New challenges

Today I figured out both hoe to post on the iPad and how to post photos I've taken with the iPad. Steep learning curve--Google it after a few hours of trying to figure it out on my own.  

I'm taking a new class. No, I haven't finished my previous one (Catherine Jordan).  The timing was right for this one so I went for it.  Kathy Shaw's Basic Crazy Quilt Class.  It's done on a blog, we have to post the assignments. Hence the learning curve today.  

This is task four, my pieced block, mounted in the hoop ready for embroidery.  The class is very structured, which is, I think, exactly what I need.  My crazy quilting has tended to be more "kitchen sink" than thoughtful.  

I didn't want to work in it until my late Christmas gifts were done. I'm done stitching and on to finishing, so I took a break this morning to piece the block. 

No, the pastels at not me...they were required for the course.  Like I said, very disciplined.  I've already learned a lot.

Finished Object and WIP

This weekend I put the crewel ornament together. It's hard to make myself reduce my stash when I can go dig a bit and find dark green satin for the backing, cotton batting to pad it, a length of perfect green cord just two-inches longer than required, and some nice cardboard to mount it all on.

It went together pretty quickly, once I'd gathered the materials.

I completed the stitching on this stocking a week or so ago and finally got a photo. I've been gathering materials. Crazy quilting takes a lot of stuff--little bits of it but a large variety. I have a second stocking mostly complete and a third started. I bought that star satin material in, I'm pretty sure, 1971.

I've also been working on my project for the Homewood guild summer challenge. I can't show that, however, until after the reveal at our September meeting. I am having fun doing something I've wanted to try for a while.

crazy quilting

Yesterday's mail brought a delightful book from Pat Winter on her crazy quilting: Pat Winter Gatherings, My Crazy Quilting Journey. I really enjoyed reading it and looking at all of the lovely photographs.

I read it cover to cover last night.

And then all night I dreamed of the huge crazy quilt I saw at the Lockport Gallery on Sunday (see yesterday's post). This quilt is amazing. Many traditional crazy quilts embellish the seams of the pieces and sometimes also stitch a motif or design within the piece. This quilt maker did that but it also just ignored the patches and stitched lovely flowers and appliqued motifs wherever they fit. A scalloped floral border breaks completely free of the pieced fabric underneath and the stitching is done as if on a solid ground. Motifs are stitched on in metal thread and also crocheted (and appliqued) in the same metal thread. There's a metalic thread crochet border, too. From the way it's tarnished, I suspect it might be gilt-silver.

All in all it's a magnificient piece. The more I looked at it the more I could see. The only photo I could find is this little one. (that's Christopher Columbus in the middle; there are other portraits on it, too) If you can, go see it in person!