First Attempt

This is my first attempt at embroidery.

I brought a book called "Long and Short Stitch Embroidery" A collection of flowers, by Trish Burr.

I love this book as the instructions are really clear and easy to read, (which is something that I need, something easy to understand).

This flower is one of many starter projects and I can't wait to do the others.

I couldn't believe how quick it took to do. I had fun and enjoyed doing it.

By looking at the photo, I know what I can improve on.

New Project update (cont'd)

OK!!!!

This is my next block that I am going to work on. I'm going to do some stitches that I have never tried before.

Awwww, I am also going to do this block in memory of my Dad who passed away 3 years ago today, 7th Sept.

New Project update (cont'd) Block 2 completed

This is my 2nd block completed. There are some stitches on this block that I have never tried before, and it was fun.

Here in the gold is chain stitch and the swirls in between are back stitched.

The top orange seam embellishment is called the Knotted Cable Stitch, which is the Coral stitch, lacing and chain stitches combined.
The pink swirl is done with the Coral stitch, and on the right seam embellishment is the fern stitch with french knots.
Just on the left I tried out some silk ribbon embroidery, the orange flower is the lazy daisy stitch, the yellow and the mauve roses are the Sweetheart Roses and the red roses is the twisted twirled rose. The leaves are the Japanese Ribbon stitch and I did the outline stitch for the stalks of the leaves.

The yellow seam embellishment is called the Petal Stitch which is the stem stitch and the lazy daisey stitch combined.

The heart is back-stitched, not too sure what the name of thread is. Then on the outside of the heart I did some straight stitches and the same for the centre of the heart with a french knot right in the centre.

Season to Season Summer/Cathy's block

(BEFORE)

This is Cathy's block. This is what she had done on her block before I received it.

Isn't it gorgeous?

(AFTER)

This is Cathy's block after I finished with it. I do hope she likes it.

I did a green spider web, with a black spider, then I did a vine and I added the satin stitched leaves. I did the pink flowers by doing the lazy daisy stitch and added the beads.

I put some vintage buttons on, which is my first time at doing this.

Where the spider is I did some running stitches from one bee to the other bee, and the last seam embellishment I added straight stitches with beads, and in then added the seqins and a bead in the centre.

Season to Season Fall Block

This is my Fall block.
This is a swap that I am participating in the CQ4Newbies group.

On the left I did the vine with an outline stitch then added some silk ribbon roses which is called the Sweetheart rose.
I then added three different leaves that I played around with and they are the Bullion Tipped Lazy Daisy detached chain, Lazy Daisey chained leaf and the Ribbon stitch leaf.

On the brown patch I did a stem stitch and added some lazy daisy leaves and also added the leaf embellishments. I also added the motif, which I wasn't quite sure what it was, I thought it was a sun, but it looks good as a sunflower.

The tree I did chain stitches and the leaves are lazy daisy stitch, and I added the coloured beads, beneath the tree I did the flowers with straight stitches and lazy daisy stitch.

Lastly I did some straight stitches with French knots on the seam then embroidered the word Fall 2009 and added the larger leaf embellishments.

Season to Season Summer block completed

(BEFORE)
This is the before photo of my Summer block before I sent it off.

(AFTER)

This is my Summer block completed.



I really like what Cathy has done, thankyou soooo much Cathy, love everything.

New Project update (cont'd)

This is what the whole block looks like at the moment. I haven't been able to do any stitching as I have been working on my fall block.
Here I added the half circles - the green ones are half cirlces with straight stitches in the centre then in between I added straight stitching with French Knots.
The yellow half circles, I placed on top of each other and then I added on top centre half circle - lazy daisy flowers, centre half circle - straight stitch with French Knots, bottom half cirlce - straight stitches.

Here I did the Herringbone cross and couched it down with white floss, and above it I added straight stitching to form a flower, and on the right, feather stitch, I did in varigated red, then went over the top of it with black and gold.

New Project (cont'd)

This is the next block that I am working on.
This is going to be fun, trying out all those different stitches and variations.
I like looking a different eye candys and pics and love trying the stitches in the pics, although somehow or all the time, it turns out totally different, guess I can call it my own then! Right!!!

My New Project

This is my recent project that I am working on (slowly) at the moment. Sorry I didn't take a photo of it naked first. I am making myself a king size quilt. I have never made myself anything since I started quilting and crazy quilting.

OK!! What I have decided to do is just to do seam embellishments, no beads or buttons. I guess it will be a bit uncomfortable to lie on with all the beads and buttons.I'm not quite sure yet, weather I am going to do embroidery in the blank spaces but will decide when I have done a few blocks, but I like what I do see at the moment. Please leave a comment on your thoughts.

Anyhow here is the first block that I have completed. I have decided on 10"blocks. Gosh this block took me forever to do. Probably because I have a 15 month old girl that I have been caring for, for the last 9 months and I am finding it hard to do some stitching although, I try to stay up late at night after I have put her down.

As I am still a beginner, a newbie, this is a great place for me to learn all the different stitches and different variations. Will keep you updated.

JO'S (NZ) GIVEAWAY

Wow!!!! Jo in NZ is having yet again, a fabulous giveaway, ever, to celebrate her 600th blog post. Woohoo congradulations Jo!!!

If you haven't seen her blog, please go and have a look: http://nzjo.blogspot.com

She also has an Etsy shop, www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=86973, where she sells her unique items, eg: Pedastal Pinchions, Keyring card holders, Embroidered fabric postcards, embellished christmas ornaments and many other fantastic items.

She also has another Etsy shop ,www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=7812894 where she carries some items any Crazy Quilter would die for. Here she sells Vintage embroided Doilies, Tatted Doilies, Vintage hand embroidered tray cloth and many fabulous items.

Thankyou Jo for all your inspirations, and information on your blog, you are the best!!!!

In the maori (NZ) language - Ka tino pai to mahi Jo.

English - A very good job Jo.

Ocean Blue RR, Kay's Block

This is Kay's whole block completed by Joeclyn, Marcia, Linda Burton and myself.

This is what I had done. This was my first try at tatting. I started off with something easy which are the butterflys. I added the the straight stitches for the vines then lastly added the button beads to the vines. The seam embellishment just on the right, I did lazy daisy stitches with French knots and lastly added the light blue flower beads.

My seam embellishment is the zig zag chain with sequins and a bead added in the centre of the sequin.

This is the work of Jocelyn, she does beautiful embroidery, this is her trade mark, love the unicorn. She also did the Open cretan seam embellishment.

Marcia put a lovely blue bead and it is soooo gorgeous. It looks so elegant and she also did the chain stitch seam embellishment with the straight stitches and beads.

Linda Burton did this beautiful long vined silk flower, love her work and she also did the seam embellishment on the right, just beautiful.

Season to Season Summer Block

This is a swap that is happening in the CQForNewbies group.

All participants have to embellish one half of the block and then send it to the hostess, and she will send another to you to complete the other half.

This is a fun swap. This is my first time at doing something like this.

This is the top corner of my block. I just embroided the word Summer, then added the pink and purple roses and added the stems.

The seam treatment is a half circles with straight stitches then added the beads.

Embroided tree. Another first time. I got the instructions out of a book called "The Crazy Quilt Handbook" by Judith Baker Montano. Enjoyed doing this technique, the stump is done with chain stitches and the branches are feather stitches. This was quite simple to do.

I am getting to like doing beaded paisleys. The top seam treatment is the feather stitch combined with lazy daisy stitch then added some beads.
The side seam treatment is a lace that I hand sewed on, added the blue beads.
I also used silver matellic thread and added the straight stitches and finally finished off with some beads.

Ocean Blue RR Jocelyn's Block

This is Jocelyn's block completed, ready to be posted.

This is what I did on her block. I did a sequin flower and the vine done with beads and ribbon leaves, and the seam treament is the Up & Down buttonhole feather stitch done in ribbon and I added some nice blue beads.

I'm not quite sure who did this fabulous button work.

A beautiful SRE rose

Lovely work.

I love this beaded creature

OOYCZ - Out-Of-Your-Comfort-Zone Contest

This is a contest that I joined in the group CQForNewbies.
It was a 3 part contest. One for Newbies, one for Experience to master CQers and another for those who don't want to make anything but have fun looking at pictures and guessing who made them.
For the Newbies, those who have never finished a block, our mission was to make a block or a project. All we had to do was to start and finish something.
The Experienced CQers, this is a chance to do something new. Try new techniques, different stitches etc...
I am in the Newbie group.

This is my OOYCZ block completed

This is the first time I ever tried a paisley.

I used sequins and that was hard to do because I didn't even know how to sew them on. I had to look at pics and enlarge them to see how it was done.

I am really happy with it.

The sequin flower was fun to do, something different for me.

Again this is my first time at using ribbon like this.

SRE rose, and the yellow seam treatment is a stitch challenge that we did on the group.

I did an Up and Down Buttonhole feathered stitch combined with the chain stitch.

The stem is the running stitch with the fly stitch fern stitch.

Again, first time at using buttons and motifs.

I really enjoyed doing this contest. It made me do things that I have never done before, it was fun.

CQ stash from Crazy Judyth

I am totally a beginner at Cq quilting and really needed help on fabrics. I had no idea on what fabrics to get, although I was told that you can use absolutely anything, I still didn't have the guts to go out and purchase any.
I am in a group called CQForNewbies and gosh, what a group. I've got more help from this group than I would from books.
Anyhow, when I joined, a member of the group, Crazy Judyth, sent all newbies a baggie full of fabrics. WOW, you should have seen them!
I'm glad cos it gave me an idea on what kind of fabrics to get.
Well, just recently, I purchased a few baggies from Crazy Judyth and I just wanted to show you what I received back. Now I'm too scared to cut into them, they are too gorgeous.
I'm going to make a CQ quilt for myself. I have made quilts for everybody else, and I thought I haven't made myself one. I will be using it on my bed, so I won't be using beads or buttons, but will use lace, ribbons and motifs.
I guess it will take a while to make as I have a king size bed but will enjoy every minute of it.
I will be purchasing more fabrics from Crazy Judyth, the more I have the better.




White/Off White

Blue

Green

Pink

Purple

Pastel

My First CQ Quilt

This is my first CQ quilt. I named this quilt "The Olympian Quilt" as a started this quilt on the 08/08/08, the day the olympics started.
It took me 3 months to complete.
I learnt the stitches by looking at other pics and was really inspired by the beautiful work that other ladies had done - I did have help though as I had the book called "The Embroidery Stitch Bible"by Betty Brarnden.
I've had this book for a few years and alas was able to finally use it.