Latest source of inspiration

I'm staying within a very limited color range on my suffragette quilt and none of the colors are very cheery or suitable for floral sprays..  I do want to use some floral sprays on some of the black patches so these Victorian mourning and touring hats are my inspiration..

It so happens where I'm going for spinal therapy is just across the street from my favorite thrift store and I just can't resist a quick stop...  As  luck would have it on Monday I found a black organza blouse with rhinestone buttons, a black crushed-velvet top and some black satin lounging pants...and it was President's Day so everything was 50% off..  I cut them into 2" strips and I'm busy making organza and velvet roses and satin leaves.  I know it will be impossible to photograph black on black but I'll try when I get them sewn on.

Back to my CQ Beginnings -next big project

I read with joy Allie's recent post... When she finishes her current book she is going to do a project with doilies and linens she has been given or purchased on ebay.  Her post plus a student asking how I got started in CQ has reminded me that I want to give my own CQ beginning another go...

For years, long before I even knew about crazy quilting, I collected damaged embroidered linens...I had no plan for them but I just couldn't bear to see them discarded.

There were pillowcases. tablecloths, doilies, and even hankerchiefs in additional to lots of crocheted pieces. All from the days when a home was not properly decorated unless every surface had a piece of needlework adorning it.

In the 80s I used to speak at garden shows and festivals.  Quite often we would also have a booth at these events so I made this vest from vintage linens for my DH to wear while working in the booth... I had just purchased a new sewing machine that could do lettering...and as you can see I was enjoying this new toy.  I thought he was really cute wearing it and he was a good sport when people wanted to "read" his chest..

Since I often spoke several times at these events I wanted something   I could wear every time and just slip over the casual clothes I wore in the booth... This jacket was actually my very first attempt at crazy quilting. I made it when I was going to speak at the International Heritage Rose Conference in Mebourne, Australia.. Over the years it was worn many times and had to be washed by hand... Now showing its years of service  it has become a keepsake.

These are garments were both  pieced entirely with  vintage embroidered linens.  Here are a few close ups..

I put together full double-sized pages of helpful hints and techniques for assembling a crazy quilt garment using vintage linens... covering everything from supply list, preparation, and actual construction... 

It all applies to any garment you wish to make.... jacket, vest, apron, or jumper. Detailed closeups and simple-to-follow instructions.

These directions are now on my Esty site so now's your chance to make something really special with all those embroidered linens you've been collecting....especial those with a stain or damaged edge or two...

I still have a couple big bins of such vintage linens and when I finish my suffragette quilt I am going to drag them out and do some more projects with them...

Courageous ladies are back and my new find!!!

After a long break I'm back working on my suffragette quilt... I will work on it the balance of each month after I finish a CQJP block... The hardest part   is done on all the blocks..

All that's left is the seam work and some beading.. The imagery and story are the focus of this quilt so there is very little extraneous decoration.. The seam work and beading mainly add texture and depth to the piece.. There are a lot of seams though and I hope to make every single one different and interesting.  I've started with the block with Emmeline Pankhurst on it as she is my favorite and the reason for the quilt.

Doesn't it look lovely with the needle book, the block, and the seam journal all coordinated???  But notice the box behind the block... I acquired it on Thursday at a quickie thrift store stop.. How can I help it when they opened a little thrift store across from my post office.. I am over the moon happy with it..

I work on our only table and occasionally it is necessary to move my stuff to eat or play cards or when my   stitching ladies come. What I had used to keep sorta organized (and easily transportable) are the little plastic baskets on the right.

I am delighted to replace the plastic trays with these lovely oriental stacking boxes which I can sit out singly when working or stack to move in a hurry.. It holds all my supplies for whatever the current project is... Thread in the top box and beads in the middle box and silk ribbons in the bottom box... Doesn't it  look  gorgeous besides?

Then as I kept stopping to admire my boxes as I bustled about the house I thought it would be great to have two for when I have two projects going as I do now and even greater to have one with a handle so I hopped on the internet and found this one that I could afford...   I saw them referred to as "wedding boxes" and "dim sum serving boxes".  Mine are plastic but of course my first choice was one of carved jade and rosewood... big dollars for that one.  I just love it when something is beautiful AND functional...

February finished....................

The theme for February was butterflies and lavender... and it was a fun block to work on... I'm enjoying the colors and all the lace...my comfort zone.  I mentioned when I posted the other day that the block was  out of balance with so much interest on the right side.

The fix for this problem is quite easy and I will probably do it before I assemble the project in the fall..
All I have to do is make the lavender plant on the left of the cottage about twice it's size and add some darker purples. You can see what it would look like with a little photo editing..

Meet Aspen...a CQer with a vision

Aspen was in one of my beginning crazy quilting classes.. The class consisted of accomplished mature stitchers and having a young person sign up was a special treat. I thoroughly enjoyed  this 16-year old young lady's enthusiastic participation.

She had a black block and was very decisive about her choices from the stash pile I provided.. It was obvious she had a vision and set about eagerly..  At each class she was bent over piece with great concentration..

Her mother said she kept at it until she finished and today it was hanging in the thread shop.  Here is an original......