RR Block For Margareet

I put the last few stitches into Margareet's CQ RR block this afternoon. I tried hard to keep the colors "soft" as she had requested. I hope she likes what I have done. Here is the seam treatment I did using chain stitches to form half circles. I used Needle Necessities Spring II which is 50% cotton/50% rayon. It is about the size of a perle cotton #8. The gold rays are Kreinik Fine Braid #4 in 002J. The mother-of-pearl button beads and the peachy glass beads are both from different necklaces I have had in my stash drawer for a long time. I bought them at thrift stores and took them apart to use on CQ's and other projects. I used pearlized seed beads to hold them on and golden glass beads on the gold rays.


This next picture shows the opposite corner of the block, where I used a small section of a beautiful ribbon I won from Cathy K. when she had her 100th blog give-away drawing. I think it makes a nice seam treatment and it brings together some of the metallic elements from the other side of the block. I also added the bullion rose, buds and beads. I used Needle Necessities Overdyed French Wool #21 for the flower and #37 for the leaves/stems. The seed beads were added to help balance the mulberry ribbon of Diane's work in the center of the block. As always you can click on any picture to enlarge it if you wish.


This next picture is of my favorite. I think it turned out pretty well. I believe this patch began life as a section of a fancy napkin or something similar. I started with stem stitching the vine/stem pattern. Then I added the leaves, using a fly stitch. The thread I used was an overdyed cotton floss from Weeks Dye Works. It is color #1189 - Butter Bean. Don't you just love that name? It rolls off the tongue, LOL. The flowers are done in a buttonhole stitch out of another Needle Necessities overdye. This one is cotton floss #622. The napkin edge is in buttonhole stitch and done with Needle Necessities overdyed cotton floss # 652. I finished the small flowers off with seed pearls and used a slightly larger pearl on the scallops.


Here is the overall view of Margareet's block now that Diane and I have completed our work. It still has to go to Rose Anne and Ritva before it gets back to Margareet. I will drop it in the mail tomorrow.

Robins Flying In and Out

I saw a robin in the back yard yesterday. In fact, there were 3 of them. Our weeping willow tree was cut down during the winter and now they will have to find new digs. I think they moved over to the jack pine.

The flickers are none to happy with us cutting down that tree either. We found several large flicker nests bored out inside the trunk of the tree when we cut it into sections. The grandkids got a front row seat lesson in nest building from Poppy. Of course, they told their friends about it too. Our neighbors, who home school, brought their children to see the nests and suddenly we were the talk of the neighborhood. We had all kinds of people knocking at the door wanting to go around and take a peek at what the flickers had done. It is amazing how they make such a small hole on the outside of the tree to use as their front door and then bore out the center of the limb to nest in. They were even using some of the sawdust they had created to pad the nest. I haven't heard them drilling on the house (they prefer the heater vents) to attract their mates yet but I see them in the yard. I know that Spring is just around the corner, I just know it!

I have been working on a Round Robin (RR) called Fabulous First Timers #5 through Crazy Quilt International. I sent the two small box top blocks that I spoke of in my last blog. The first block I got in return was a 10" square block from Diane in New Orleans. It is a lovely block of white, ivory, and creams with a touch of gold and silver. I completed my portion of the stitchery today.


I attached the silkie of the fairy by placing it on a very light weight piece of polyfiber batting and then appliqueing it to the patch. I highlighted the wings and gossamer clothing of the fairy in Kreinik blending filaments. Silk ribbon embroidery, beads and an attached green flower (formerly an ear ring) completed the embellishment of the silkie. I framed it in some of the sequins and beads that I purchased at the skating costumer's last month. I also added a couple of seams done in simple lazy daisy stitches and a bullions with more beads, a heavily beaded butterfly lace motif and a silver rolled rose from an old prom dress that is made of a silver metallic/satin ribbon. Now that my part is done I will send this Robin out the door and move it north to Canada to RoseAnne's home before the week is over.

In the mail today I received Magareet's block for FFT5, already stitched on by Diane. Margareet is from the Netherlands. This is what it looks like now. I have a month to add my own work. I will need to do a minimum of 2 seams treatments and 2 patch motifs/fillings. There are extra seams and patches so if it speaks to me I may end up doing more. Isn't that scalloped white patch stunning! I think, maybe, I hear it calling my name.