CQJP 2016 January Block Seam 1 - Template Fun!

CQJP 2016 January Block Seam 1

This morning, I was surprised to awake and find a thin blanket of snow in our yard. So, this afternoon I spent a cozy afternoon working on my January block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2016. 

It was the perfect opportunity to play with my set of Sharon B.'s crazy quilt templates. This is template #2 of Set 2 and the seam I created was inspired by an example on page 19 of idea booklet Sharon created to go along with the templates.

If you know me very well, you know marking on my blocks is a little out of my comfort zone. My chalk pencil is white, so it would not work on this block. I chose to use light pencil markings (as I did in the class I took from Kathy Shaw.) 

I did plan ahead. Looking at my block, I knew I did not want to risk covering any of the words (seen in the photo above); so, I placed the template where I wanted it along this section of my seam and worked to the right and left from there.

I love that there is one end of the template that is not as deep as the others. (See the far left side?) I could have had alternating depths for each "step" if I wanted. I chose to keep the depths consistent, so I just had to remember not to trace that end of the template.

Using a strand of black (#310) DMC size 12 pearl cotton and a stem stitch, I embroidered over the markings. I did use a small tacking stitch in each corner to keep it square.

Top flowers: 
Colors = green (#0225) + red (#00047) Anchor size 8 pearl cottons. Stitches: stem stitched stems + detached chain stitched leaves + straight stitched petals. (My hubby told me the half flowers looked "dead" and I laughed. I do appreciate his blunt honesty about my work. This time, I liked the variety and chose to go with my gut.)

Bottom flowers: 
Colors = white (#B5200) DMC size 12 and red (#00047) Anchor size 8 pearl cottons. 
Stitches: colonial knot centers and petals. (Note: I began with white French knot centers, but two of them pulled through the fabric. Colonial knots are larger and held better.)

My worries about marking on my block were unfounded. The embroidery covered the marks. And, I am making these blocks for a quilt that I plan to machine wash, so I am fairly certain the pencil would wash out later. (I have had several people suggest Frixion pens. If you use them, here is an article Sharon shared with the Facebook TAST group. I hope the tips there might help a friend that had issues with her Frixion markings reappearing.)

On Tuesday, I hope to share Seam 2 with you all. I've made great progress on it already. Now, I'm off to make Dutch meatball soup for the family. It sounds perfect on this chilly evening.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Renee