maybe the girls were little sisters of the bride?
I am looking for suggestions of how best to display this treasure.
Ever the romantic.........
Shari
Mug Rug Swap Completed
Remember the Stitchmap mug rug swap mentioned in my last post? Well, now I can reveal that I sent the chicken patterned one to Ruby in North Carolina, the coffee mug one to Mona in Southern California and the purple diagonal striped one to Michele in Texas! By all reports they enjoyed their mug rug and the extra goodies I sent - mugs to match with an assortment of teas.
I have also received all 3 of my swaps now. The first one that came was from Amber in Ohio. It is so sweet and completely reversible, having a pink rose print on one side and a pink polka dot print on the other. She also made me a matching fabric snack bowl and a darling pocketed booklet to hold my tea bags in! It looks like a needle book so it would be perfect to take with me to an EGA stitch-in. I really like the feminine look of this one. Of course, my grandaughter Grace did too! I will have to keep it away from her.
Ann in Nevada sent me a beautiful blue printed mug rug with a matching tin. The mug rug is embroidered with oodles of tiny French knots accenting the floral prints.
The tin has a top made of the same fabric and then embroidered in floss and silk ribbon. It held an assortment of teas but it would also be just the right size for my embroidery scissors! I could use this mug rug right by my computer and fill the tin with just enough candy for an evening of web surfing!!!
I actually have a matching blue pottery mug that says World's Best Grandma on it and it is like they are a matched set. Lovely work and so tactile. I love texture on my handstitched items. I tend to fondle the texture when I am thinking about things.
Last, but by no means least, was the mug rug received from Michele. It is in my favorite colors of purples and creams with touches of gold and blue. The fabrics are just beautiful and I have already given it a dedicated spot next to my lounge chair on the end table so I can use it when I am watching TV.
Many thanks to these generous ladies. I can tell they put a lot of thought and energy into making these mug rugs for me (not to mention the extra goodies!). I really appreciate their generosity.
I have also received all 3 of my swaps now. The first one that came was from Amber in Ohio. It is so sweet and completely reversible, having a pink rose print on one side and a pink polka dot print on the other. She also made me a matching fabric snack bowl and a darling pocketed booklet to hold my tea bags in! It looks like a needle book so it would be perfect to take with me to an EGA stitch-in. I really like the feminine look of this one. Of course, my grandaughter Grace did too! I will have to keep it away from her.
Ann in Nevada sent me a beautiful blue printed mug rug with a matching tin. The mug rug is embroidered with oodles of tiny French knots accenting the floral prints.
The tin has a top made of the same fabric and then embroidered in floss and silk ribbon. It held an assortment of teas but it would also be just the right size for my embroidery scissors! I could use this mug rug right by my computer and fill the tin with just enough candy for an evening of web surfing!!!
I actually have a matching blue pottery mug that says World's Best Grandma on it and it is like they are a matched set. Lovely work and so tactile. I love texture on my handstitched items. I tend to fondle the texture when I am thinking about things.
Last, but by no means least, was the mug rug received from Michele. It is in my favorite colors of purples and creams with touches of gold and blue. The fabrics are just beautiful and I have already given it a dedicated spot next to my lounge chair on the end table so I can use it when I am watching TV.
Many thanks to these generous ladies. I can tell they put a lot of thought and energy into making these mug rugs for me (not to mention the extra goodies!). I really appreciate their generosity.
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