Aids for making ribbon trims.....

The most useful items are the little alligator clips.  Don't get the ones with "teeth", get the one with tiny smooth "lips".... I got them at Radio Shack.. they were inexpensive and 10 in a package.   Ten will be plenty.  They made the folding so much neater.

Then Susie made plastic templates for the various sizes of the ribbons and they were useful for pleats and braiding the ribbons.

A small ruler of this type would be helpful also. 

On the last day we went to a small swap meet near Susie  and a jewelry booth had tools 2 for $5.  I bought this tiny wire clipper and a pair of Tim Holtz serrated scissors.  Everyone in Houston was raving about the serrated scissors but they were a ways down my list.  But for $2.50 I can cross them off my list.

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Ribbon trims are my newest love...

I took my ribbons and the one ribbon book I did have with me when I went to visit Susie Wolfe in California last week.  I had mentioned how pitiful the directions were and I knew she would prevail... And she not only thought the directions were poor, in some cases they were wrong...  But she was like a dog with a bone and one by one she figured them out and we both love them...

First what you don't need.... expensive ribbon or wide ribbon.  Cheap ribbons work especially well.  We started out with 5/8", 1/2, and 1/4" ribbon and the last day she was using 1/8" ribbons that were spectacular.  We were using mostly satin  and grosgrain ribbons medium weight.

All the ribbon books I ordered were here  when I got home and there is only one which I would recommend.. and I recommend it highly... The photos are plentiful and explanations stellar.  It is also readily available used for about $6.  It is "The Complete Photo Guide to Ribbon Crafts" by Elaine Schmidt.  It is a large book with lots of ribbon projects but the chapter on ribbon trims makes the book well worth the price..

We are just beginning to really explore all the possibilities so you will see me using lots of ribbon trims on my CQJP projects...  And I would have never worked through them without Susie's help. 

One bonus is the same technique looks different on both sides.  We dyed a lot of ribbon which we want to try and the last day we went to a swap meet and bought a lot of novelty ribbons to try.

My paisley party plan

I plan to do them in pairs.  One more traditional and experiment with shapes and extensions.  I hope to use lots of my favorite beads  that haven't found a purpose.  You know the ones you love the minute you see them, buy them and then never find the perfect spot for them.  I have a LOT of those.

And the second to push the concept.   I do know   in some I want to incorporate free-form bead embroidery rather that just following the pickle shape... 
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And some creating bead/button flowers in the centers and filling in..  Need to gather up all my tiniest beads for this to work...Anxious to get started.






It's nice to know I have a whole year to play around with these.....  Let the paisley party begin...

Now the "Persian Pickles"

The second element I chose to explore for the CQJP2015 is the paisley...  I have done a few here and there but I want to do a lot this year trying different techniques and materials.  I will work them off-block like I do my birds.  This one is a combination of stitching, sequins and beads.

This one is mainly beads...but they were 11s and I think 15s would work better. I could get more colors and more rows.   Notice the trim on this piece with the paisley woven into it.  I like putting the little knobbly things on the outside of the shape.  The variations which are possible are endless which is why it will be fun to follow through the entire year trying different designs and techniques.  I am thinking I will do two each month...use one on the block and save the spare for later.

I really like using them as bird wings or bird bodies as here at the beginning of a peacock.

When I did this peacock on a RR block for Wendy I used paisley techniques for the entire bird.

It is generally agreed that the paisley symbol originated in Persia 200-650 AD The symbol began to appear on Persian fabrics in the early 16th century. From about 1775 travellers, explorers and military personnel brought back the shawls of Kashmir to Europe as presents. In Britain in the 19th century the paisley shawl was the ‘must-have’ accessory of its day, a status symbol worn for important occasions.   From roughly 1800 to 1850, the weavers of the town of Paisley, Scotland became the foremost producers of these shawls and "Paisley" became the generic term for the pattern. Unique additions to their hand-looms and Jacquard looms permitted them to work in five colors when most weavers were producing paisley using only two. The pattern was embraced in America and called "Persian pickles" by American traditionalists, especially quilt-makers, or "Welsh pears" in Welsh textiles as far back as 1888. 

First ribbon seam!

I've started my first ribbon seam..  I had to choose a treatment based on   my ribbon supply.  I started going through my ribbons... and quickly realized I needed more ribbon... Ribbon to do this on CQ can't be   bigger than an inch and for folding not much smaller then 1/2"  Of course all the ribbons I have are: not long enough, wrong color, wrong weight.  So of course if that is the problem, one MUST shop for more ribbon.. And while I'm shopping for ribbon I'll be looking for teeny tiny buttons and some small clips like quilters use for applique edges.  I need at least a third hand to do this...BUT I really like it and it is going to be fun....

For me the first step is ALWAYS, ALWAYS the laces...It's near impossible to go in later and lay lace. At this point I am using just paper copies of the silkies because I like to play around with placement... They will go on after the lace is all secured. 
There will be a minimum of fancy seams on these blocks... After doing 6 months of nothing but seams on the vest I wanted a change. These blocks will be just "dripping" with laces, buttons, beads and ribbons...layers and layers. I am "lacing up" two blocks to do in January as I know I have time in January to do an extra block and about Sept I will fall behind.... experience....

And as you can see the fawn is doing well... We have snow and near 0 temps so we bought a bale of alfalfa to supplement his diet and keep him close and safe.  After his fall diet of apples and sunflower seeds, he is well-padded and growing rapidly...