Victorian Crazy Quilt – The Quilters Heart- Block 9

 

Wow, we are on block number nine! I really like this one. I embroidered a Valentine heart complete with an arrow right through it.

 

 

All the little scallops around the outside of the heart are filled in with blue seed beads.

 

 

I tried a new stitch called the loop stitch. I used a rayon thread that came in variegated pastel colors. It is very shiny and slippery. If you use a thread similar to this you might want to add a couple stitches at the start and finish, so it doesn’t come undone.

 

 

Here I began with the cretan stitch in black, and then added green lazy daisy stitches to appear as leaves that lead up to red flowers. It was fun to use so many colors in just one row of stitches. And of course, the tiny seed beads add so much sparkle.

 

 

I really like when a single row gets wider and wider the more I add on. I started with the herringbone stitch in gold pearl cotton, and then added some straight stitches in red over the gold. Then I added sets of four straight stitches grouped together and a combination of red and green metallic bugle beads.

 

 

The blue frosted beads I used here were kind of unusual since they were not totally round. They have a soft appearance with the pastel threads.

 

 

With the start of each new block it was a challenge to come up with new stitches. I had to leave some of the areas simple, so here I just added a row of buttonhole stitches. This stitch is made by looping the thread under the needle.

 

 

Tiny little stars were stitched in the center of the block as a way to fill this space. I then added beads to the outer edges of each star.

Nine Patch Quilt

 

I think we have all done it at some point in our quilting where we have a favorite color, and it seems to appear in a lot of our quilt projects. Well. For a while my color was purple. I found this quilt pattern in a very old magazine, and saw that it was a two block quilt and quick and easy. I had six very small children at the time I made this quilt, and my time to spend quilting was limited.

 

 

I used the same lavender fabric on the backing and a fluffy polyester batting. I quilted rows of rainbows throughout the top and I remember I couldn’t wait to remove it from the quilting frame to see the back when it was finished. All that hand quilting on light lavender fabric really made my stitching show up. When the children were small we would turn off the lights and lay under the quilt frame with a flashlight and look at all the pretty stitches on the back of the quilt. I was at a museum once, and got caught lying on the floor under a quilt that they had up in an antique quilting frame.  I just wanted to see the stitching on the back of the quilt. You may be thinking…weren’t you embarrassed when you got caught?  Heck no!  The view under that quilt was great!

 

 

Project for the week - key rings

 

I have started a new project!

 

 

This is something I made with my kids when Joe and I were Homeschooling them. I wanted to just do a simple fun project for the week.

 

 

I started with split rings and cut two lengths of suede laces. After attaching them to the ring, I then add pony beads and a concho. Then I add more beads and knot the ends.

 

 

These are great key rings and so easy to find in the bottom of your purse or shopping bag.

 

 

When sitting at the bottom of your purse the beaded laces spread out, and it is so easy to find your keys that way.

 

 

As you can see I am making lots of them to sell at my next craft sale.

 

 

If you have a certain color you would like, I can make them to special order, just let me know.

 

 

Victorian Crazy Quilt – The Candy Store - block 8

 

When I originally made this quilt my six children were very small, and were always making comments about what I was doing. Sometimes they even said nice things. This block was referred to as the “Candy Store” block, because they thought some of the beads looked like small pieces of Christmas candy they would see in the stores at the time.

 

 

You can see in this block that, although I would use bugle beads as leaves in one block, in another I would just stitch them in as I did here.

 

 

This is a good photo of the beads that looked so much like the candy pieces.

 

 

One of my favorite stitches was the herringbone stitch. I liked the way I could use the seam line as a guide and everything stayed evenly spaced.

 

 

Of course, my daughter Ruth had a fondness for the cinnamon red hearts and she claimed these were just hers. And they would then have a verbal fight over this, as she could not have them all to herself. The fond memories of a little simpler time.

 

 

In this area I tried to add a variety of beaded stars, you can see six of them in this photo.

 

 

On the green fabric here you can see the incorporation of a yellow stone. In the right place even these add a new dimension to a block.  

Need a Remodel

 

This just isn’t working. I cannot find anything in here anymore. I think it is time to get the hubby to do me a little favor.

 

 

Ahhh.. now that is much better. I got two more shelves out of the deal, with all steal wall supports and brackets. A quick stop at Wal-Mart for some new plastic bins, a little time to reorganize, and I am just tickled pink with my new work supply closet – (Thank you Joe – it is just wonderful!)

 

 

Victorian Crazy Quilt – Chinese Lanterns - block 7

 

In doing a Victorian Quilt project as large as this I learned that you really do have to keep your mind open as to all the possibilities for embellishing it. A person has the advantage of using a variety of different fabrics, which allows each block to become totally different from the rest. You have a pretty wide assortment of embroidery threads to work with, and an endless selection of stitches to employ into the project. The glass bead selection was always a challenge for me while doing this quilt. As I progressed, I also started to incorporate small novelty buttons where they would be appropriate. While I was making this quilt I did not have access to the internet, or any special outlets to purchase beads. Every trip to the fabric and craft stores was like a scavenger hunt for more beads.

 

 

You can see in this photo that the stitches and beads are never just thrown into the quilt hap hazard. A very great deal of thought and planning went into the embellishing of each seam of the quilt.

 

 

Although it may seem that the quilt is heavily embroidered, there are areas such as this one that are very lightly embellished.

 

 

The visual intensity of this process of the quilt is just fascinating. I added the Mother of Pearl button shaped like a moon to catch your eye, and then you are draw to the creamy blue beads. These little blue beads are what inspired the name of this block. They reminded me of Chinese lanterns. All this bead work keeps the eyes roaming and the attention of the viewer very enchanted, and always looking for more.

 

 

I liked the blue beads so much, that when I found them in gold I just had to add a row of those also.

 

 

Here is a close up of my Chinese lanterns. Lovely!