CQforNewbies ATC swap

Spring, or Bling, or Spring Bling is the theme for this ATC swap. It's not so easy working on blocks this small. I discovered that while I have been busy making blocks, I have yet to finish the edges on one. First I tried satin stitching on the machine. Well, there were beads too close to the edge and this caused some problems so I tried using the button hole stitch by hand. That worked out better. I may not send the one I did with the machine.

Butterflys, Bees and Beetles RR

In CQI we're having a Butterflys, Bees, and Beetles RR. The RR just started up so this is the first block that I worked on. It belongs to Ritva and I just love the fabrics she used. These pix never come out where I think they're going to. The first one is the work I did on Ritva's block and the bottom is the blank block.

Season to Season - Janet's winter block

In the CQforNewbies group at Yahoo they have a season to season block share going on. This is Janet's winter block that I have been working on. She did 1/2 of the block and then it was sent to the host who determined who would be partners. Her block was sent to me, and mine to her, and we each finished the other's block. I regret that I never took a picture of her block when I received it. Janet had done the lovely green branches and red birds above the center, as well as the sledding snowman and the rest of that seamwork. I liked her cute snowman so much that I felt the need to copy him. Thus, the skating snowman on the pond. I also did the green seam on the right of the center patch, and everything below the center and to the right.

Weren't the Olympics fun though?

Red Color Study - Denise's block

I finished working on the first block in our red color study round robin. Red is not an easy color to photograph. This is Denise's block. I did a couple of the longer seams and then attached one of my folded fabric flowers and a tatted butterfly. I've been using mostly DMC perle cotton no. 8 for my seam work. I had read about Lizbeth cotton cord online somewhere, so the other day when I saw that they had some at JoAnns, I bought a couple balls. It's size no. 20, so it's also a nice size for tatting.

Kanzashi - folded fabric flowers

Over at the Clothpaperstudio yahoo group there has been some interest in Kanzashi. Diane found a tutorial at this link. http://www.craftypod.com/2009/09/16/now-with-video/

The tutorial was so intriguing that I wanted to do more, and since there was some leftover Christmas $ in my Amazon.com account I ordered the book and have been making some flowers. Here are my first attempts. Yes, the flower in the lower right corner has an eyepin and jump ring so it can be worn as a pendant.

BAS (build a seam)

In the CQInovice group we are doing a new stitch about every week. Each person does her own take on the stitch. Here are mine for the #45 Rhodes stitch and #46 laced straight stitches.
#45 is on the bottom and #46 is above it.

Red study ready to go.

I've finished my part of the work on my red study block. It is ready to be mailed out on the 15th of Feb. for the next person to work on. That bottom left patch isn't as puckery in real life as it is in the picture. Those costume fabrics are kind of slippery to work with.