BB&B - my finished block

Here is my completed BB&B block. This is so pretty! Thanks to Cathy L, Darlene, Margreet, and Ritva. Now I'm really getting the CQ fever!

Red Color Study

My red color study block is back home! I think everyone did a great job. It's difficult to get a good picture of some colors and red seems to be one of them. I have a garden window in the kitchen that faces west, so I can usually get a decent shot there in the a.m. before the sun gets around to that side of the house.

Season to Season Spring block

Lesa finished with my Spring block and sent it back. I love her spider web! Now I have all 4 seasons and I'll have to figure out what to make with them. Probably a wall hanging. Original, huh?

Red color study

I finished working on the last block for the red color study. This was Donna's block. She is making a family quilt, and this block will represent her grandmother who's favorite color is red, and who likes gypsys and spanish dancers. I did the dancer on felt with sequins, the bead flower to the left of that and the seam between. Then I did the seam below the dancer and the S shaped thing beside that. Then I did the herringbone stitching with detatched chain, straight stitches, and beads in the patch to the right of the dancer. Finally, I added the buttons to the large fan at the bottom of the square.

Motif swap

CQI is having a motif swap. I made some tatted hearts. All the motifs in the album are great. I can't wait to see what I get.

BBB Cathy's block

I finished working on Cathy's block for the BBB #2 RR.

What a nice group of stitchers. We even finished up earlier than scheduled!

Dimentional Butterfly

The CQI challenge for May is dimentional embroidery. I started making a stumpwork butterfly quite some time ago. What a lot of fussy work! But, now that it's done, I'll say it was fun. I made about every mistake there was to be made (I hope) so maybe next time things will go smoother. After it was complete I discovered that I had copied the enlarged pattern, not the original. No wonder it took so long to do those long and short stitches! The wings are made by couching thin wire to the base fabric in the shape of the wing, leaving ends free where the wing attaches to the body. Then the wings are filled in with long and short stitches. Finally, the wire is covered with buttonhole stitches, and the wings are carefully cut out. On the fabric where the butterfly is going to be placed, the body is done in turkey knot stitch and then clipped and fluffed. The wings are attached by poking the ends of the wire through the fabric to the back where the wires are fastened down with needle and thread. Being my first attempt, it's a little rough and looks like a cross between a moth and a bat. Oh well!