tast stitches

I have finally caught up with the tast stitches from SF.  They are square herringbone 53,  laced square herringbone 54,buttonholed herringbone 55, sailor stitch 56 and sailor edging stitch 57.

I own up to struggling with the laced herringbone, if I tried to do it once I tried 5 times but the instructions did not seem to make sense then after a few days break I went back to it and I seemed to have no problems!!   confused brain syndrome.

Problems too with the buttonholed herringbone, it would not sit nicely, the thread kept twisting, seems strange as when I did the beaded hedebo edge sample there did not seem to be a problem and I used perle thread for both.  No problem with the sailor stitches, had not come across these before, good to have a stitch I had not heard of.
Apart from the buttonholed herringbone I used a rayon type random dyed thread for the other stitches. I bought these threads years ago at a show in London, have about 10 but have never used them as they are so slippery, what a waste must use them more.
Stranded cottons I rarely use either and have loads of them but I do not like working with more than one strand at a time, maybe it is time to donate them to a charity or something but I am sure to want one if I do that!

Herringbone square around the outside with a smaller one inside each square, the laced ones are in the centre with small squares scattered around them

buttonholed herringbone stitch

sailor stitch, the first 4 rows and sailor edging stitch the next 2 rows and the squiggly bit!

triangular feather stitch

today I did my sample for the triangular feather stitch form Sharon`s blog pintangle.  After I had made a frame shape which I had problems with at the corners, sorry could not work out how to use the stitch there I then had to put something in the centre. Having had Valentine`s day I took the easy route and just added a patchwork heart and attached it to the fabric with feather stitch.  Have been working on some hardanger for Helen my younger daughter, 7 pieces in all,   worked in pink and white which was what she requested, I think it will be a while before these are finished, have the main bits stitched but all the cutting and weaving to do and as I have designed them myself have got to work out what to do where. Maybe next time I will show a work in progress but no photos yet.

CQJP february

this last week I have been working on the february block,   have kept a flower in the centre block, a snowdrop as I have one out in the garden.
I have also gone with the valentine theme and put a cherub and couple of hearts on it.
I have used assorted stitches,  stem, straight, detached chain, oyster, knotted feather, spine chain, wheatear with beads and blanket with some straight stitches.
Another piece of tatting in orange. This month the block seems to be quite orange but I do like it with the green.

There are one or two areas that look a little bare but these I can add to when the other 10 blocks are completed and I decide what to do with them.

 
This did not photo well, the colours are not true and although have tried again it still comes out this colour

I have also done the tast stitch 51 today,  raised herringbone band.  4 samples of the stitch, the first 3 rows were counted out geometrically but row 4 was stitched in a random manner.

patchwork blocks

I have done another 3 blocks one for the justhands-ontv  the pin wheel and two for the create and craft show, tumbling blocks and spinning star.The create and craft lessons have now finished but Jennie is going to do some more workshops including a waistcoat.She has also put all the instructions on her web site jennierayment.com for anyone who might like to have a go.That link does not seem to have worked, sorry not sure how you put links onto blogs.  maybe someone will let me know?

                                                       Pinwheel.
It is interesting how 2 teachers do the blocks in different ways, with being a beginner I get a bit muddled but no doubt I will work out whose methods I like best soon.

spinning star and tumbling blocks

 the blocks done from create and craft use templates, here I have used 60 and 45 degree diamonds and the 6.5" easy angle,  they make life much easier but reduce the bank balance considerably! I really must stop buying these things and must make full use of those I have already bought!
I found the tumbling blocks done the English paper piecing method much easier than using the diamond templates on the machine as done with this latest one.
Maybe I will now make the ones I enjoyed doing most in some cotton fabric and who knows as I gain experience and confidence a quilt or wall hanging might appear,    don`t hold your breath though.

I must start on the CQJP for february in the next few days

inverted feather stitch tast 2013 50

I am on the ball today and have done the latest tast stitch.  I thought it might work well as a change from 4 sided stitch in a hardanger piece so decided to make a small sample.  If I am honest I did not enjoy doing the stitch and I do not think it works so will not use it again for hardanger. I am interested to see what other people do with it as I am struggling to think of when I could use it again

january CQJP entry

I think I have finished the block now,  the stump work bee did not materialise       could not find the book where I did it from in the past so added a bullion bee, some baby bees in french knots, and one charm bee.. Feel it still looks a bit bare in the top left hand corner but have submitted it as it is now.

CQJP and tast 2013

Today I have done a bit more on the january block.  The tatting is now tacked in place above my initials, think it looks okay here, I did not like it where it was before, only tacked on as waiting for your opinions. Have also put some green ribbon through the red stem stitch seam and added some beads. In the bottom left hand corner have added more stitching and think this area does not need any more work.  A second row of knotted cretan stitch and above the flower centre block I have sat a watering can,   do you think this looks okay, will stitch on if I get the go ahead, thought I could do some running stitches in a silvery thread from the can onto the flower to make it look like water.  The ochre block still empty as not come up with anything for this yet any ideas? and not sure what I can do above the cretan stitch.

  Been very busy today,  was watching the semi final tennis between Federer and Murray so managed to do my knotted feather stitch piece too for the tast 2013 challenge.
Have included along with the knotted feather stitch  stem,french knots straight stitch and the pot is long straight stitches that I have then weaved through.

crazy quilting

I have started on the embellishing of the january block, it is going slowly and thought I would share a couple of photos with you all.

  As you can see I have embroidered a flower in the centre block,  might do a flower  each month in the centre to link them together

 a few more bits added here, herringbone with detached chain,  my initials in stem stitch and the red/orange diamonds also stem stitch

The hollyhock I have added today, worked with the same thread as the diamonds.  The tatting I am not sure about, it might well be removed in the next few days or I might wait and see how the block grows. I do not want to do too much on it but there again I do not want to do too little.Another seam has also been stitched in knotted cretan stitch

Any advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated.

Today I liquidised some leek and potato soup in the kenwood,   hurray I have finally conquered it,  have decided the liquidiser needed to be attached even if using the mixing bowl   well it seemed to work that way, lets hope next time it is as successful.  I have only had it about 18 years so it is about time I worked out what to do. Thank you for all your tips and advice.

patchwork blocks from C & C

 I have today complete the blocks that Jennie Rayment has been doing on the create and craft show,   I think there are going to be 2 more at the beginning of february.  Like the ones for hands on tv I have used poly cotton for these as they are only a learning lesson. I have cheated on the rail fence and used the same one for both projects.

 

                                           rail fence, 2 log cabins and squares.

                       single Irish chain, Amish friendship star, dutchman`s puzzle and pieced star

 

                                  54/40 or flight, dresden plate and grandmothers fan

I have now a bit more confidence but still need practise both with the rotary cutter and matching points.  I have throughly enjoyed doing these though some took time to understand how to do, kept having to re read the instructions till they finally sunk into my brain!

patchwork blocks

I have finally got round to making or attempting is more like it some patchwork blocks. I am a follower of justhands-ontv which is a great site for seeing videos etc. It is run by Jennie Rayment and Valerie Nesbitt both excellent quilters. They also feature other well known quilters and stitchers and also go the shows and make DVDs of what they see then post them on the site You do not have to be a full member it is free unless you want to have access to all that happens there. I pay £6 a month and they have been making a sampler quilt for a while now, I kept looking but that is as far as I would get but on tuesday I made up my mind to have a go.   I am working with poly cotton as it is so much cheaper to buy for my samples and I have completed 10 blocks.

The first 4 are rail fence, 2 varieties, a 9 patch and a friendship star.

next 4 are shoo fly, monkey wrench, prairie queen ( I have to redo this as it is put together wrong but did not notice till I took the photo) and Jacob`s ladder.

The final 2 are Ohio star and card trick.

well there they are.   points not too good but I am still learning how to use the rotary cutter etc. but I feel I have got somewhere.

When I refer to patchwork books I see different writers give the blocks different names I am just using the names Varlerie Nesbitt uses.


Whilst doing this blog I have some parsnip soup cooking and will attempt to put it in the Kenwood which believe it or not I managed to get to work on new year`s day, whether it will work this time is another matter!

CQJP project

Toady I am posting the photos of my 12 blocks for the CQJP 2013 challenge.   I have made all 12 not sure if this was the right thing to do but have more fabric so can replace some if I do not like them. I was surprised how much fabric I had in my stash,  both bought fat quarters and fabric I had coloured myself with silk paints sponged onto the fabric, some were also sprinkled with rock salt to make the colours run.  I had bought some Egyptian cotton at the K & S show in 2011 and it coloured beautifully so the other day when I got the news email from Empress Mills and they had the cotton reduced from £12.50 to £8.50 a metre thought it was too good an offer to refuse and now waiting for a metre to pop through the letter box, it really is lovely quality.

The blocks have all been made with an assortment of greens and I plan to introduce other colours in the embellishment,   originally thought yellow and orange, maybe a bit of purple and red,   not sure will ponder some more.All suggestions greatly received.  Suppose I should start embellishing ,    maybe after the weekend.

The one below is the first one I am going to use.

 now I look at it again not so sure I like the colours, will have a go embellishing and see what happens,   maybe practise will make perfect.

Thought I would post a photo of my mahonia in flower, it is lovely to see a bit of colour in the garden at this time of year.

tast catch up

Today I have made an effort to complete the tast for 2012.   I am posting 4 stitches. week 48 arrowhead stitch I did a few weeks ago but neglected to post and have now done week 49 buttonhole eyelet flower    a very mean offering, I usually love bullion stitches but struggled here, now think it was because the fabric I had dyed was too stiff and thick   well that is my excuse anyway! The the needle and thread was very difficult to pull through the cloth. Week 50  berry stitch, two flowers here and the brown piece is meant to be a dog, maybe if you screw up your eyes a bit a dog might emerge! Week 51 knotted cable chain stitch, this I have done with 4 different threads,the wool one is cascade yarns,  green perle cotton and two troublesome rayon type threads,   have not mastered the technique with these they are so slippery, the perle is my favourite thread followed closely by flower thread which I am loath to use as it is no longer available so saving for special projects!!

 arrowhead stitch,   sorry photo not central or straight.

knotted cable chain,  berry stitch and buttonhole eyelet stitch.
I hope to more stitches when the tast starts again and take the stitches further than I have done before, very much a rushed job at times apologies for not doing them justice.