Stitch Talk

In the basics of all crazy quilts there is the block construction and the stitching.  Block construction is very important there is a little formula to it.  Of course I don't follow it as well as I should as I have been taught to sew and quilt by my grandmother.  If you look at the vintage and antique crazy quilts there are quilts out there that don't follow the "basic formula" of construction.

Okay that argument aside let me describe to you how my grandmother taught me.  When I first started getting into crazy quilting I went to my grandmother Myrtle Jane Painter and asked her about the block construction.

She told me that a crazy block is easy to make.  You just grab a piece of fabric and put it in the middle(Middle of the foundation) and then just grab another piece of fabric and sew it on then repeat the process going around and around until the block is full.  She did not tell me to pull out a piece with a certain number of sides. She said just pull one out.  I have got to let you know I just pull one out to this day and sew around and around.

As you can see from this block I used my grandmothers formula.  I can pull out more samples of my habit.  I won't call it a bad habit as one of my friends would as I tend to think of my grandmother being right.

Both of my grandmothers are perfect and make no mistakes. (I know that there are quite a few ladies and gentlemen out there who feel the same way.)

The above block just does not follow the basic CQ formula.

Now lets just talk about that formula.  What do you think that it is?  Lets start with the foundation.  the foundation most ladies start with a plain muslin of some kind.  You do not have to have a muslin foundation if you don't want one but I will just say this, it really needs to be a loose weave fabric of some kind.  Remember you are going to fill the foundation with the block fabric then embellish it and you are going to have to pull the needle through all that fabric.  So loose weave foundation.

The middle fabric to put on the foundation should have five sides.  Then you sew your other chosen pieces of fabric around and around until the foundation piece is full.

 The middle piece in this block has five sides. 

How do you construct your blocks?

Remember to always construct the block in a way you can pull your needle and thread through easily.  You just might want to use SRE on it and that really needs to be pulled through your fabric with ease.

TTFN
The Lion

Let's Talk

Let's talk Crazy Quilt.  I have been catching up on posts from my Yahoo groups this morning and have read some that I would like to address.  I did not on the group as the owners and moderators are controlling it very well without my two cents being put in there.  Let me just say this: I am in support of the changes that are being made.

With that being said I would like to talk a little about my opinion of what is happening.  To the new ladies to crazy quilting I feel your frustration.  You have been told for as long as you have been on the group there are "no rules".  So you are doing your best at what your understanding of what Crazy Quilting is.  I feel that what should have been happening for all new members is the encouragement of new stitches.  This should be happening on all CQ groups.  Sometimes we all forget about the stitches that are so very important in all CQ work.  The stitches are what should be encouraged not "no rules".  I want to encourage all brand new CQ'ers to work on the surface embroidery that all of the women before us used in their crazy quilts.

 I do want to to let all those who are new to CQ know that you can use all sorts of fibers and beads and buttons and laces and, and, and, and.............................

The list of things you can use in CQ is long.  I know a member of the group who likes to use Steam Punk items in her CQ.  So YES anything does go in CQ but when you break it down we do have at least one rule.  That is every crazy quilt needs stitching.  Last year my Lost Pines Crazy Quilt Group did a block a month using nothing but a designated stitch every month.  The ladies found out that you can have a beautiful block with out adding nothing else to the block but more stitches.  The basic rule for Crazy Quilting is STITCHES.  You have to have them.

 The next question the new to CQ would ask me is how and where can I learn these stitches?  Online there is Sharon Boggins Stitch Dictionary, TAST run by Sharon Boggins.  BAS run by Kerry Leslie.  Check out Shawkel a blog by Kathy Shaw.  Check out the Crazy Quilt Journal Project-2012.  Last but not least join StitchMap and take the Color Theory Course and Basic Crazy Quilting Course.  Crazy Quilting is an AWESOME art that needs to continue.

I would recommend books by Marsha Michler, Judith Baker Montano and A Treasury of Crazy Quilt Stitches by Miss Carol Samples.

I would like to encourage the all to new to CQ to experiment until you get your own style.  Everyone has one.  I encourage you to buy all kinds of floss.  Use the brand that floats your boat.

Variegated over dyed floss is my favorite.  Weeks Dye Works is my favorite brand.  Yes, it is cotton and, yes, I do use some silk floss.

Bottom line Ladies and Gentlemen yes there is at least one rule in Crazy Quilting and it is:  You MUST use stitches.  Using other items in you CQ is just the icing on the cake AND I like cake of all kinds!

If you would like to ask me more questions please contact me at glynpg@yahoo.com .

TTFN
The Lion

Another Great Inspiration

As allot of my followers know I do like to dabble in Altered Art.  It does give a nice break from Crazy Quilting but in my mind compliments CQ in many ways.  I do look to Altered Art for inspiration in many ways.  Maybe not for the stitching but for the ideas.  For a great idea for the 2012 CQ Journal you might want to check out this post: http://sugarlumpstudios.com/?p=2944&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sugarlumpstudios%2FxOSh+%28Sugar+Lump+Studios%29 .

Sugar Lump Studios is one of my favorite blogs to follow for inspiration.  The Love Me Altered Tag Book is an awesome inspiration.  I do make CQ tags as do many in the CQ world and this idea can translate over to the fabric medium very easily.

Here is a CQ tag that I made a while back.

This tag is a small one but you can make it bigger and put what you want on it.  Think about it.  What would you do to make a tag journal or a tag book of some kind?  Would you use family pictures?  How about real vintage silkies?  What about using your grandmothers buttons? Or Lace?  How about just to showcase all of YOUR different stitch ideas?

I hope that you enjoy your inspiration for the day!

TTFN
The Lion

New Year, New Round Robin

It is a new year and I am trying to put my quilting back in my life as a #1.  It has been a long time since I have been a Round Robin that I signed up for one that caught my attention on the Yahoo group Crazy Quilt International.  I have been trying for days to get my RR blocks uploaded to the CQI Yahoo site and they just won't upload!  So I decided to put them up on my blog today and show everyone what they look like.  the RR I chose to join is the Midnight Fantasy Garden.  This is a triditional RR so I would need only one block but I had this purse pattern that was just too awesome that I have been wanting to make a purse out of.  I would need two sides.  So I made both sides and am sending them both.  I am hoping that the ladies will find inspiration for stitiching on one block or the other.  It matters not to me which one that they stitch on. 

 So here is the first block:

Here is the second block:

Okay I should have rotated this picture since it is on it'sside but you can see how cute it is anyway.  My inspiration for these blocks is a mens tie that I found.  See the cute little peacock on the first block?  That is what cought my attention at the thrift store.  I had to beat Debbie H. to the store for that jewel!  I am excited to see what the ladies do with this block.

Kerry, If you are reading this HELP!  Yahoo won't let me upload!

TTFN
The Lion

Take A Look At This!

I was looking and reading in my blog land and found this: http://sugarlumpstudios.com/?p=2904&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sugarlumpstudios%2FxOSh+%28Sugar+Lump+Studios%29

Sugar Lump Studios has a GREAT fabric journal!  SO AWESOME!  Thank you for sharing this inspiration.  I love it!

I hope that my followers enjoy her post.

TTFN
The Lion

My First Journal Block

I have emerged from my sewing space with a beautiful first block for my Journal.  What do you think?  I thought that I would start with my grandmothers favorite flower the daisy.  I have picked out the floss and silk ribbon that I am going to use on it.  I can't wait to start.

My friend Shari suggested a really complicated name for my journal "Homage to Myrtle Jane."  I am thinking of a simpler name of "My Grandmothers Flower Garden."  I am very lucky that I had the privilege of having Myrtle Jane Wagner Painter in my life up until a few years ago.  I miss her terrably.  Lucky me though my mothers mom is still alive.  I treasure her even more now that Myrtle is gone.  I will have to do another journal for LaVerne Heilscher Wallace.

I hope that you will follow this journey of love.  The love of flowers and everything that grows in a garden and the love for my grandmother.

TTFN
The Lion

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012

Yesterday I was thinking about the CQJP 2012.  WHAT WAS I GOING TO DO?  I have been trying to figure that out since the first of December last year.  I was puttering around my little quilting room I picked up the fairy fabric I bought on one of my lunch time jaunts around San Antonio.  The fabric has the flower faries on it.  I started thinking about my grandmother.

Myrtle Jane Wagner Painter she is the one that gave me my love of gardening and stitching.  I thought to myself why not do a journal with the flower faries that represent the flowers that I remember in my Grandmothers flower garden.  Wow!  Now that was an idea!

Just you wait and see what I am going to so with this project!  Did you sign up for this project?  What are you going to do?

TTFN
The Lion