Odds and ends about what's next...

I spend so much time stitching while sitting with mother that I have not only finished March and April CQJP 2015 and I have started on May and June..  But I  could use a break from corsets but have absolutely nothing suitable for toting about.  And finally after giving it some thought and decided on two new projects... First is really expanding and exploring an old project... Faux Goldwork

I initiated two Fool's Gold round robins several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed experimenting with ticky-tacky gold stuff to create a goldwork look but the RR left me with the feeling I wanted to try more...... I could have happily kept every piece I did, especially this fat little bird with strawberries.  This was mostly couching and very slow going.

It was inspired by this piece of William Morris wallpaper.  So I must find time to make up about ten 7" blocks and take a sketchbook with me to mother instead of stitching and work up some ideas from other Wm Morris artwork. I love his combination of   art nouveau  flora and fauna. I had so much gold stash left that supplies will not be a problem...and I would like to use this stash before I die....  This finished piece will be a shroud.

Final version of February CQJP2015

I also removed the original paisley on this block as well as the January one and added a much smaller paisley.  Using the 15 beads and the tiny sequins that Shirlee sent has been a tremendous help.  There are two seams with folded ribbon. 

More Ribbon Folding

I'm hoping Susie W. is reading this post because this is one of the folded ribbons she did when I was visiting in January and I just love it...  It is actually two ribbons folded together at the same time to get the two-color effect.One ribbon is some of the seam binding  we dyed pink.  Once I applied it to a seam and embellished it, it is even more spectacular...

 

Last week I received another batch of folded ribbons from her...  Aren't I lucky that she likes doing these when she is settled in the evening?  Do notice the polka dot one near the bottom as I will use it as soon as possible...

Crowns, fans, paisleys all the same technique....

My last post was how I did the crowns.  I should have mentioned that they were exactly the same way I did the fans for the suffrage quilt... off block and on felt.  Remember these.

Here they are rough cut and waiting to be trimmed closely and attached to the block. I always try to do these type of projects on fabric that matches the block so the backing does not show through the beading.


















Doing it on felt did not work well at all for the paisley.  So I am still doing them off block but on silk backed with fusible knit.  The 15s are working well and Shirlee Fassell sent me some teeny tiny pastel sequins which are sooooooooo perfect.

 

I am doing a LOT of stitching while sitting with my mother and have both March and April CQJP 2015 almost done.  I was working on a small folding table that was an awkward height.  One of the nursing aides brought me a adjustable bedside table so now I can comfortably do some beading on the paisleys as well.

How I beaded the crowns

Cindy asked me to post how I did the crowns...  I did find the old post.
You can go back and read it but I did the same as I am doing the paisleys and do my birds.  I outline with a chain stitch...add beads or stitching....cut out and applique to block.

 For a second look at the crowns on the block