CQJP 2023 Autumn Lampbox

Yes I know I haven't finished the Parrot side yet

Please bear with me, last month was......

                                                                    difficult

The concept

 

CQJP 2023 Parrot side lampbox and an unexpected bit of bullshit

Work is progressing on the parrot slowly

but it is progressing

Life decided to get in the way this week 

and I had to make an unexpected trip to Chicago

nothing bad, just the ex deciding to sell the house 

and tell the rest of the family march 5th

3 weeks before closing 

I.E. the children who grew up there and left, because he's an enormous tool (my emphasis)

so that if we wanted anything from it we had to get there before the 20th of march

Well Fuck

Here's what I've done so far

The next installment will come around some time or another after I get back from this bit of bullshit.

Reminding me, yet again, why I divorced him in the first place, that it was an excellent idea and should have been done sooner.

 

CQJP 2023 Parrot side Lampbox

 So just because I have drawn something out does not necessarily mean I will execute that pattern   

This one has made such a change it no longer looks like its attendant drawing

But this is what I enjoy about crazy Quilting 

changing things to suit your idea of what something can be as opposed to what something should be                                                                                                                                 

   I have used these birds before on a few things as I enjoy the way the pattern  works out 

So here is the parrot padded out with a bit of cheep felt

I will use that padding to help the parrot stand out from the whole by embroidering over it

so it doesn't sink into all the other stitching and disappear.

                                              

Diamonds are forever tumbling (DFT from now on please)

 Diamonds are forever tumbling (DFT)

I was trying to make a tumbling block for Sharon Boggons' Stitch-along over on pin tangle 

but the single block  she uses is 6x8" and is too big for me to make look right  

This is where this block started life and

I think we can all agree it's a mess

This is my newly configured first block

and apart from being a bit blobby, for me and my style it's much better

v This is how I have decided to take care of that wonky middle seem

It's a cheat but it works fairly well

Just take a piece of lace or ribbon and cover it up

Problem solved.

Yay!

it is going to be part of my contribution to the CQJP 

once my lampbox project is done mayish, this project will take over 

but I wanted something I could bang away at and follow along with between times

Hammering out any kinks along the way

so here's the block so far, I will pepper in a few pictures hear and there as I make progress on this one

I'm taking my time, it's going to be a slow burner anyway

hopefully when I reach the point of giving it my whole attention 

It will be smooth sailing for the rest of it

I haven't sketched any of this out yet as the project it's self is in the "fuck around and find out" stage

CQJP 2023 Lampbox side

Another side another bird.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              This is the sketch I came up with moths ago as a template                                                                                                                    Templates do not always go as planned                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Especially when you are implementing something months    after the initial  bloom of inspiration has worn off 

and you need to get it done                                                                                                                      So instead of 2 birds I decided on one bird on this side                                                                           so I can devote energy to making it more detailed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Here is where I have placed it on this side of the box                                                  

Another Name tag

So I made another one 

Mostly because the first one was a bit unwieldy at a 5" diameter                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Less Name tag and more dinner plate                                                                                                                                                                                                    This new one is a little more practical at 2"                                                                                                          I will use the other one as a wall decoration

Diamonds forever Tumbling

Otherwise known as "Sharon Boggon's Tumbling block sew along, over on Pintangle

So this is how I started this challenge

With a 6"x 6" diamond block

Which just seemed (no pun intended) 

to be too big for me at least,

 so I unpicked it 

and made the whole 3 panel a 6"x6" block,

 which does work much better for me.

Don't let those wonky lines alarm you too much 

they will be "straightened out" in the sewing

Just add a bit of lace and much of the wonkiness disappears! Voila!

now for all the fun stuff

 

Name tag

 I needed a name tag for the quilt guild 

to identify me at our Quilt show 

as a member of the guild

and came up with this

CQJP Flower side Lamp box - Finish

 

I finished the feather stitched spray with yellow six petal flowers ribbon stitch leaves and beads                                                                                                                                                                                                                               the buds being bugel beads topped by size 11 seed beads a square bead with a seed bead on the bottom                                                                                                                     The butterfly is a lace motif that I dyed and size 8 seed beads

                                                                                                                                                                      I also added glass flower shaped beads with seed beads to hold them down

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Looks nice,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 but something is missing                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        It still looks empty to me                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Ribbon roses, yes!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                And while we're at it a spider                                                                                                                                                                                                                         There! now its done!

Happy Valentines Day!

Sometimes waking up to a thing in place of your coffee cup,

Is not a good thing

Today was different

My dear darling Husband bought me a thing

A thing I did not think I could posses, because it's freaking expensive...

Enter man who loves me and wants me to happy!

*Squee!*

All the colorssssss!

 And I finally finished this

Yay!

CQJP Flower side Update

This is the first seam of this side with its beads

I used a size 8 cotton twist in blue

and dark blue size 8 beads with size 15 black charlots as a cap

the branching spray is over two patches reaching up to a third using a watercolor cotton twist size 12 in a variegated green

And the seam above it is a chevron stitch whipped with a fuzzy pink chenille thread

And intersecting three patches is this sweet veining flower I used a darker variegated green cotton twist wildflowers thread by Carrilon for the vine 

A green silk ribbon stitch for the leaves and

four inches of a two inch wide, pink chiffon 

ribbon folded in half.

With regular thread, I used a running stitch

 starting at the raw edges continuing down the fold to gather the ribbon, 

Don't worry about the raw edges those will be turned under with the gather

the buds are half the length of the flowers and crossed in front with the gathers pulled to the bottom, 

then stitched over with the thread I used for the stems to look like the sepal.

The flower is finished with 3 seed shaped (fake) pearl beads and 1 small round pearl stopped with yellow #15 beads to finish it off.

CQJP block #2 Flower side Lamp box

Here's the sketch of what I want to do

for this side of the box.

This is helpful when you have more idea's than you know what to do with, 

and

You have a tendency to loose steam later in a project,

Then slow down as the first bloom of excitement, gets overshadowed by all the other things you need to do.

Here's the second panel on the frame 

ready for stitching the first seam

Jacobin update

Here is some more work done on the bird belt

As I Left it, that feather was bothering me 

but I had to finish the rest of the feathers before I could fix it 

to make sure I had enough thread. 

I did! Yay! 

Muuuuuch better

The tail is done too with a cream satin stitch under layer overstitched 

with a chain stitched outside and a back and forth figure 8 woven stitch in pink silk twist through the chains

and quick buttonhole stitch between the lower feathers

Now to start on the last little bit,

The flowers

I started this one with a woven stitch in 2 colors of silk twist for the outside center first 

because if you try this stitch with the middle done first you will question your life choices

The middle comes next because that big maroon empty spot stares at me  and I don't like it.

the long side lobes came next and those are just satin stitched all the way around with daisy chain stems in the center

The upper lobes are a thick metallic ribbon that I couched down with the same sparkly fuscia Au Ver A Soie Metallic, because I have it but a Krenik size 12 thread works too

the top  center lobe is stem stitch most of the way with french knots down the center

the bottom leaves are chain stitched and then satin stitch over the top 1/2 in size 12 Edmar rayon twist.

On to the Pink Flower

This flower is relatively easy the green stem is another woven stitch called buttonhole detached which should be done first

 all the upper petals  are done in a close blanket stitch using Silk twist in blue and pink

And the lower pink teardrop shapes are in padded satin stitch using a dusky pink silk twist

The upper petals are formed with more blanket stitch in a fan shape using a cream silk twist

Here is the initial pass of filling in the petal shapes

And here it is finished with a line of detached buttonhole on top 

I wanted to show you both so you could see how 

This simple added finish gives you a much more polished look to the flower 

Especially if your stitches are still a bit wonky like mine are

I might also go fill in those gaps in the blue

Whew! now there are just the butterflies to do

After all that my "Corner office" needs a tidyoop!

BTW the swing arm lamp over my head is new and it has a 10X magnifying glass under a hood, I love this thing on so many levels!  I have two of their smaller ones witch have bendy arms, they give you both a clippy snappy end and a solid heavy base. 

They are great for portable projects

CQJP 2023 Block #1 Finished

The scallops on the bottom were picked out with a thicker thread like size 8 in split stitch Then Simple stuffed rice stitches in a 4mm peach silk ribbon, topped by size 8 red round glass beads and size 11 or 15 green seed beads,     this adds a nice layered effect to your simple seam, I could have added a sequin under that for an even fancier seam but it might take away from the bird which is my focus here.

I used fly stitch in a wave pattern with some red DMC floss, I had just enough leftover from an other project to do that seam and some pretty green oval beads I found in my random bead soup tin. 

Everyone should have a jar or something with random leftover beads and things you'd be amazed what you can do with them!

The flower is done in 7" pink silk and the stem carrying the bird is a split stitch in a size 8  brown cotton floss

For the leaf I under the bird used a 7mm dk green silk ribbon to fill in the shape

 and a figure 8 crewel weaving technique to fill in the middle

The top seam is picked out in a blue leftover dmc in cretin stitch and yellow wildflowers variegated floss in lazy daisies, 

It gets beads in the spaces by the end.

The seam to the side of it gets an easy treatment of  layered ribbon and glass beads to hold it down.

This butterfly lace motif was died pink and given a few size 6 green round beads for a body and head

Now for my bird

She is satin stitched with mostly floss 3 strands for the pink belly and brown body and head I stitched over my tissue pattern pulling it out where it started to shred and leaving other parts in place.

As this piece will never be washed there is no fear of it disintegrating over time and poking through the stitching, if you stitch on a garment, or something that will be used a lot like a purse or a blanket, I suggest using a wash away underlayment or making sure you remove all the paper you can because it will poke out eventually

The tail is formed by using  fishbone closely stitched in a variegated thread using 3 strands.

This provides a nice variation to the tail feathers keeping them from blending into each other

The legs and feet are bullion stitch, use a nice long needle for these it will make your life so much easier!

Bullion secrets nobody told me; as you are winding thread on the needle make it close but not tight on the needle, 

make sure the needle has a big enough eye to get through all the fabric layers and your coils easily whilst dragging 2 strands through the entire length of your coil, 

also hold on to your coil as you pass the needle and thread through it so it doesn't separate and tangle

Sometimes pinching it between your thumb and the fabric can help, so can a pair of needle nose pliers!

I know that's a lot bUt bullion's bring so much to your work. I use them everywhere from stems to stamens to little bitty birdy legs. Go practice them if they intimidate you, I guarantee after making a hundred of them, they will become second nature!

a field of sheep made from french knots bullion's, drizzle stitch and cast off stitch, looks really cool and is a great practice piece.

And here she is with her size 8 and 15 glass bead eye

The Purple feather stitch ladder got size 11 beads and more of the size 8 and 15 combo and the stitching is done.

What do you think?

Not bad for the first block, now all that is left to do is mount it on cardboard and cover the back so it can be sewn together! If you want me to show and tell that part let me know and I will post that part in a  later blog.