crazyQstitcher

TAST week 20 and a new blog

2007-05-26T18:57:00.000+10:00

I have posted my Crossed Buttonhole samples to my new blog at Word Press, which you can find here
My URL is http://CrazyQstitcher.Wordpress.com/ should you wish to change your sidebar
My new page is messy as I am relearning the ropes of the blog but I hope to have it fixed shortly. Thank you for visiting me here. Maureen

TAST Week 20 Butterfly Chain

2007-05-18T15:08:00.001+10:00

Here's a strange thing. I photographed my Straight stitch pic upside down and it looks like a mountain with water in the foreground..even a jellyfish. And the Lake the right way up. I used this week's Butterfly Chain sitch to make the border.

Thick cream crochet cotton here and probably the best for seeing the stitch .

Simply a kite.

The blue flower was an experiment of how the stitches would look turned about. I kept the chain stitch to one end.

I've used 6 strands of cotton thread for the centre and chenille for the next row, stitching in the empty spaces of the centre row. I kept the chain stitch at the outer end of the stitch. Lastly I used two fine wool threads and alternated a long butterfly stitch above the first row and a short one above the chenille, keeping the chain in the middle this time and it has come out wavy.

I tried beads on a short seam line and they sat well. I had to make sure the spaces between uprights were wide so they would pull in properly.

As I've been using some TAST stitches on quilt blocks I should declare that I have a WISP started for our UFO Challenge
This is a seam with white rayon thread and chained with gold. It looks quite classy in real life.

I like it when doing the first part of a combination stitch I find that it also looks good before completion. Don't blame the stitches for not looking good, it's just my poor camera work. They look rich against the off-white material and light fawn lace.

The same seam completed. I cheated and Just caught the chain underneath to keep it stable.

TAST Week 19 Basque Stitch

2007-05-11T13:28:00.000+10:00

It took a little while to get the stitch settled.. or was it me.. I don't think my first lay as they were meant but by the last lot they didn't look too bad.

I have used a crochet cotton thread for the first seam and a silk floss for the second one

I has some Twilley's Lystwist rayon thread that is over 20 years old and that's a story I'll tell at the end of today's pics.

The greenery is Anchor perle

Sharon was right and the stitch curves beautifully.
Uh-Oh I need more practise on the line shape on the harp.

I have used a Ginnie Thompson flower thread and black fine wool.

This started out as a waterlily but I could see it was fast heading to be a chrysanthemum, so I let it have it's head. Pardon the pun.

Here I used a heavy knitting cotton for the first layer and a mercerized, medium weight crochet thread for the top one and more of the Anchor perle.

The Lystwist thread was in a drawer with many other threads, on cardboard reels and when I picked it up I found it had come undone and tangled beneath most of the others. What a mess. I gathered it all up and sat untangling them when my lovely DH saw me and said "You need spools for that lot" and immediately went and made me not one, but 4. Here they are. They stand about 3" high and are 2" wide.

TAST - Whipped and Woven Wheel

2007-05-05T17:28:00.000+10:00

I made two woven wheels, the small centre one on the left and the larger one below that.
The whipped ones are the top left and the big one.
With the biggest I first made a base and then whipped a bead and attached it on top of the base.

For the seam I buttonholed a fan frame and whipped the edge. Then I whipped the centre part, but with the middle I caught the fabric with a tiny bite below each spoke to hold it in place.

I whipped the centre of the rose, which made it look like stamens. Sorry they aren't seen clearly here. Then I wove the outer petals.

For once I am very pleased with my stitches, especially my beetle. A very easy bug to make.
I was inspired by Jane Nicholas Beetle Book

Orange and Cream block

2007-05-05T16:54:00.000+10:00

I have been viewing the Blog Calidore. This is where my talented friend Catherine shares many of her tutorials and beautiful embroidery.
Why not pop over and see her latest Orange and Cream block, which was put together with pulled-apart gimp and other braids. You won't see either of these as they were, just lovely flowers and seams.

All of her so easy Tutorials are worth viewing too.

TAST Week 17 - Running Stitch

2007-04-27T21:38:00.000+10:00

Such an easy stitch this week, but what to do with it. I have worked gold thread around the flowers and stems on part of my cream block. The flowers I whipped and the stems I left plain.

I knew I wanted to make a dragonfly. The wings are whipped running stitch, the thorax is several straight stitches, tapering down and then laced across with running stitches. The tail is made with 3 lengths or running stitch and whipped with a french knot at the end. The head is straight stitch,the eyes french knots in silver madeira metallic and running stitch in metallic for wing fill-in.

I wondered if I could do a lake scene in the running stitch. I decided to do the picture all in one go and I ended up bored when I was almost done, so I put in a few french knot trees on the other side of the lake and fly stitch bush on the foreshore.
I'll never put Van Gogh out of business.

Our lake and ocean

2007-04-26T21:16:00.000+10:00

These are pictures taken last week of our Lake Victoria. There are a series of connected lakes that go for many miles to Lakes Entrance, which is where many professional fishing vessels are moored.
The first is our local beach and shows the left side to the marina and hotel. The second is across the lake and is too misty to see the mountains in the background. They don't look high, even when they are clearly seen, but they are when you drive through them.
The third picture is looking to the right and shows the wooden groins that were placed there to help stop erosion from the current. Every few years the dredge comes and clears the channel and pumps sand onto the beach. This then covers all the wooden structures. ... and the grass

The two photos below are at our surf beach and part of the Ninety Mile Beach. The ocean here is called Bass Strait. Tasmania is south of this.
The strange thing about our 'Ninety Mile Beach' is that there seems to be one in every part of Australia.

EYE CANDY

2007-04-24T19:18:00.000+10:00

This is my latest Gathering block from Bear in Sth Australia. Unable to make the Gathering she mailed it to me.
I wish you could hold it, to see her beautiful roses. All over the block there are various sorts of roses, large and small.
Is it any wonder I love this and all the rest of my blocks.

I am sure that these Gathering Blocks that I received will entice you to look at them all. Each one is beautiful and I feel honoured to own them.
You should be able to double click on them for a close-up.

The first here is by Andrea from Tasmania, who sadly was unable to be with us at Easter. My colour preference was cream but not a 'must be cream' There were no restrictions for added colours.

The work by Andrea is so delicate and I love the WOW. (for those who may have forgotten, like me, white on white) There is such a lot of detail on this.

Julia made this next one, and she must know how I love garden flowers and hollyhocks. The seams are lovely. The roses and violets are gorgeous.

Lilac and purple are a favourite of mine

Bet you wouldn't pick this lovely block as having been made by a 'new to embroidery and cq" lady.
Our Texan friend Brenda made this for me and it's a classy and beautiful block.

My lovely lilac and sage block is by Maria, who loves seams. I like these too and the bouquet of flowers. There is a group of three silver leaves which is a charm I have not seen before.

My friend Vivienne made this beautiful block. with the silk print of daffodils and she replicated them in the bottom left corner. Not an onion in sight, only bulbs. Close up these daffs are small and the cups perfect.

Can you imagine anyone called Rowdy making this serene and charming block? So hard to believe isn't it. The delicate lilac flowers, the little heart around my initial and a tiny bouquet, the twisted organza ribbon couched down with wee flowers.

Perhaps it was a boisterous twin I met.

Love the work Catherine

Another absent friend. This time from the US.
Norma has dyed the angel and beautiful apricot fan. I forgot to ask if she crocheted it too. Her roses and seams are so pretty.

Sandie was our hostess for Easter and she made this beauty. Sadly my camera caught the lovely centre silk in a funny light and has made the picture seem faded. It is quite pretty, you will have to take my word for that. Such lovely soft pinks and creams

Margaret from Queensland is the maker of this last block here. Margaret also was absent from the group, but maybe next time our missing friends will be able to be with us.

There are so many types of stitches here and they all come together beautifully. It is easy to see why I love the cream as it shows off the work to the best advantage. Well I think so, others may not.
: - )

Believe me I could have raved about these blocks, but I thought I'd let you make up your own mind.

I am sure you have found much to inspire you as I have done.

TAST Week 16 - Palestrina

2007-04-23T20:13:00.000+10:00

I am now up to date.
An easy task this time. I love Palestrina stitch and used 4 shades of Semco Tapestry wool to make a Celtic heart pattern. I think I'll be using this more in cream cotton. The pattern would look better in one colour, but I wanted to make sure I crossed the lines properly.

TAST Weeks14 Bonnet stitch and 15 Oyster stitch

2007-04-22T19:50:00.000+10:00

The Bonnet Stitch came out strangely the first time, but I realized after that it had to be worked from right to left. Also I hadn't caught the thread at the bottom, so I ended with a detached and narrowing line. I tried a single version, a face to face in green/red and a back to back in green/violet.

This one I wanted to try to see how oversewing the stitch would look. It could be good in other colours as a sea bed.

Then I tried a square

and a doodle of up and down stitches

and of course, a tree. For the trunk I made wider bites and kept the height short..it's worked sideways.

Week 15 was for Oyster Stitch. What a trial. It took ages to get it to look right, though I am not saying that I did it correctly. I went through several metres of threads before getting the stitches to stop unravelling.

I found the three detached 'buds' sat well in a fine doubled-wool thread and I turned them into a snail and a butterfly.

The roses were a terror to do in knitted, silky floss. No way would they stay unless I stitched them down somewhere. The chain stitch keep slipping upward. I tried several methods to keep them as the diagram showed, but no luck.
A bit of judicious green stitching and they look okay to me.

Lastly the flower and buds in A'broder and they sat as nicely as you could wish for. I hope next week's stitch is easy.. or do I? The challenge is just that and I sure have had to work at some of the stitches lately.

My 12 Gathering Blocks

2007-04-21T16:40:00.000+10:00

When I started these 12 blocks with the personal likes/dislikes we were given, I became confused by having far too many choices. I did Andrea's and came to a grinding halt. After a lot of thought I realized the choices were guidelines only, not meant to have Every thing included and I found it no bother to start again. As you see below I couldn't even stick to the guidelines LOL
My hope is that the girls all liked what they received from me.

Andrea's block was the first I did and as she wanted bright colours, this block seemed to take on a life of it's own. I had no bother completing it.

Norma's block is fairly simple and has a snail from Maria Freitas BDE book, a dragonfly , hand painted fan and some SRE roses.

Bear likes purples, but no way would my brain accept this. I think the only thing I did that was requested was roses , of which there are plenty and a butterfly. I also did my second beetle from Jane's book

Margaret's was also easy, as she likes blues and flowers and I love embroidering flowers.

Vivienne loves a Victorian look and I hope I achieved it. I tatted the cross and used flowers for her initial. I know she loves daffodils, so I tried one. Surprisingly Viv put daffs on my block, which are small and so lovely. I enjoyed the crewel wool pansy which is another favourite of Viv's.

Julia also is a Victoriana lover and I tried to keep the colours to burgundy but felt it needed a lift and I chose oatmeal/cream shades. This was my first Scarab beetle from Jane Nichols beetle book. It was fun and very easy to create. There's a bit of my old broken jewellery near the top left of the block. I wound vine leaves around her initial.

Brenda asked for Victorian shades also. Very popular with our girls. As Brenda is new to Cq-ing, I tried a little of each application as an example for her. A little beading on lace, SRE on a small motif in the middle, buttons with stitches and beads and a charm or two.

Kathy requested no block for herself as she didn't have time or experience to retaliate (grin..) but being 'Us' we decided to surprise her. I think Kathy is more of a sane quilter at present. Bear let us know she liked hunter green and I did this on mainly cotton. I'm always surprised when I use cottons to embellish on, that they are so soft and easy to work on. I tried highlighting the flower and berries.

Mary asked for creams, but for some reason I kept including pastels. I did this one on and off, trying to get back to just cream, but my eyes and fingers would not co-operate.

Sandie's block was fun. I made a colourful fly (don't ask what sort please) from Jane's book.
The quail is from Maria Freitas BDE book and a pleasure to make. Very quick too, which surprised me as I used a single strand of Rajmahal for bullions/Turkey stitch, etc.,

Catherines block was dictated by the fact she loves her garden. The tree top is made from wool lace and I hoard the last small section of it, using it for special things. I used small amounts of wadding to make the clouds 3 dimensional.
I can just see Catherine lolling about her garden, being waited upon by her DH.

Maria's block was another easy one to embroider. Maria asked for turquoise and lavender and embroidered seams. Well I didn't get them heavily encrusted, so I hope she liked it.

For Ingeborg

2007-04-20T22:10:00.000+10:00

Ingeborg is this Madeira thread the one you were trying to identify? It has a woven or knitted appearance and is about 1/8 inch wide.

TAST Knotted Cretan

2007-03-30T20:32:00.000+10:00

I almost gave up on this stitch, before I started. I haven't posted my first efforts as I couldn't embarrass myself. : - (

This stitch is worse than my pet hate..the Long and Short stitch.

My colourful effort is not good either and I can't say whether many, or even any, are correctly knotted. I found I could manage the top sections but not the lower.

After many tries I found I was holding the thread wrongly and was trying to knot around the wrong bit.

The pink one is definitely not correct. No real Cretan stitch and just sort of tied. Grrr... I persevered.....after all TAST is about learning how to do the stitches.

The green is better and I think I am getting the hang of it.

Yes, the work is more even and the knots look right now. I have even turned the end bit.

This looks okay too.

Oh YES! After drawing two circles and having a guide I really got going and with great excitement and enthusiasm, kept going until the thread ran out.

Lastly I tried to curve the work and I was okay until the end bit. Looks like I need to work on those bends.

I take back my words about this stitch, Long/short is definitely worse for me. This one, once nutted out is lovely to do.

Thanks again Sharon for the stretching excercise.

TAST WEEK 12 Couching

2007-03-24T19:33:00.000+11:00

If not for Sharon I would never be trying to extend myself with different stitches and threads. I find I am using up all manner of odds and ends that would normally become knotted and useless and then be tossed out.

Always, couching for me has been the loop-over -the-thread, nothing inspirational there. I have used beads before but today I started with my Week 8 TAST cross stitched fish and decided to make a seascape. It may be difficult to see my couching stitches through the busy threads but the lower left weed is held down with yellow pistil stitches, the blue next to it is held with fly stitch (the hardest to see) and next again is with loose bullions in the rust colour.
The two long,blue MOPs are cross stitched to hold them there.

Above this weed is my octopus and this IS using the loop-over-the-thread method.

I used a very thick burgundy chenille and loosely couched this with a long green straight stitch and placed a flower and a cumbersome piece of green MOP at the base. I needed something to really hold the MOP in place and chose the double cast-on stitch. It certainly worked as the piece didn't move at all once the first leaf was laid.

The floss on the right is held down with shell bits and beads and at the base is a loosely laid broken shell couched with various beads.

Thanks Sharon for the weekly inspiration. Maureen

TAST week 11

2007-03-22T21:14:00.000+11:00

I am running backward this week and have only two pieces to show, both using open Up and Down Buttonhole. This was a joy to work and I can see lots of ways to use it.

I am pleased with my peacock and it is a much richer colour than this pic.

Of course I must have a tree

TAST Barred Chain week 10

2007-03-08T16:38:00.000+11:00

This week's stitch was a challenge that almost ended in the bin before I had done the first stitch.
I couldn't see how/where the bar was made. A brilliant idea had me looking in Sharon's marvellous Stitch Dictionary and found the stitch there. It's one I have never seen before. My first effort was to lay various thicknesses of threads like a tartan- of sorts. I found that if I worked from left to right I could see the bars, but when I reversed this the bars were covered and lost.

The stitch was good for petals, especially the top turn.

I wondered how the half circle would look in a diamond shape. It's below.

You can see that I have made a Puurfect diamond shape. If you can't then you may need to cross your eyes. Should that fail try squinting.

TAST Cross Stitch week 8

2007-02-28T21:51:00.000+11:00

Off to a flying start this week. The mauve star is a simple one.

Top line here is Cross sitch.
Next line has two variations of Double Cross stitch Aka Smyrna. The 3rd is just my fiddling.
Next line has Cross stitch Reversed and I did a further cross in gold on the upright crosses.
Below this on the left is Two-sided Italian, which is boxed as you go. Lastly is Ermine cross stitch.

A Cross-stitch flower in yellow. For anyone who does not know this stitch, I have made an open version in three colours, to show how it's woven.
The red is laid down first, then the green and lastly the yellow, but all ends are to be placed in one end hole - the red hole..

These make nice stars too.

I tried this back to back cross in chenille and liked it so much I left it plain. The velvet look is lovely, I think.
Then I did it in the red cotton, with variations of crosses.

Cross stitch with straight stitch and detached chain.

I came across this completed work and thought I'd put it in too. I made it some years ago with DMC threads, using two strands and to get the night sky, I varied the rows with two mixed strands.

Last for the week is my fish. Made in various metallic threads. He looks much better if you click on him. Thank you for looking at my blog
:-))

Chain of Hearts Tote Bag

2007-02-28T21:22:00.000+11:00

Yesterday I completed my first UFO for 2007. Well it's really the 2nd but that's another story.

The orange heart was made by Kathleen and has a beautiful orange silk ribbon sunflower.
Below that is a heart by Karen and unfortunately the light was not kind and the beautiful work is not showing up. Take my word for it, it is lovely.
Both these girls are from the USA.

The other side has a blue heart made by Margreet from The
Nederlands and is a classic folded,quilted one with the finest
hand made lace.

Below this is another beautiful heart made by Hideko from Japan. The red roses of Cairo are so lovely, as is the rest of the work.

The bag is a simple one with tied handle.

Later in the year I hope to use more hearts in a quilt. Can I call it a UFO if I haven't even started it yet? It was going to be started last year. LOL

TAST Fly Stitch

2007-02-22T18:27:00.000+11:00

Last night I started to work on this week's challenge, a little after 9pm and as I wasn't tired, kept working until I finished the whole piece, at 3.05am. LOL I didn't even sleep-in this morning.

There are four pictures, the last being the whole view.

I once saw work done entirely with one only stitch. These works were in the UK mag, Stitch with the Embroiderer's Guild. Ever since then I have wanted to try, but never made time. Sharon's TAST was the perfect reason to start.

I forgot to add some brown beads to represent the conifer cones. Some flowers are perfect for fly-stitch.
I certainly need more practise with my rocks in the garden part.

The background material was a left-over mistake from my Insect Project and was very handy for this one.

There are only 3 stitches not Fly stitch and they are at the top of each cerise flower stem.

For closer detail, click on the picture.

TAST Feather Stitch

2007-02-17T06:35:00.000+11:00

This week's stitch was fun to do. The first is face to face Single Feather stitch with side variations.

Wool and Edmar threads

Again Single stitch versions, one whipped and beaded using Edmar threads.

Spanish Knotted Feather stitch. I had trouble keeping it straight as the material was soft. That's my excuse anyway. For my own satisfaction I did it properly the second time. I used wool for the first one and cotton for the other.

Green Feather stitch and purple Closed Feather stitch-A.K.A Double Chain

Double Feather stitch and Long-armed Feather stitch - A.K.A Slanting Cretan. This last was another I had bother with, until I realized I needed to take the tiniest 'bite' when catching downward.

Single Feather stitch, Face to face and back to back. I found a piece of braid? and fancied couching it on the Face to face version. What do you think? Edmar Lola for these. I'm using my left over threads so some are a little 'worn'.

Lavender in Feather and bullions

Willow and two leaves which aren't too clear. Chain stitch trunk on the tree.
I used wool for the leaves and Edmar Frost for the tree.

Lastly my wreath, using Edmar Frost and Maderia metallic threads

The lone survivor

2007-02-11T07:59:00.000+11:00

In my November archives there are pics of this apple tree which had 13 apples on it. The only apples to have appeared in 20 years.
While we were away from home there had been a windstorm and only 2 apples survived. This beauty and the other wizened, but tenaciously
clinging on. I thought I'd better photograph the apple as DH has been eyeing it often and asking when it is to be removed.
It is a Granny Smith apple and my favourite. There is a great recipe also in the October archives for a Dutch Apple Cake from Ati.

TAST Algerian Eye

2007-02-11T07:42:00.000+11:00

This is my 'doodle' work and I used wool and the knitted floss, which looks great, but doesn't show at it's best here.
I worked on the floss in poor night light, so my stitches are not laid correctly. I guess I can't watch TV, read a book and sew at the same time anymore.

I fancied doing some of the alphabet and like how it worked. If I used it I'd have to narrow the A to be the same size as the other letters. I could step the thinner leg or remove the half stitch at the top.

I like the flattened version of the Algerian Eye and used it in both of these patterns.

TAST Chevron Stitch

2007-02-03T13:11:00.000+11:00

More example of sitches, this time using Chevron.
If I played a bit more with the green version I think I could make a basket.

The first speaks for itself and the second has many variations for decorating the Chevron. Using only the Chevron, back to back, it looks like smocking. Double clicking on any of the pics will give better detail.

The next one I bent and felt that this had possibilities, so I made

a garden archway by whipping the ends of the stitch. This was the easiest and quickest I've ever made an archway. I like the way the stitch bends, shrinks and stretches so well, I think you could use it as a pathway among other things.

The rest of my samples are on a crazy patched block that I made when I first started CQ-ing.

TAST Cretan Stitch

2007-01-28T19:46:00.000+11:00

The wheel has whipped stem stitch rings and detached Cretan Stitches to link the outer rings. I thought with a few feathers it could be a Dreamcatcher

I experimented with different threads and spacings

The fern has narrow, closely placed stitches

The top row is in a knotty thread and because it is an experiment I've left it in. It looks daggy and not at all even. The designs are from Dorothy Bond's embroidery book

The Green Cretan stitch with leaves only, looked good but I finished Dorothy's pattern with the flowers and added beads.

TAST Cretan Stitch

2007-01-28T19:41:00.000+11:00

Ihave spent two days on these miserable leaves. I have included a page from Mildred Graves Ryan's embroidery book with instructions on how do do this stitch. If anyone knows how to do these raised centre leaves and can teach me, I will be over the moon. My pics are poor, but I assure you they are as flat as Granny's chest.

TAST Detached Chain

2007-01-18T22:58:00.000+11:00

I am enjoying the single stitches in TAST. It is good to try extensions of a stitch. I wondered if I could claim the wateringcan handle as an open detached chain.

The top line has a different filler in each Vee.

The silver/green design is in my Mildred Graves Ryan book of stitching and called Tete-de-boeuf, being a combination of detached chain and straight stitches. I can't add one of the accent marks for the word Tete.LOL

TAST - Buttonhole

2007-01-13T08:15:00.000+11:00

This week's effort in DMC. I used 2, 3 and 4 plies. I found that in trying to use the buttonhole for stems and calyx the stitch appeared to look more like fly stitch.
The lowest green pattern was from a Dorothy Bond book.

Tagged

2007-01-12T07:34:00.000+11:00

Arrgh I've been tagged again, so I guess I'd better give in and see if I can find any weirdness about me. Me Weird? No, just crazy.

1. I love to have books of embroidery, but hesitate to start learning the method.
2. I love to take photos of others, but dislike having mine taken.
3. I talk a lot, but go dumb when meeting people. Julia...ssssh
4. I prefer to stay up at night sewing and wonder why I feel tired next day.
5. Repeating No 1. I love to learn any new craft but again hesitate to actually try them. Anyone would think someone was going to hit me for making a mistake.
6. I have a weird sense of humour.

Herringbone TAST and Self Portrait

2007-01-10T13:56:00.000+11:00

I tried the herringbone with various threads in the first picture.
Chenille, beads, Edmar boucle, a funny thread with tiny pom pons is the closest I can describe it.
Rayon ribbon in two widths, silver cord and lastly, a tatting thread.

Edmar Lola is used for the twisted herringbone and Frost for greenery, with sequin flowers.

More Lola for the 2nd embroidery and the bullions are made with Minnimurra variegated thread.

Just trying some different stitches with the herringbone

and below is my self-portrait.

just me.

Boucle for the hair; the face is a millefiori by my youngest DD. All else is herringbone.

Take a Stitch Tuesday

2007-01-07T15:39:00.000+11:00

I started out experimenting with the herringbone to make a tree. I made 3 rows in cotton 8 perle for the trunk and also the branches. Then I overworked the trunk with chenille a couple of times and a last row of the green thread again. The star shape uses wool, 2 ply DMC white and metallic/cotton thread.

My 'sane' seam using dyed silk thread with variegated DMC in between. Maybe I'll add delica beads, to liven it up.

Heart and Postcard

2006-12-15T21:38:00.000+11:00

I received a beautiful heart today from Wilma. I am a great fan for trees and the snowy scene is just perfect on the heart. Beautiful stitches too. It is amazing how in real life these hearts are far better than the picture.

Faye made the card which is really fabulous. She used some sheer over printed material, painted gold stars etc and her stitches too are beautiful.
One the back of the card it is most professional. Faye has printed all but her greeting and even has a company name. Perhaps I should take a pic of it and blog it.

Bushfire -later

2006-12-14T19:55:00.000+11:00

This shot has just been taken. At 7.50pm it is lighter than it has been all day.The wallabies have come for a feed of grass.

Bushfires in Eastern Victoria

2006-12-14T19:16:00.000+11:00

Although we are in no danger from the bushfires, as we have a 2k wide lake between the fire and us, I thought I'd let you see what the sky looked like this afternoon at 2.30pm.
We have had a week of smoke filled sky -looking as if it was about to pour rain. We also had some clear sunny days, when the smoke was blown toward Melbourne, over 300 kilometers away. People in Melbourne have been worse off than us and many have respiratory problems, aggravated by the smoke.
There was a grey sky all morning and the smell of smoke has heavier than usual. Not too bad though. Then by 2pm it started to become very dark and half an hour later we needed to turn on the lights to see our way around the house.

I decided to make our meal at 4pm in case the power went out again. No problem. The electricity is still on. The last two pics are lighter as a very turbulent strong wind came through and blew most of the smoke away, but still left us at 5pm with no lightening of the sky.

I pity the people who are fighting the fires, who have lost homes and properties and those poor devils who are still waiting and hoping the fire will pass by or die out. I can't imagine the heat and awful conditions they are bearing with.

Postcard Addiction

2006-12-03T16:07:00.000+11:00

As you see I am still addicted to making postcards. These are but a few. I will be sending some to the family this year.

The photos are still not clear and bright as they should be.

My three Christmas Ornies

2006-12-03T15:44:00.000+11:00

These three Ornies were from a Swap I was in. The stocking was by Florence and her work is, as usual, beautiful .
Sandie's beautiful cream Fan is so delicate and her roses are perfect.
Faye made the Christmas triangle and it is just lovely. I wish my camera work was better as none of these ornies show as much detail, or are as colourful and beautiful as they are 'in person'. Thank you girls for such lovely treasures.

UFO vest for 2007

2006-12-02T21:37:00.000+11:00

I started this vest about 3 years ago and it will be one of the UFO's I hope to finish next year. I love trees of any kind, even dead ones for their skeletal beauty.

Poor vest has been in a 'To do' basket for too long.

Edmar Thread Holder

2006-11-27T19:28:00.000+11:00

This is the thread holder and puller for the Brazilian threads. Each section holds one skein and carries up to 16 skeins.
The puller is a stiff plastic strip that you fold at one end. Hope this helps those who asked for more information.

Fabric Postcards

2006-11-26T07:12:00.000+11:00

Here are two of my received postcards. The Santa one was made by Margaret, who has turned the edges and backed the card with a second piece of material. So neat. Soooo lovely to look at.
Kate sent the blue card from Denmark and is quilted, which isn't showing up on the pic.
I am getting a beautiful collection now.

Postman cometh

2006-11-11T07:08:00.000+11:00

These are my latest goodies to arrive.
Julia's beautiful postcard with Santa who seems to be looking through my holly decorated window, to see if I've been good enough to receive presents. Holding the card in hand, it really does look like a window and I love it.

The other beautiful card is from Sandie and I love the delicate, gold only treatment. So classy isn't it.

Next is the TeaTimeTreat block from Gayle. It has an amazing lot of work on this one. Such teeny seed beads on the small, fine blue braid. And the shishas are fabulous.

Last but not least is another TTT block from Margaret and the center panel has been finely stitched also. As I had 5 of these blocks arrive I've decided to make a table runner with them. I may make it the 2007 UFO challenge. They will look good when I have friends in for afternoon tea. Anyone for a cuppa?

Postcard from Catherine

2006-11-09T21:45:00.000+11:00

I received Catherine's fabulous postcard today. It is so well made, slender, very firm and has a hand drawn stamp on it. The scallop pattern on the edge is machine done and even close up in my hand looks a treat.

I would love to see Catherine at work making these cards.

Thank you Catherine for the lovely card.

Still more hearts

2006-11-08T18:46:00.000+11:00

I've not been idle this week, as I have made 21 hearts. Apart from the one for Denmark, all these, plus another 10 will be posted to the Chain of Hearts for swapping there.

I think the roll I was on, has come to an end. LOL

Heading for the Chain of Hearts

2006-11-06T17:07:00.000+11:00

Preview of hearts

2006-11-06T16:57:00.000+11:00

This one has a home in Denmark

Another Garden Surprise

2006-11-02T18:59:00.000+11:00

About 20 years ago my DH planted apple seeds in the garden. It was only a holiday home then and since living full time here he has spent these years tending this tree.
Last year we had about 4 lots of blossom on one side of the tree. First blossom ever.

This year we have many more blossoms and wonder of wonders, we now have 13 tiny apples.

I just had to record this fruit for posterity. I think we are going to wear the apples out, by looking daily at them. We think they are most likely to be Granny Smith apples, even though they have some red on them at the moment.

Kookaburra in the garden

2006-11-02T18:36:00.000+11:00

Because of the drought here, the animals are coming closer to the house.
This lovely bird was perched on the fence about 10ft from the front door. We hear them laughing often, but rarely do they come close. I grabbed the camera and in my haste to get a picture, before he flew away, was trembling and jolly near lopped off the top of his head.

I didn't need to hurry at all as he sat and posed for ages.
I am not sure if the brown blobs in the grass show up for you, but they are the kangaroos little bits of fertilizer LOL. The lawns are heavily strewn with these.

The kookaburra is about 12" from head to tail tip and about 10" around the middle.
I think he may be young as his head feathers are fluffy, not smooth as the older birds look.

I was given this site http://www.ausinternet.com/ettamogah/kookaburrasong.htm
should you like to hear a kookaburra laugh.

My 3 Xmas Ornies

2006-10-24T18:42:00.000+10:00

I have finished my three Xmas Ornies for Alison/Patti/Jill's swap. They were fun to make and I am pleased with the way they turned out.

Guess what I have been doing

2006-10-24T18:32:00.000+10:00

Last weekend I dyed some silk ribbons and I know - I should have worn gloves. They were beside me on the table. Hot soapy water with bleach brought them back to normal in no time.

Postcard Swap

2006-10-19T18:52:00.000+10:00

I am so pleased to have made all 5 postcards in such a short time. I found them most enjoyable to make and may even make more to send to the family.

Tea Time Block from Ati

2006-10-16T19:08:00.000+10:00

My Tea Time Treats Block arrived today, from Ati in The Nederlands.

Ati sent the recipe for a Dutch Apple Cake and it looked so good I made it for tea tonight. There is some left over for afternoon tea tomorrow. LOL
I might even freeze some. DH and I can assure you that it tastes good.
In case anyone would like to try it, here's the recipe

360g self-raising flour
180g sugar
210g butter
1 egg beaten
a pinch of salt
......
1 kilogram of apples
50g raisins
cinnamon - to suit
sugar - to suit
custard-powder
.......
Make a dough from the flour, sugar, butter and half the beaten egg
Make a bottom in the form( 10" tin) and a wall about 2" high
Keep some of the dough for the top latticing.
....
Peel and chop the apples, dress sugar, cinnamon and 1 tablespoon custard powder and the raisins in it. Mix well
Put the filling in the form
Make a pattern of strips from the rest of the dough. Brush the rest of the egg over the stripes of the dough.

Bake about 1 hour and 15 minutes at 175 oC (approx 340 oF)

Glenn Andre's Art

2006-10-06T06:18:00.000+10:00

This is too wonderful not to share. Glenn Andre liked the dragonfly heart I swapped with his mother so much, that he borrowed it to draw. I was so pleased that I made him his own heart and today I received this fantastic artwork from him.

Glenn Andre says he is going to be an artist when he is older, but he surely is one now.

I love the kangaroo and koala and parrot, but especially I like the chipmunk in the tree, reaching for the acorn. It is so cute.

Echidna in the garden

2006-09-25T20:38:00.001+10:00

Another obliging little fellow who allowed 3 kids and 2 adults to hover over him with a camera and inquisitive eyes. He is about 12" long and 8" wide with long claws and wicked looking long spines. The brown colouring is the true colour. He was hiding in the hollow of a tree when our grandson discovered him.

Wallaby and G'ks

2006-09-25T20:27:00.000+10:00

Usually our native animals hide when school holidays are on, but this obliging fellow came for the bread our g'kids held out.

DH was under orders not to cut the grass until the freezias had finished flowering, but I didn't really mean the very last one.

Hearts and Pincushions

2006-09-25T20:24:00.000+10:00

The first pincushion is from Alison in Queensland and isn't it fantastic, with such rich colours, Mokuba flowers, a dear little MOP heart button and so fine stitches.

Then comes Julia's gorgeous Victorian Rose heart. Julia is so generous - I would never have parted with it. The colours are so rich and the fine detailed stitches in metallic threads are wonderful.

Next up is Florence's beautiful pincushion. It is such a feminine treasure and I wouldn't dare put a pin into it. I'll pin anyone to the wall, who dares to try.

This is followed by Anabele's so lovely heart and postcard from Portugal. Such lovely work. Anabele also sent lace that she made and crocheted flowers too.

Then comes Joy's pincushion from New Zealand. There are twelve tiny patches on this one and lovely stitch patterns. Pity you can't see her tatted butterfly as I can.

Finally there is a wonderful heart from Margreet in The Nederlands. I have only seen this folded pattern in a quilt (and not close up) It is fabulous, as is her cutwork bookmark and card. The lace was hand made by Margreet. It is so delicate to see and feel.

Pincushions and Hearts

2006-09-12T18:15:00.000+10:00

Tatted flowers

2006-09-07T19:47:00.000+10:00

Some girls would like to master tatting, but are worried that it isn't easy.

Annie Whitsed has put her first efforts on her site at .
http://loopylace.com/anniescrazyworld/?p=186
for all to see.
The picture here is of tatted flowers, which Linda taught to me. They are just picots that are about 1/2" long. There are a couple of single flowers and a group of three. The threads are sewn through and tied off at the back. The second pic is how they can look with a bead centre.

Victorian Garden RR

2006-09-05T21:27:00.000+10:00

This beautiful block was worked on by Sandie, Julia, Rosemary, Maxine and Margaret.
Julia dyed the lace basket and filled it with ribbon flowers. She worked the two nearby seams in the same colours. The topiary tree is also Julia's work.
Sandie added the corner SRE, corner piece with the honeysucker, winding rose trail and beautiful beaded cameo.
Margaret worked the lower left garden, a spider's web, glass butterfly, short seam with fine cord and french knots. Also the multi coloured rose and buds near by.
Maxine was next with her great rose spray, feather stitched vine, blue beading on the lace, tea-dyed lace motif and a tatted butterfly.
Rosemary was last to add her beautiful work and started with a shisha, the seam next to this, a fan, long beaded fairy trail and a little heart at the top of the silk picture and finally the pink/blue butterfly.
Thanks so much girls for all the wonderful and inspirational work you did for me. It is intended to be the centre of a quilt. A future project.

Query for pincushion size

2006-08-20T16:12:00.000+10:00

Hi Rose Anne, I hope you revisit as you left no addie and I can't reply to you. The size of the pincushions is 4" square. Maureen

Pincushion Swap

2006-08-17T18:33:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I remade my pincushions for a swap, as the first lot were 'useable' as opposed to CQ ones. Today I finished them and here they are. I tried out Bear's two-ribbon rose on the 3rd one.

Happy Birthday Maureen!!!!

2006-08-16T07:30:00.000+10:00

I've been waiting patiently for this day to come. LOL Being a 'partner' in a blog isn't such a bad thing after all, can sneak in and wish them a "Happy Birthday" without them even knowing you will do such.

Singing in my sweetest voice

Happy Birthday to you

Happy Birthday to Maureen

Happy Birthday to you

May your day be filled with much happiness, love and laughter...

Hugs and loves

Sandie

Silk Teabag Flower

2006-08-08T17:53:00.000+10:00

In search of metal teaballs to make a beaded Christmas decoration and having no luck, I contacted our tea manufacturers. The Rep, thinking to save me the search for something he'd not heard of, offered to send me the Silk teabag samples to use instead. I hadn't explained to him why I wanted the metal ball at that stage.
These cute bags brought out the desire to make something from them and today I made my teabag flower. I have a few more ideas for flowers and will try them out tomorrow. In the meantime here is my first effort.

Not knowing how fray-able the material was, I used fusible webbing then ironed it to the red material. I then couched gold thread around the petals and whipped this. I cut the corners from the bags and finely tacked very close to the edge over 5 petals to make into an inner circle of leaves (no fusible webbing used for these) and drew up the thread. Horrors, the entire thread and knot sailed through these petals BUT no damage was done - no fraying, so this is tough stuff.
The material left a memory of the holes so I rethreaded them and beaded the centre. I am really pleased with the finished flower.

Silk Teabag Flower

2006-08-08T17:35:00.000+10:00

Here is my first attempt at making a flower from the silk tea bag. Here is how it started out.

Insect picture finished

2006-08-07T15:13:00.000+10:00

My Insect picture is finished. I have fiddled with the background colour to make the stitches more visible. This has been a learning curve for me as I had to master the new camera and computer program to resize and highlight the pictures.

I am happy with my first attempt to prepare the painted material, but know I can improve next time. Some insects were redone as there was no real indication to size in the instructions.

The last 4 pics are unnamed. The dragonflies are obvious and the other two are a stick insect and two flower wasps.

Now to get it framed.

2006-08-07T15:06:00.000+10:00

Australian Lurcher butterfly

2006-08-07T15:01:00.000+10:00

Common Egg butterfly cricket, and stink beetle

2006-08-07T14:55:00.000+10:00

butterfly, ladybird, and spider flower chafer beetle on leaf

2006-08-07T14:39:00.000+10:00

praying mantis hornet

2006-08-07T14:09:00.000+10:00

2006-08-02T17:57:00.000+10:00

I thought it time I shared my lovely Xmas Room with you. The beautiful work was done by Viv, Mary, Margaret and Anne in a recent Solvy RR.

I have been slack with my insect project, having mislaid my threads, but I should have it completed within the week.

2006-07-22T20:04:00.000+10:00

This block was done by Patti

2006-07-22T19:54:00.000+10:00

This is Catherine'swork.

2006-07-22T19:47:00.000+10:00

This is by Linda and I have resent the photo hoping that it is not as blurry as the first.

2006-07-20T21:34:00.000+10:00

WHOOPS! I didn't mean to leave this out Viv, sorry. Yahoo left it out.
Please note the fantastic stumpwork onions on the top left.

2006-07-20T21:22:00.000+10:00

The last one is mine. I did get a quick glimpse of them when Linda handed the blocks over, but I laid them aside for a few weeks and them worked on mine without looking at the others.

So you see that one almost-the-same set of blocks has ended with many different appearances.

Mystery block RR

2006-07-20T18:45:00.000+10:00

Hi girls, I am about to load my Mystery blocks from a RR I was in last year. It came about because Linda Barraclough wondered aloud how the same look-alike blocks would be interpreted by each girl in a RR. I decided to challenge them. Each girl could work on one, without seeing other work completed until she finished her block for me. The worked ones, of course, were hidden in a bag. I sent 6 blocks, almost identical and I was to do the last one. Each block they made is absolutely beautiful. I am certain you too will think so. Maureen

2006-07-14T09:01:00.000+10:00

This is the 2nd section of the RR block. The colours are lovlier than shown here.

Sandie's Victorian RR block

2006-07-13T14:15:00.000+10:00

Here is Sandie's RR block in two sections as it's too wide for my scanner. I'm not speaking to my new camera, as after 1 1/2 days of use the batteries are flat and are not to be recharged. I can't get to town until the 21st to see about it.

Margaret, Maxine and Rosemary have worked on this lovely block and I finished my share today.

Pathfinder Block for Anne

2006-07-04T18:19:00.000+10:00

I have been working on this block for the Pathfinders Quilt today and need only to add a dog charm. This block has no initial. I was inspired by a Brazilian heart of flowers and have tried a couple here. I have no idea how the original flowers were worked, but the large flower I made by laying twin rows of chain stitch and whipping them. I'm not sure if I created a new stitch combination LOL,when I made the yellow centres for the violet flowers. I put 3 x 14 wrap bullions very close together and wove them so they stand upright. I was pleased with the result.

2006-06-27T14:16:00.000+10:00

I have managed a break between entertaining the g'kids and thought I'd better add some of the insects I've started. I have the yellow butterfly in stages here. I found it is easier to fill the wing before buttonholing the edge as it looks better. When I buttonholed first, it left the edge raised. I made a boo boo with the largest wing and covered the wire with yellow, so I went over it with black. It's a bit thicker than the underwing, but unless I hate it when I sew it onto the material, I will leave it as is. There are two flower wasp wings and a set of dragonfly wings also.

2006-06-24T16:39:00.000+10:00

The second half has a rose spray at the top by Maxine and the other embellishments below this are mine.

Victorian Round Robin Block

2006-06-24T16:31:00.000+10:00

I will have to post two pics of this block for Margaret as it's too large for the scanner. The first half is by Rosemary and Maxine.

2006-06-15T18:30:00.000+10:00

Today I made two ladybirds and added them to the two spiders, bees, a lime green stink beetle, click beetle and a flower chafer beetle. The pattern gives no size for the beetles and I have made the chafer beetle a little small. It's easy to make another and I will also make it a more contrasting colour. Can you find it on the lower left leaf?

2006-06-15T18:21:00.000+10:00

I made the butterfly, but I'm not happy with it and will make another - but not in black. It is hard to work black on black and being an aged old lady,I found this to be too difficult for my eyes. I feel one wing is longer than the other too.

2006-06-10T19:32:00.000+10:00

I have pinned down the wire for the Butterfly and will oversew it before filling in the wings with long/short stitch. My least favourite method of infilling. I hope it is a clear picture. In this posting section it just looks black.

2006-06-10T19:16:00.000+10:00

Today I worked the straight stitch wheat ears and then rinsed the material to get rid of all the blue markings. They were driving me nuts. I will be able to do the rest of the stems now.
I scanned this picture on an angle to get in most of the wheat.
While this is drying I will prepare the Common Eggfly Butterfly.

2006-06-09T19:10:00.000+10:00

This is a pic of 'nony mouse' but it isn't me

2006-06-08T14:43:00.000+10:00

This is a Bride Bag that I made last year as part of a Group Entry for the CWA. I elected to make it in 'crazy' and it had to be cream/white on white. I cheated a bit with tiny bullions of peach.

2006-06-08T14:40:00.000+10:00

Here is the second picture of the insect project

2006-06-08T14:28:00.000+10:00

Yesterday I started on a project I've been promising myself to make for over a year. The first picture is the one in the Embroidery & Cross stitch mag. The next is the cloth that I have painted and started to sew the stems on. It looks darker than it really is and there is more unpainted area that wouldn't fit into the scanner. Some blue marker lines are showing. I couldn't manage the very large frame it was supposed to be attached to, so I have sectioned it with tacking and hope I can keep it flat. The stumpwork insects are what will take time to do and as I get them made, will blog them.

Bonnet Poem

2006-06-05T20:32:00.000+10:00

AN HEIRLOOM

A tiny square of linen
And a dainty edge of lace,
Designed into a bonnet,
To frame your baby’s face.

After baby’s worn it
Fold and tuck away...
And it becomes a hanky
For your daughter’s Wedding Day.

Or if the baby is a boy,
On the day he marries
This can be the “something old”
His joyful bride will carry.

2006-06-05T18:42:00.001+10:00

Well I have made it this far and hope to be able to post Sarah's Hanky Bonnet as well. Sarah made this bonnet to enter our CWA competition for juniors and received 1st prize. She is as thrilled to have won, as she was to have lost a front tooth and have her eyebrow regrow after a fall. This has been a big week for her.
The bonnet pattern was from America and as far as I can tell, never seen in Victoria. I could be wrong. Maureen

Welcome to Maureen's Blog

2006-05-24T07:56:00.000+10:00

A Crazy Quilt by Douglas Malloch

They do not make them anymore,

For quilts are cheaper at the store

Than woman's labor, though a wife

Men think the cheapest thing in life.

But now and then a quilt is spread

Upon a quaint old walnut bed,

A crazy quilt of those days

That I am old enough to praise.

Some woman-sewed these points and squares

Into a pattern like life's cares.

Here is a velvet that was strong,

The poplin that she wore so long,

A fragment from her daughter's dress,

Like her, a vanished loveliness;

Old patches of such things as these,

Old garments and old memories.

And what is life?

A crazy quilt;

Sorrow and joy, grace and guilt,

With here and there a square of blueFor some old happiness we knew;

And so the hand of time will take

The fragments of our lives and make,

Out of life's remnants,

as they fall,

A thing of beauty, afterall.

crazyQstitcher

TAST week 20 and a new blog

TAST Week 20 Butterfly Chain

TAST Week 19 Basque Stitch

TAST - Whipped and Woven Wheel

Orange and Cream block

TAST Week 17 - Running Stitch

Our lake and ocean

EYE CANDY

TAST Week 16 - Palestrina

TAST Weeks14 Bonnet stitch and 15 Oyster stitch

My 12 Gathering Blocks

For Ingeborg

TAST Knotted Cretan

TAST WEEK 12 Couching

TAST week 11

TAST Barred Chain week 10

TAST Cross Stitch week 8

Chain of Hearts Tote Bag

TAST Fly Stitch

TAST Feather Stitch

The lone survivor

TAST Algerian Eye

TAST Chevron Stitch

TAST Cretan Stitch

TAST Cretan Stitch

TAST Detached Chain

TAST - Buttonhole

Tagged

Herringbone TAST and Self Portrait

Take a Stitch Tuesday

Heart and Postcard

Bushfire -later

Bushfires in Eastern Victoria

Postcard Addiction

My three Christmas Ornies

UFO vest for 2007

Edmar Thread Holder

Fabric Postcards

Postman cometh

Postcard from Catherine

Still more hearts

Heading for the Chain of Hearts

Preview of hearts

More postcards

Another Garden Surprise

Kookaburra in the garden

My 3 Xmas Ornies

Guess what I have been doing

Postcard Swap

Tea Time Block from Ati

Glenn Andre's Art

Echidna in the garden

Wallaby and G'ks

Hearts and Pincushions

Pincushions and Hearts

Tatted flowers

Victorian Garden RR

Query for pincushion size

Pincushion Swap

Happy Birthday Maureen!!!!

Silk Teabag Flower

Silk Teabag Flower

Insect picture finished

Mystery block RR

Sandie's Victorian RR block

Pathfinder Block for Anne

Victorian Round Robin Block

Bonnet Poem

Welcome to Maureen's Blog