some new diamond blocks

It's just a photo-dump of completed blocks from last month

It's hot out and I am not motivated to be chatty

I am a delicate flower, stay frosty

Enjoy the eye-candy

 

Fixing the original tumbling block, plus 3 finished blocks

This poor wobbly block was my first draft

I was testing out my color choices and wether I could take a step out 

by sewing the 3 diamonds together as a piece.

I decided I didn't like the look of it this way as it was too easy, for me,

to "scribble over the lines" and loose the definition of the three separate blocks which was the look I liked in the first place

                                        bUt

why waste a perfectly good block?  I tried to fix it.  AAAnd I still didn't like it, so I set it aside. 

For about a year (2 actually) and went ahead on other projects and Since I already had the studio to build, I did that instead.

When I had the mojo back for this project, I started again

It's much better now.

Here are 2 other blocks put together, in what I think is, the proper way

They don't look any different you say?

Well good! I did a good job of it then.

Stay tuned for more blocks of diamonds you've already seen.

They are working well together though, I had this fear they would look weird, but I always have that fear. Just because I can name it, doesn't mean it goes away.

I want to finish with the embroidery / embellishment on the rest

 of the diamonds before I put more of the blocks together

Because as you can see by these three I already have a little problem

That is 2 are dark on one side whilst the top one is dark on the other

Sounds like an old Star Treak episode doesn't it......

It was then that our heroine discovered all her dark and medium blocks were not all going the same way

Well Foo!

This means some rows will be dark/light and some rows will be light/dark

Why does this matter? Well I'm not sure just yet

And this is why I need to finish the embroidery first.

I'm fairly certain no one will notice any of this but me.

CQ Tumbling Blocks so far so good!

So here we are again in update land I am trying to get at least 2 of these blocks done a week

I have finished making and binding all my diamond blocks so after they have all been embellished I can just sew the blocks together

I'm now in the process of adding lace, ribbon and what-not to each piece 

before starting to embroider and embellish the individual pieces that will make up each 3 piece block

I Embroidered two Bullion Birds and a bird bath 

with some fancy ferns made from curl of stem stitch

 and lazy daisy stitches  followed by

a seam made from 2 Cretin stitch and beads

This one is a bit plain (For me) >

 I added a line (Lump?) of daisy chain stitches

to continue into the block, then added the spray over each bead cluster

I embroidered a feather stitch along the seam and layered the metal flower onto a lace flower and the fern is from a bigger piece of lace

Placed a bit of ribbon to the seam and a seam treatment of chevron stitch over that with lazy daisy and beads

On this piece I used a satin stitched Bird, was started on felt cut out and tacked onto an embroidered branch

with french knot hydrangeas which were embroidered separately on muslin 

cut out turned under and tacked on. The leaves are silk ribbon and I'll finish the seam treatments with beads later

The Feather was embroidered with variegated silk thread in steam stitch I placed a bead at the top

The seam treatment above it is picked out in alternating button hole with lazy daisy and red glue on beads that I drilled a hole in and sewed on (After all I'm not a heathen!)

The feather stitch is laddered down the yellow seam and there is another bit of slanted button hoe below it I'll embellish those a bit more later

On this piece I ran out of thread for that alternating button hole stitch one or 2 stitches from the end and covered it up wit a bit of daisy lace there are rice shaped plastic pearl beads and yellow glass beads for embellishment

I completely covered the cretin stitch seam treatment with silk ribbon rosebuds and leaves and some glass flower beads

The other corner is a bit of lace and a piece of sequin embellished ribbon lace

 the wings of the dragonfly were done separate on a bit of gauze with gold thread, they are my first attempt at stumpwork wings and not great but good enough for a first attempt I think. the rest of it are a real pearl and a glass button followed by fake plastic pearls.

 I just didn't have the spoons for this last one, I threw a bunch of loose odds-n-ends at it, tacked it on and called it good enough.  

 And thats ok. 

I figure I have 75 diamonds, making up 25 blocks. 

I can fudge a few here and there, and not feel bad about it.                  Right?

I'm still working on that last bit.

It's all about giving yourself a little grace.

Rainbow Scrap Challenge(RSC)

 This months color is Purple,

And here are my blocks

And the 4" square in square

6" 9 patch star

Rainbow Scrap Challenge for June is Orange

And here they are in all their cheerful glory!

Orange never fails to cheer me up

 

Diamonds Forever Tumbling Update

I have also spent the entirety of last weekend piecing 64 more tumbling blocks so I have them to hand, when inspiration strikes

 

The bluebird is sewn in dmc floss

I intend to add som beads but we're not there yet

Dandelion Phouf Dmc and Glass beads

The all seeing Eye in Glass beads on felt sew on with more glass beads

And vines in DMC cotton floss with rayon floss for the white cast-on stitch and french knots, glass beads and "silk flowers" 

A few new Tumbling Blocks

The Sacred Snake is satin stitched with size 12 double twist variegated cotton thread and outlined with thick silver passing thread thread for a little sparkle

Lily of the valley is picked out with 3 strands of dmc cotton thread 

7mm and 4mm silk ribbon leaves and glass beads

Spring and fall sheaves are picked out with 

7mm silk ribbon leftovers from other projects

Spring Branches are picked out with 3 strands of dmc cotton thread, 

4mm silk ribbon for the branches, silver passing thread for the web 

and glass beads for the dragonfly and spider

The Tumbling Blocks stitch-a-long is still on Sharon Boggins Blog if you want to partake or just go look

Rainbow scrap challenge goes on!

This months color is green,

And here are my blocks

6" 9 patch star

And the 4" square in square

 

CQ Tumbling Blocks

I am so behind on this project

Oh well, 

I'm only a year and 5 moths late in starting!

This is my latest block so far

It needs more cowbell

Here's the first block I completed

with SRE daisies 

and a good starburst seam treatment

The Tumbling Blocks stitch-a-long is still on Sharon Boggins Blog 

if you want to partake or just go look

And a cloudy moon for the full moon that just passed

I think This is going to be an ongoing difficulty with this project.

I want to do it, but other things keep getting in the way

I have 20 or so dark blocks made and a few ideas beside the 3 I've done so far.

I may even revisit some older Ideas but no theme has yet revealed itself to me 

And if I ramdomize myself too much I may not finish the project at all.

One 6"ish block a month is enough right? I don't have to finish right now, EVEN THOUGH

I started it late. I keep telling myself that, in between the times I wonder why I haven't finished yet.

Now that the studio is, mostly, finished and moved into I can start finishing projects that have been on hold for forever.

I just finished Quilt about 9 of the 14 flimsies I found in random piles some I put aside because they were too big for the space I had and some that got lost in the constant shuffle.

I also picked up 10 charity quilts for the guild I belong to, we have such a backlog of quilts that need quilting 

and as I was nominated and voted in as secretary, I feel honor bound to get as much done there as I can.

I also have my own projects here and there that I want to do, It's hard to keep myself tethered.

Flights of fancy are all well and good, but there is a limit to what one can accomplish on your own. 

As my DDH tells me all this pressure is self inflicted...... 

Rainbow scrap challenge is Red

This months color is Red 

These are the 6' stars

After moving into the studio and (stILL)trying to organize my space

I haven't figured out a good way of storing my fabric yardage

backs have a space and fat quarters have a space

but other than pilling the yardage on shelves I've got nothin'

and it maybe, that is the answer, 

it feels unsatisfying. 

 and the 4' squares

Meanwhile back at the ranch

Nothing is getting done.

 I'm moving in and everything is on hold until I find that thing I need in a box somewhere...

the disorganization is making me itchy.

I got all the furniture in and adjusted 

to where I think it will fit my needs best.

Now it's just a matter of finding a home for all of it 

Then consolidating what had been in use and in storage.

Then I can start organizing by color/size/etc.

And THEN I can get back to making fun stuff.

 Though, between all this 

I am trying to figure out how to use Beastie,        the Innova long arm.

It's a learning curve, that's getting curvier.

As of today I have emptied 18 bankers boxes!

Woo!

Studio Update

 I just realized It's been a while since I updated about the studio! 

Goodness me

The last time I spoke the studio looked like                                                                                                     the construction disaster it was

We got all the windows in

But one of the pains broke so we had to wait a couple weeks for a replacement

Meanwhile The wiring for electricity and LIGHTS

went in, January Ahhhhhhh!

the drywall went up, February, yay!

we got the flooring delivered, Whoop!

And I got to play Muddy Mudskipper on the walls

Finally!

many buckets of mud and a few more trips to hodo

As you do

I got all the walls nice and sanded smooth 

then painted primer, 2 coats

Annnnd the color is,

 a nice soft mossy green

IKR? bad enough we have moss outside?

But see how nice it looks!

With a little bit of pink for accent on the doors

It will be lovely to work in

Now for the floors

I took 2 days to get this far

And my back hurts

These Are easy to install bUt

There is a bit of a learning curve 

and the first 2 or 3 rows are a pain in the ass to get started

This is after the 3rd day

of scooting around on my butt, hammering

not bad for an old lady ya?

Adam finished putting in all the outlets and covers

And once the electrician comes back to finish 

the floor outlets and wire in the outside light, 

heat pump And the exhaust fan

I will get working on all the quarter round to finish up the floors

But wait!

We still need to frame in the windows and fit up the windowsills, It's always something......

I just want to move in........now!