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CQ4Newbies recently ran a challenge where the participant would make two blocks, one where you were entirely comfortable with the colour, design, fabric, stitching and embellishments. The other would be out of your comfort zone. I started with my comfort block - pinks, lace, beads and the like. This is a needle case opened out to show front and back.
Below is my attempt at the "out of your zone" challenge. It's out of my zone as far as colour (no colour, just black, grey and silver), but not for any other reason, (like using big buttons, beads and butterflies), so I couldn't in all honesty, submit it into the Challenge. But I did end up with half of a nice tea cosy!!!
No wonder chicken scratch embroidery was so popular back when. It's so easy, works up quickly and looks nice when it's finished. Here's yet another tea cosy. I did a different pattern on each of the two fronts. To see my other chicken scratch, click on "chicken scratch" in the label box below. There's also a tutorial for making this tea cosy. Click on the sidebar label for "tea cosy tutorial" It's basically made from four square blocks, the crazy quilt ones were, but this was made from one big oblong.
Added August 16, 2009. In my sidebar I have a gaget called "Feejit" that tracks visitors to my blog. I've noticed in the last few days that I have many, many visitors who are coming directly to this post on Chicken Scratch. I'd be interested to know where you made the connection. If you like you could leave me a message on this post please.
Chicken scratch has been a great first technique to experiment with in SharonB's Stitch Explorer 2009. I tried lots of variations which you can find in previous posts or on my Flickr site. Since I'm on the "tea cosy" wagon right now I decided to make a tea cosy with some chicken scratch decoration. It is the four-square design again. And this is the basic chicken scratch stitch on this square except that I have switched colours on the inner and outer rows. This is the front.
And this will be the back. Another basic stitch. This side needs another round of stitching. These designs work up really quickly and are very effective. I like the contrast of the navy and white on the pale blue gingham. 
Two of my unfinished are now finished! I'm so pleased with the cushion. I used maroon moire for the back of the cushion and did a simple envelope flap for the opening.
This is the four square pieces tea cosy except that I used one long piece the equivalent of the four squares, so there is only one join in the piece. Pretty simple to make and wouldn't take long. I spent easily as much time sewing on pink beads as I did the machine sewing, but I think it was worth it.
I had so many nice comments from my Seniors group on Tuesday about the maroon tea cosy, I'm making another. The maroon one used 8" blocks, this new green one will have 9" to 10" blocks to fit a larger tea pot. Here's it so far.
This section is my favourite. I've used Sassa Lynne Summer Forest #5 Perle. I love this thread.
- Note: I honestly don't know the secret of how to post pictures that enlarge with a click of the mouse. Some of mine do, and some don't. Anyone know the answer? I also have my pictures on flickr where you can enlarge.
- Creative Every Day contribution for 14th Jan.
I saw a neat tea cosy this past weekend. It was just four 8" square blocks. They fit together this way: Picture the four squares, each piece folded in half vertically, with the right sides together. Now, still folded, pick up two squares and put two wrong sides together and sew up the long side. Still folded, sew together the two top half pieces that have their wrong sides facing each other. The top sewing should only reach the middle of the block. Repeat with the other two blocks. Today I prepared two CQ blocks, 8" square and will embroider these. The other two squares will be plain. 
Since I posted this yesterday, I've been thinking. If you just wanted to make a very quick tea cosy, then instead of having four pieces that you join together, start off with the equivalent of that, 8" x 32". Join to make a circle, fold in half and mark the folds, fold in half the other way and mark the folds. Half way between the marked folds becomes the centre and should be tacked together. Then sew the four top edges together.
The shape isn't the greatest, it should have been a bit higher at the middle. I didn't have a pattern and just made it to cover the teapot without thinking of making a pretty shape. Mum loves it, and it's hers now. This was another project to provide seams for the 100details.
How about this! Three projects finished this week. My friend Mo arrived from Florida for the summer and once he had made his tour around my place changing lightbulbs and stopping dripping taps, etc. he got down to the "jobs"! First on the list was my holiday block that needed to be framed. This CQ block represents my three-part vacation last fall beginning in Breckenridge, Colorado, on to New Orleans and finishing up in Florida. While he was working on that I got on with the tea cosy which I had stalled on when it came to lining and finishing. The other is a beaded velvet camera pouch for my friend Jan who recently was visiting from Victoria, BC. It is very satisfying to have these items crossed off the to do list 
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