Saturday 29 December 2012

ponderings

We are fast approaching the new year and I have come up with one resolution,  in 1995 my late husband bought me a Kenwood food mixer, with liquidiser etc, well I still have not managed to work out how to use it, it did come with a video but no video player,   bring back the old manuals please!!  Two years ago I got in touch with Kenwood and told them it did not work, I press the button but nothing happens, well they said send it back which I did and they returned it saying it was in full working order,  still no success but 2013 is going to be when I get the confounded thing to start or the bin can have it!!!

Now fellow bloggers I have signed up to CQJP for 2013 but have not got a clue where to start, have asked one or two of you for advise but thought I would throw it open to everyone.  Do I need a theme? what size should I do? oh so many things I want to know.  I think I would like to make it into a hanging when finished so surely it needs to have something linking the blocks together, I thought maybe the blocks should all be the same but with different stitches but this seems a bit boring. From looking at other blocks plain colours seem to be the thing to use    oh dear have I bitten of more than I can chew??   Advise will be greatly appreciated and maybe then then creativity and inspiration will begin to work.

I was given some jelly roll templates from my daughters for Christmas, they are new to England and were demonstrated on create and craft tv channel, only available at the moment through the tv, They are from Australia so as I have a jelly roll I might do something with that whilst waiting for your advice for my CQJP

All the best to you all for 2013.

12 comments:

Liz Eph said...

Hiya Margaret, I'm following you now :-) My problem with my Kenwood was to do with one of the safety features. The bowl needs to be clicked all the way into place and the right way round - with the handle at the right, then the lid needs to be properly clicked in too so that it can never accidentally set off without the lid on (and my fingers out). Took me ages to work this out.x

I've never made a quilt of any sort let alone a crazy one so I'm no one to talk, but I've found with doing the TAST this year it's been a breakthrough for me to say to myself - this is not the proper one, this one is for practice.

So what about doing a pretend crazy quilt block first, small, with any old left overs of fabric and thread etc which take your fancy and just see what it looks like and what you don't like ? Try anything and everything - after all it doesn't matter does it :-)
I've gone and written a blog post thinking about this.

http://thethreadbear.blogspot.fr/2012/12/having-go.html

Queeniepatch said...

Hi, Margaret,

I Googled Kenwood Mixer manuals and got to this page. Could any of the manuals here be of any help?
http://kitchen.manualsonline.com/manuals/mfg/kenwood/kenwood_product_list.html

A lot of fun can be had with a jelly roll. How about a stripy cq - just strips in a row with embroidery on the seams. Select some of the TAST stitches you enjoyed.

About CQJP, as I am not going to take part I should maybe not say anything, but Sharon shows a good pattern for HER blocks on Introducing Block ## e.g. http://pintangle.com/2012/12/08/introducing-block-63/
There you can see in which order she has added the fabrics and then what embellishments she has used.
Good luck and have fun!

Suztats said...

Hi Margaret. Last year was my first year doing the CQJP, and here's what I learned:
1- a plan is good as it gives you a starting point, a colour group to work within, if you choose, and a direction
2- too many patterns creates a busy look
3- keeping a restricted colour choice for your blocks allows for more options for embellishing
4-cottons only for a first time CQer is a good choice
5- flip and stitch for your CQ block works well (send me an email for more info if you like)
6- deciding on a theme keeps your blocks cohesive
7- once you've decided on a colour, it's easier to choose your threads/ embellishments/beads etc to coordinate and options for colour pops. No plan means one flounders trying to make these choices
8- getting a little tote, or two, to hold your project stash helps keep things together, and tidy
Hope this helps. I'll be keeping my CQJP 2013 colours simpler, and with fewer patterns this year allowing for more stitching variations without being so busy. Hugs

Marjolein said...

Hi Margaret,
The minimum size should be 6" square, it is a nice size for a first CQ quilt.
Gerry has written a series about colors, it starts here: http://blocktalkwithgerry.blogspot.nl/2012/10/color-comfort-tricks-and-guidelines.html
I agree with all of Susan's tips.
In your post of 28 November you showed the charms and buttons you bought. Why not use the red and yellow "cat buttons" as a start. If you want a theme, it could even be "cats". The color scheme could be red and yellow (light and dark shades), maybe touches of black.
I wish you all the best for 2013,
Marjolein

Pippas quilts said...

Hi Margaret I could not come up with a theme for my cqjp blocks that I did last year. So I thought I would do what ever colours and fabrics that I had to hand and went from there to see what worked for me. I have come to the conclusion that it is easier to work with just one or two colours and using different shades. Suzy has some come up with some really good points. The quilts for the competition are under the rules section of the cqjp blog. If you make them a bit bigger 1/4 inch it gives you a seam allowance with which to join them all together if you wish. The main thing is to enjoy the experience and learn a new and different technique It is for your own satisfaction no one else's. Wishing you a bit better luck in 2013.
Pippa.

Mary Ellen said...

Margaret, I was able to find your blog by noodling around on the CQJP blog site. Thanks for that link. It appears that I am almost too late to join, and as I don't know if I can reasonably take on yet another project, I will watch and "lurk" this year. If I were to sign up for the project, my theme would be birds. So, if you want to use that idea, go for it! It would be so interesting to see the interpretation of the birds of England.

Claudia said...

The piece you have to stitch each month should not be smaller than 36 sqare inch, it can have any shape you like, quare, rectabgle, triangle.....all depends on you whatever you like. You can decide for a theme or have no theme, you also can change theme during the year. You can make a quilt, a journal, all depends on your wishes. The only thing is the minimum sizeWhen you have fibnished your block send a picture to CQJP. You can find all on the website of CQJPO, I hope this was helpful.
Happy New Year, Margaret!

Séverine said...

Hello, I just can tell you how I manage for my CQJP.I began by collecting fabrics that matches together and I used them all other the year. My blocks were square 8" side.
I hope this help you.
Happy New Year

Anonymous said...

Good luck with your quilting I can't help you with it but no doubt you will come up with some good ideas.Hope that you got the mixer working!

crazyQstitcher said...

Sad to own a Kenwood and not be able to use it. I Googled

Video + how to operate a Kenwood Food mixer

and found a page of various models here

I hope someone has the answer for you.
Thanks for your comment and I hope to see lots of your work this year. Your work is always a joy to see.
Maureen

shirley said...

Margaret, I had a Kenwood, and it was very easy. Have you clicked it into place when you lowered the beaters into the bowl Mine is over 40 years old and has mixed a lot of cakes. One of my daughters has it now.


Why dont you write back to Kenwood and ask them for some written instructions on how to start it.
It is such a shame not to be able to use it.

Stitching Lady said...

Margaret, this post is like a tutorial about crazy quilting. And about managing the Kenwood. The answers are worth of gold.