February Is Yellow - CQJP

I am LOVING working with yellow.

I think it's a colour that is underrated. 

It's soft.

It's elegant.

It's soothing,

mellow, pleasant, classy, captivating, and, well,

just downright delightful.

What do you think of YELLOW?

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February CQJP 2015 block started

CQJP 2015 - February's naked block has been hand pieced in my neutrals fabric colour scheme.  

And some base foundation stitches have been added to a couple of the seams now.

 You will have probably guessed by now that February's block colour is YELLOW.

CQ Sewing again.

Phew! Finally I have some stitching to show you. 

We've been so busy here on the farm lately that I've not had much time left over for sewing.

The grass is almost ready for cutting and bailing again and that will be another busy time here at 'Lewis Acres'.

But for now, here is what I've been up to.

Crazy Quilting with Kathy Shaw's seams plus a few 'personal flourishes' of my own.

Plenty of room left on these seams for the addition of beads and SRE.

I'm just waiting for the postman to bring my new supply of Silk Ribbons.

I had to order more because my original stash is packed away in sealed boxes in the shipping container, and no way am I going in there to start opening up already packed boxes, lol, assuming, of course, that I can find the 'correct' box.

And just in case you are wondering about the background fabric.... it is all my own hand dyed neutrals.

Happy Stitching

Cyra

CQJP for March - Yes I'm late.....

CQJP for March - Yes I'm late..... & TAST Stitches Update

I have managed to get quite a bit of stitching time to myself this week.

Here are my latest TAST stitches that are on my CQJP block.

Stem Stitch

Nine rows of stem stitch in two colours stitched next to each other.

The black thread is two strands of cotton floss,

and the green thread is something silky that I found in my stash (oddment with no label)

French Knot

Five rows of French Knots in graduating colours from lilac to blue.

Detached Daisy's for edging.

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CQJP WIP

I am rather late getting my March CQJP block done but here is the progress on it so far.

The Naked Block

I made this block last Monday in my quilt colour scheme of black, white and anything in between.

Detail 1

French Knots & Detached Daisy's on left.

Braided Chain on right.

Buttonhole and Cross Stitch above.

Detail 2

Seam treatments being developed here. Lots more stitching needed, and then the beads.

Detail 3

I was having a bit of Whipping fun with this seam treatment.

You can just see on the left, in green, a detached buttonhole row.

Detail 4

The black semi-circles on the left are in Stem Stitch with Detached Chains and Ribbon Petal Stitch in them, and Seed Stitch done in DMC metallic silver thread.

On the bottom right is a new seam combination being nurtured.

This week I have been experimenting with new combinations for the seam treatments as I have been feeling a bit restricted with the TAST stitches and I'm longing for something a bit more challenging.

This coming week I shall add beads and hopefully finish this block as I need to start on my April block to catch up, but as I've managed to do all the above stitching in one week, I think I might be able to catch up soon. With both of my boys back at Uni again after the Easter break, and my older son gone back to his own house, I should have more daytime for myself.

It has been great having them around, but sometimes I would like to just sit and stitch without having to make (yet another) pot of tea or put the dinner on (why do they never stop eating and yet remain a healthy weight?).

I need to create another butterfly for that centre fabric patch, probably in stumpwork again as I like how the last one turned out. And I will crochet a piece for a specific area when I decide which area needs a bit of traditional lacework.

CQJP February WIP & TAST Week 7

CQJP - February - WIP

Updates on the February block and a few close-up pics of some stitch embellishments so far on this block.

The needle-weaving seam, that was extremely "slow going" last week, has now been completed thanks mostly to my darling "Dooman" hubby who made new legs for my Posilock frame stand so that I could pop the embroidery hoop in it and work with both hands on the stitching. Phew!!!. It is great to be working without having to hold the hoop in one hand now. That Posilock stand has not been able to stand up on it's own for about 10 years, and I really missed it.

Last weekend Dooman was meant to be building a shed to house his new farm equipment. It started raining quite heavily and I wandered out to the barn (where he was hiding) and presented him with the Posilock stand and told him what the legs should look like. Less than half an hour later he gave it back to me complete with new legs, oh yeah, and the biggest smile on his face.

Lots of brownie points for Dooman.

The double row of Cretan stitch.

 The Crocheted Lace piece.

 

 

Lots more embellishing to do on this block yet.

 

 and the following TAST close-up pics are worked on this block too.

TAST week 7 - Detached Chain Stitch

Detached chain in lilac thread stitched closely side-by-side, and the pale green silk ribbon is detached chain as well.

 

Isn't this a great detached chain stitch "wheel" in variegated  thread.

The centre is a woven spider wheel, and there will eventually be something else in the middle, but I haven't decided if it will be a bead, French knots, or something else.

My Other Project Updates

No update for February BJP as I haven't even started it yet. It is all "In-My-Head" for now.

I have made the fabric choices for Counties Quilters - February BOM due at next meeting in March.

I have fused the Kiwifruit applique block for Prostate Cancer Charity Quilt fundraiser. The block is now ready for blanket stitch and embellishing.

 And the 2012 Freeform Crochet Challenge work is well under way, but I'm not allowed to post any pictures until the challenge book is published with all the entries in. This keeps it a wonderful surprise so that everyone can see all the challenge pieces at the same moment, and not get influenced (or intimidated) by anyone else's work.

So it has been another busy, busy week. 

Next week has the potential to explode for me. 

I want to make a brightly coloured, highly textured cushion for my mum, who has very poor eyesight (hence the bright colours and textures). She is almost totally deaf now too, and to top it off, she has recently had another fall and broken a couple of ribs.

As a very active person in the past, she is now suffering a bit. She loved her garden and spent all her spare time there when she wasn't working, stitching, or crocheting. So that is why I want to send her a flower cushion. To help bring a bit of that love back into her life, and to remind her that I love her even though I am half way around the world from her.