The news today from my little part of the world is that I have completed a crazy quilt block. I had done the embroidery but needed to bead and embellish it.
I was asked about the way I work. For crazy quilting projects that are large I need to plan them a bit. About twice a year I haul out all my fabrics, go through my stash and piece a whole batch of blocks. Since I work I don’t have large blocks of time. I make up the blocks so that I always have some blocks to hand to embroider. It also means that the quilt is coherent. Because the blocks are made up in one or two sewing sessions bits from one block are often used on another. It helps to pull things together if similar fabrics are use.
As I piece I incorporate braids, ribbons and lace by tucking them into the seams as I go. I often embroider these in the evenings after work I don’t really have the time or space to audition all sorts of laces or braids. So I make those decisions as I piece the block. Once the blocks are assembled and ready to embroider I put them into a project box (a plastic crate) until I am ready to stitch them.
Usually in the evenings after a busy day at work that I find time to stitch. I relax I embroider and and have fun. Once the blocks are embroidered I set them aside for a while before I start beading. I usually bead at a table as otherwise if I try to bead in my ‘comfy chair’ they invariably get knocked and go everywhere! Adding beads and buttons is usually done in quiet moments on weekends. I add the beads and buttons at the end of the process because if they are added sooner during the embroidery phase, my thread constantly gets tangled on the embellishments. I have found that breaking the process up like this works for me. If I did not do it this way I would not get much stitching done.
Have you seen my book?
My book The Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design: Simple Stitches, Stunning Results
What a beautiful piece of work. Did you embroider the large blue flower on the left or is that an applique? You are so inspirational. I just love what you do.
The flower is hand embroidered Rita
I love the colors. You do beautiful work. Seeing it immediately made me want to get my cq stuff out and piece a square, something I haven’t done in a long time.
Dawn from Crazy Quilt Central
Are you ever “non-inspired” being organized this way? I’m gonna try the “piece ahead” strategy, but i’m afraid that by the time i get to it, it won’t be as exciting–or is it like opening treasure because you’ve forgotten what you had done in readiness?
)trying to meet *some* of my goals…:>)
Beautiful work, as is your usual…I began work on the embroidery part of a crazy patch purse today. You inspire me to stay at it…Thanks for your tips. Very helpful for this newbie to CQembellishing.
Dawn
Your block is simply gorgeous! It makes me want to jump back into cq’ing
again 🙂
Your block is smiply gorgeous! Very nice work…it makes me want to jump back into cq again.
Love the seed beads around the button cluster!