2020 crazy quilt block 1 It all starts here!

I said the other day that hopefully this week I will have my 2020 crazy quilt block 1 done. So here I am to share it. The hexagon when finished and bound has 4 inch sides and is 8 inches from point to point across. I thought today I would share with you the pattern and information about how this crazy quilt hexagon was made and embellished.

First up this is my starting point, here is the block unembellished. When I pieced the block I included the lace and ribbon.

Here I have the pattern. People are free to use it in their own personal project, just let people know where you got it via a link and credit.

The seam between piece 1 and 2 is a line that consists of 4 scallops. Using my templates I traced around the edge with a quilters pencils. Once the line was marked I worked the line using Threaded chain stitch (I have yet to have it in the stitch dictionary but it has just gone on my To do list) The chain stitch is worked in cotton perle #5 thread and the gold thread is a metallic knitting yarn which I found in a discount bargain bin. It is called Excel and was made in Taiwan. To be honest I cant imagine anyone knitting with the stuff but its great for using in any of the embroidery stitches that involve lacing and threading.

In the dips of the scallops I arranged a small flower motif made of French Knots. At their base I added a aqua bead that was secured by seed bead.

The seam that runs down piece 5 is covered with a ribbon. Using my templates again I traced the same scallops in a line down the side of the ribbon. I used Stem Stitch to cover the line. Three bullion knots were arranged in fan worked in the dips of the scallops. The thread I used was hand dyed silk which I did myself. It is the same thickness as #8 perle cotton. I then added some straight stitches using a aqua metallic thread, topped off with a seed bead.

The lace that buts against the seam of piece 1 and piece 3 I secured to the block with tiny stitches before adding seed beads. Along the edge of this lace is I worked little arrangements of detached chain stitch and straight stitches. These are finished off with a small glass bicone bead at the base and seed beads at the top of straight stitches. The threads I used are #5 cotton perle for the detached stitches and aqua metallic thread and #8 cotton perle for the straight stitches.

The bow shaped lace motif was first secured to the block with very tiny stitches worked using regular sewing machine cotton and then I added the three seed beads.

The next seam I want to talk about runs along the edge of piece 4. It has a foundation of herringbone stitch worked in #5  cotton perle. These foundation stitches are also threaded with the same metallic knitting yarn I used on the Threaded Chain stitch (I can see I have another variety I need to add to my stitch dictionary. The to-do list is growing!)

Spaced between the herringbone stitches using a #5 cotton perle that was hand dyed, I worked detached chain wrapped bullion knots.(Oops there is another variety to add to my stitch dictionary)  These I arranged in a fan and stitched a little gold novelty bead at the base of each fan.

One of my ideas for this quilt is to have a garden type them where there are little things to discover on each block. In the tradition of Victorian crazy quilts I added a spider – just peeking from behind a button. He is watching the butterfly. Spiders mean good luck so I wanted to start this project on a good footing. The Spiders web is made of a couched metalic gold thread. I found the thread in estate sale and I dont know what it is but its good to stitch with which is rare for metallic threads!

The idea behind a 2020 crazy quilt challenge is make a crazy quilt using 2020 different items by the end of the year 2020. So what am I counting on this block?

Count for 2020 crazy quilt block 1

• Fabric 5
• Ribbon and lace 2
• Charms 2
• Buttons 5
• Novelty beads 4
• Lace bow motif  1
• Specialty threads 3 (gold metallic for spider web, metallic aqua, metallic knitting yarn)
• Stitches 8 (French Knot, Stem Stitch, Threaded Chain stitch, Threaded Herringbone, Detached Chain, Straight stitch, Couching, Wrapped Bullion Knots, )

Total on 2020 crazy quilt block 1 is 30

CORRECTIONS and EDITS! This post was edited as I have changed the total because I forgot count the lace bow.  Also I had not counted specialty threads and stitches confused people so I revised the total.

I am tracking what I do in studio journal so hopefully I wont duplicate. Next post if people are interested I will share the page spread too.

Do you want to join the 2020 Crazy Quilt challenge?

The aim is make a crazy quilt using 2020 different items by the end of the year 2020. You will find the guidelines and list of resources here 

Admins on the big Facebook groups Crazy Quilt Divas and Crazy Quilt International  are happy to see people share there work there. So follow the links and join the groups if you are Facebook person.  For those who have blogs you can leave your web address in the comments – each week as you progress. Instagram people can use #2020crazyquilt to share progress photos.

 

Have you seen my book?

My book The Visual Guide to Crazy Quilting Design: Simple Stitches, Stunning Results shares practical methods about how to design and make a crazy quilt. I teach how to balance colour, texture and pattern, to direct the viewer’s eye around a crazy quilted project. I show you how to build decorative seam treatments in interesting and creative ways using a handful of stitches. My book is profusely illustrated as my aim is to be both practical and inspiring.

 

Stitchers Templates

As someone who loves crazy quilting and embroidery, I designed these templates with other stitchers in mind. With my templates, you can create hundreds of different patterns to apply to your stitching and crazy quilting projects. They are easy to use, totally clear so you can position them easily. They are compact in your sewing box.

For more information, see what they look like, find out about the free ebook of patterns visit the information pages in my shop where you can also purchase them.