Crazy Quilt Classes

 

Well I'm trying a new approach.. The little needle shop where I taught last spring is closing its doors tomorrow.. A quilt shop is buying out all the inventory which is left... So I trotted myself over to the quilt store and I'm going to teach    there in November.

Last time students had to bring a constructed block and the focus for 3 weeks was on embellishing.  I have to admit that committed cross stitchers are a hard group to convert... Although I did end up with 8  converted CQers out of 18 students..  This time I'm hoping to convert sane quilters and am starting with a one-day introductory workshop.  I wanted it to be free but the shop owner will want a minimal fee for store space and advertising, which is fair.  It's just an afternoon and I'm hoping to attract stitchers who may be curious but wouldn't want to commit to a series of lessons.. If I get enough interest I can then offer a series of classes. I really want them to be free classes as the whole point is to get CQers - not to make money.

Here's the ad---whata ya think?

  Sunday Nov. 3 - 12-4

 

  "Introductory Workshop  to Crazy Quilting"

by Gerry Krueger

Crazy quilting is free-form and embraces all aspects of various needlework skills. Each piece is one-of-a-kind.

The afternoon  will begin with a slide show on crazy quilt history and various styles of crazy quilts..     Lots of samples of crazy quilting will be available to fondle and discuss.  Time will be spent on how to build multiple-layered seams, the hallmark of crazy quilting. Finally the construction of a block for a first project and a guide to the steps for success in crazy quilting. Lots of eye candy, freebies, and handouts. 

Know your flowers? Win a prize!

I am not much on arranging flowers but love to grab them by the bunch for the table... I have a very nice prize for the first person to correctly identify all 5 flowers in this bouquet.... Here it is from 3 different angles... I'll tell all on Sunday.

I'm pleased to introduce..............

 Miss Emma Stitchen.  Last week I received this absolutely OOAK pincushion from one of my blog readers, Ann Sweet of "Sweet Stuffins"

She is about 7" tall (with ears) and loaded with so many charms and so much detail that it takes a goodly amount of time to see it all.

Tucked in her arms are Morris and Molly and all around her are images from my blog including Morris's book and my boho bag.

But what really tickled me is that she is wearing a chatelaine.  You can see part of it here with   pockets for scissors and thimble.

Don't you just love the mini featherweight.  The details are incredible but I especially love the coffee and cookie with a doggie treat on the plate as well.

Thank you Ann for this most personalized gift.  I shall treasure it.

I am slowly starting to get my threads on rings a few at a time.  The good news is that I won't need a wall as the back of a door will work as well.  I love all the colors hanging...it is such a visual treat and I love fondling them also.

I have started getting my threads gathered
for the long UFO suffrage quilt.  Aren't they gorgeous?  This project is officially on my list now.  This week I also have to get images of the last 4 cottages for CQJP and get them going as well.

Somehow it is the end of August and I haven't painted a single button..  I'm sure my paints are drying up.  But with my helper we have done lots and lots of pruning and weeding.  The deer fence behind this pile is 8' tall so that give you a feel for how big it is.  It took DH two big pickup loads to haul it to "clean green".. That is our county recycling center and they grind clean green and turn it into mulch and sell it to landscapers... Pretty neat huh?

New Chatelaine and Mini Tip

I'm in the last stages of this new chatelaine...  It is a surprise gift for someone who I know REALLY needs it..

This one is not fancy materials but sturdy cotton home deco fabric. I spent a long time studying photos to pick the colors that would go with what she wears.. The colors she wears are quite different from the colors she uses in her work..

It is assembled and ready for the front pockets and buttons and beads.

I have the embroidery done on the front pockets.  Rather than cut the pockets out and embroider, I like to embroider on a larger piece and fine tune its placement on the pocket. and how do I do that you ask?

I trace the pocket pattern onto a piece of clear plastic.  This is a top of a box.

Then I can use the plastic as a template as I work and adjust the design just how I want it.  For the "bird" pocket I wanted the leaves and flowers to   conform to the shape of the pocket and sometimes it required changes in the design. When finished I use the plastic template to mark the pocket when I cut it out.

If placement is not an issue I just trace around a pocket pattern onto a larger piece of fabric  If it is a dark fabric and difficult to mark I do a basting stitch for the pocket shape.

If you love lace, don't miss this!!!!

This is the best giveaway I've ever seen....  Freda has the most fantastic collection of lace gathered to give some lucky person..... These are just a few of her prize.  Hop over and put your name in for it......  http://sewwhatsnew-fredab.blogspot.com/2013/08/lace-giveaway.html  She's also making a quilt from old linens which will be fun to watch progress...

I love the rusty crib gate on my little veggie garden and had chicken wire across the bottom to keep the rabbits (aka rotten rodents) out but they had pushed through.  It had been decorated with copper leaves and butterflies (on the left) that looked worse for wear...  So I backed the whole gate with a heavier wire and added a rusted rabbit which will have a sign saying "rabbits unwelcome."  Plus I added bells ...I have bells on all my gates.  I love bells...especially rusty old bells.

I have been so busy that every day just flies by but have several posts to add in the next few days to catch up...  Most of it has been "good" busy like today..and some "not so good"  My outside helper is coming this morning  and I have a long list of work for us to do this morning...and boy do I love help outside.  My CQ stitchers are coming in the afternoon and I'm demonstrating the assembly of a chatelaine (I'm making a second one for a gift and it is from home decor fabric.) and I will post it tomorrow.  And my husband invited guests for dinner but it will be something easy... seafood risotto and a salad....ice cream for dessert. And we will have to eat standing up because NO WAY will all the CQ stuff be off the table.

"We" made progress today....and buttons

Well we (the royal "we") made a lot of progress today...  The hothouse is dismantled and loaded into the truck...with lots of salvageable stuff saved.  This is what replaced it as I have a  clematis that I wanted to move here. It's 8' long and about 5' tall. I will still need to put the wire on it..

The gate is the end of an iron crib.  The other end is the gate on the veggie garden. (The veggie garden is on the list for a revamp next week)

The braces are repurposed from the old "angel" garden... More than I like to admit I have these brainstorms which turn into brain-drizzles. Years ago I built this "fabulous" angel in the angel garden..  It was about 8' tall with masses of copper curls and outstretched arms with a watering can and hoe in each hand.  These braces were her wings.  In my vision it would support a white climbing rose as her gown...  Well in reality the rose bush devoured the angel...(I know I have a naked picture if her somewhere)

The rose bush was replaced by a clematis but one needs a machete to even get through the area as it impenetrable  because a bunch  of  white climbers called "Darlow's enigma" have swallowed everything.
But we "dewinged" the angel and now they are on my new clematis support.  I will now also have room for some Japanese peonies which need to be rescued.

I did have a gate for the angel garden which was an ornate iron bedstead dripping with yards of plastic pearls.... my pearly gate...

A lady who grows cut flowers for the farmers market as offered to exchange labor for perennials this fall...

Tomorrow I will commence to paint buttons again...  I haven't painted a button since February and I can't even find a clear spot on my little painting table.  I want to at least paint up all the antique pearl buttons I have left and hopefully my eyes will last that long...

As you can see I had started a bunch of rabbits for Easter.  But now I think I had better do some cottages, birds and a couple haunted houses and finish the rabbits next winter.