skip to main |
skip to sidebar
This was the mess we left behind in Lesley's kitchen when Lesley suggested a trip to Jo-Ann's. Paul (her husband) was very long suffering of all of us and was a good sport while we spread ourselves out throughout their home. The dogs too, made us very welcome! 
Lesley and Debbie unloading some of the Breckinridge food supplies. Lesley's big van was full to capacity with food for the retreat, and Gerrie's was full with luggage - Lesley's, Deb's, Gerrie's, Kerry's and mine.
The retreat was wonderful, I enjoyed myself so much. I took lots of projects to work on, but I was so busy learning new stuff, it wasn't hard to forget about the projects and concentrate on button painting, lacy dying, velvet pansies, clay moulding, ribbon flowers and leaves....the list goes on and on. Thank you to all the instructors.
I'm not home yet, but in Florida until the 22nd. There's a heatwave here, it's in the 90s but feels much more. But it doesn't stop me from sewing! Gosh Debbie, I tell you, Edmar threads are the best!!!! Wish I'd bought more!! No wonder you use them so much. Just look how pretty this little piece of Brazilian embroidery looks all done with Edmar threads. I signed up for a RR at CQI called Brazilian embroidery, so I figured that I'd better learn a bit about it. I was surprised at how much fun it was to do.
One little section of this quickly hand-pieced block (no sewing machine here!) is just pansies.
This spray of hollyhocks and delphiniums is taken from Di Van Niekerk's "Ribbon Embroidery and Stumpwork". I'm pretty good at the cast on stitch now!
This is also from the same book. The oranges should be beads covered with silk ribbon but I didn't have beads in my travelling stash with large enough holes for the ribbon to go through several times.
I've had list upon list preparing for the Colorado CQ quilting retreat next week. I began sorting and packing threads and beads at least three weeks ago, and my suitcase was nearly three quarters full of sewing stuff and fabric, but not a stitch of clothing! I'll be gone a week in Colorado (warmer clothes) and about three weeks in Florida (cooler clothes), and I wanted to leave my mum with enough dinners for the month and see to all the last minute jobs. I also had it in my mind to make a cuddle quilt for my new grandson expected at the end of October. Time was running out, but I started it anyway. The size of this is 8 squares by 8 squares. Each square is 6", and the seam allowance is 1/2", so the finished size of the square is 5" x 5". In total there are 64 double thick blocks. I cut out the fabric in one evening, Criss-crossed each set of two squares together, and then made them into strips the next day. The third day I snipped all the 1/2" seams, washed it twice, dried it and tidied up the loose threads and it was finished.
I chose a wonderful bright blue and turquoise animals in boats print, a plain medium blue fabric and a dark pastel rainbow stripe, all flannelette. I had all the fabric in my stash already! 
Here's the back with the rainbow stripe fabric. I could write out some instructions on how to make this if you are interested. Leave a comment if you would like me to do that.
I looped an elastic band around the coat hanger on each of the hooks. This stops the pants from slipping down to one end!
I just happened to be in the right place at the right time today. I popped into Bulk Barn in Pickering for some icing sugar and there was a close down 50% off everything sale. Well.....I bought raisins, chocolate chips and white chocolate wafers, colourflow mix and meringue powder, all kinds of nuts, dried cherries and cranberries, candied ginger, a jar of Branston pickle and a jar of lime marmalade....and more and more and more! I met a nice lady teacher in the long slow line to the cash and we talked about cake decorating. I mentioned my blog so that she could see some of the cake stuff, but as I scrolled down it's mostly crazy quilting stuff. So, if you happen to read this, please go to the sidebar on the right, scroll down 'till you come to the list of labels and click on "cake decorating".
CQI run a challenge every month. March's was paisleys, and this was one of my attempts. I embroidered it onto a piece of dark turquoise velvet and I was pleased with my first try. Lately I've been carrying my little camera loose in my purse and decided to use the paisley as a small pouch to protect the lens and screen. It measures 5 1/4" x 3 3/4". I lined it with felt and it closes with a large press stud inside.
This one is the same size, on black velvet, and is a gift for a friend.
From time to time CQ4Newbies members make a Hearts and Flowers block for a member who is going through a tough time. This is one I did recently. The centre is a chicken scratch heart on gingham.
This Daphne's finished block. It looks great in reality, the photo doesn't do it justice. Last year we were in another RR and her block was a match to this one with shoes and boots. So the pair of them will look great together. 
I worked on this clutch purse. Wide orange satin ribbon with big orange sequins and green seed beads keeping the pleats in place. Seed bead border on the orange fabric. Gold trim and a green sequin flower as the "button". And various beaded bits decorating the orange fabric. It was lots of fun to do - great colours together.
The 100 year old gentleman that I made this 12" x 12" cake for was a concert pianist. He's still pretty spry and still plays the piano. The lettering is a new set from FMM called Funky Alphabet. The capital letters are about 1 1/4" high. 
I found this lovely little book at our local community book store for only $2.00. It's in perfect condition and the stuff inside looks very interesting. I think a small piece would look very pretty as the centre of a crazy quilt square. Sort of like the chicken scratch heart (http://tinyurl.com/l7pnjz) that I placed in the centre of a square. Just a note that I won't be posting for a week as I will be out of town.
This was my afternoon's work. I'm going to leave the middle row of chain stitch without the pearl beads, but add the beads in the top row.
This block is without doubt the most beautiful one I 
have ever worked on. It arrived in the mail a week or so ago, and usually I can begin work on a round robin block within a day or so. This one was intimidating to me and I just could not think of anything that I could do deserving of the stitching already worked on it. But finally, thoughts of Faye in Australia patiently waiting for her block to arrive in August, and time running out as I unexpectedly need to travel with my 93 year old Mum to Glasgow next week, has made me get down to work. I have three areas that I am going to work on. On the right hand side and at the bottom of the block there is a small green triangle which I have started chain stitch scallops in Caron Wildflowers variegated moss green/
maroon thread with small pearl beads. The blue section above it I will do some ribbon embroidery flowers. The top peach section I have a fine piece of tatting that will fill a corner or a side, I haven't decided yet. But......whew........I feel better about having begun the work.
Lesley and Debbie unloading some of the Breckinridge food supplies. Lesley's big van was full to capacity with food for the retreat, and Gerrie's was full with luggage - Lesley's, Deb's, Gerrie's, Kerry's and mine.
The retreat was wonderful, I enjoyed myself so much. I took lots of projects to work on, but I was so busy learning new stuff, it wasn't hard to forget about the projects and concentrate on button painting, lacy dying, velvet pansies, clay moulding, ribbon flowers and leaves....the list goes on and on. Thank you to all the instructors.
%2B(650x228).jpg)
