Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Deanna's Pines Group - Yellow Study moving on

This is Deanna's almost finished block with Vicky, Reneta, Cathy and my work. It's going to Daphne next. I've not worked in yellow much, and it's not my favourite colour, but I was loving it by the end of the first seam.
Here's what I added to the block. Some scallops. I wanted to do more to this patch, but couldn't make up my mind on what else to add. Perhaps Daphne will finish it off!
The paisley was fun to do. I also did the seam above it.
This began with small straight stitches. Then I wove six strands of sparkly green thread in and out of the straight stitches, and added a small green pearl. After that three lazy daisy stitches in orange DMC pearl #8 and in between those three straight stitches in one strand of gold sparkly thread with a gold bead on each stitch.
A little patch of chicken scratch on the gingham patch with a pea-pod seam below.
I filled this patch with herringbone and small cupped sequins. This is the final Pines block that I will work on. What a variety there was in this group! It was great fun!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Hearts and Flowers

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.

Friday, August 21, 2009

Daphne's Pines block on it's way home.

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.

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

FFT#7 - Faye's block heading home to Australia

Faye's block is stunning. The work done by Nicki Lee, Mary, Faye and Gerry is fabulous and I really had to pluck up courage to add my stitching. Round robins are educational and I found I learned a lot participating in this one. I began by marking out scallops on sage green moire and worked chain stitches in a pink and green variegated Carron wildfowers thread. I put a tiny pearl bead in each chain of the top and bottom rows, then added little daisies. Above that I used variegated silk ribbon for pink and multicoloured low flowers, blue/lilac ribbon for hollyhocks and pink and maroon for a clump of iris. This section was the last to be done. I gathered up wide silk ribbon and made a cluster of three flowers on the peach patch.
The tatting was given to me by a friend whose mother had made the doily many years ago. I inserted a piece into the corner, and several days after that I decided it would become a fan. Decorating the fan are pink seed beads, cream pearl seed beads and pink silk ribbon woven in and out and a section of ribbon that has been gathered into little pleats. The triangle below the fan seemed perfect for another few scallops, but this time I used a shiny variegated thread for bullion roses. Faye, it will be on it's way to you tomorrow morning.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

FFT#7 - My block is home

I am thrilled with this block that arrived home during the past week. The wonderful variety of stitching is inspiring and will be a great resource. There are bits that I want to try right now!
This amazing dragonfly is Gerry's work, as well as the pretty fan. Nicki added the encrusted pink flower cluster, while Faye embroidered the dainty seams to the left of the fan and the far left.
In the corner is some lovely work by Mary, a cluster of chain stitched roses. Nicki added the lace topped with shell and pearl flowers.
Mary's beaded flowers are great along with a seam of lace and beads.
I just love Gerry's painted buttons. This is an amazing little cottage finished with beading all around. She also added the lace which echos Faye's circular embroidery. The dark pink flower cluster is also Gerry's work and it's exquisite. The photo doesn't do it justice. There are the tiniest of flowers and leaves there too.
Faye's circles are stunning, so neatly done. Mary added some lovely pale pink buttons.
Faye's bullions are so perfect, and hidden in amongst the rambling vine is a sparkling spider web in fine silver thread and a tiny spider. The seam going vertically through the middle is also Faye's. Look closely and you can see some tiny pistil stitches. Thank you all for the wonderful stitching.

Sugar time

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.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Whatever Goes RR - Pines Group

My block is home and it's beautiful. The Pines ladies that worked on it are Vicky, Reneta, Deanna, Daphne and Cathy. I've taken some close up photos to give you an idea how lovely their work is.
The spider and web and pink and green seam are Vicky's work.
Vicky also embroidered this pretty seam.
This lovely assortment of flowers and the purple beaded seam on the left are Vicky's work too. Deanna embroidered the delicate pink beaded feather stitch.
Renata made this lovely cluster of pearl flowers.
The seam of silver and pearl flowers are Daphne's contribution, the purple seam is Cathy's. I couldn't find any mention of the purple and green bead seam so I can't give credit.
Daphne embroidered this gorgeous silk ribbon bouquet.
The hearts and flowers seam and the corner embroidery is Deanna's lovely work.
This seam is Cathy's.
This pretty purple cluster is also Cathy's.More lovely embroidery from Vicky.
Thank you all so much for your lovely work. This block is a real treasure and will be part of a wall hanging soon.

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Whitework Book

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.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Later that same day........

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.

FFT#7 - Faye's block

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.