CQJP 2018 March Block

If you follow me on Instagram or if you follow the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2018 blog, then you have probably seen this block.

My theme for this year's Crazy Quilt Journal Project (CQJP) is my favorite things. I love the beach and had so much fun creating this block.

First, I colored white fabric with Crayola crayons and set the color. (The process I use was explained in this post.)

Then, I cut the fabric between the sky and water sections and between the water and sand sections. I sewed each section together. 

Next, I traced a heart on the paper side of ThermOWeb HeatnBond Lite and adhered it to the fabric. I cut the heart out leaving 1/4-inch extra. I clipped the curves of the extra fabric and carefully ironed them toward the back of the heart. Then I fused the heart to the black background fabric and used a slip stitch to tack the edges down.

The sandy beach section was a bit smaller than the sketch I drew to plan out the block, but I think it all worked out okay.

Figuring out how to create the foamy waves on the beach was tricky. In the end, I decided to use French knots using 2 strands of floss. First, I used DMC 4020.

Then, I added white French knots.

A bullion stitched starfish was added next, using 2 strands of DMC 4120 variegated floss.

Feeling the ocean needed something more, a few straight stitches were added with size 5 DMC 4140 perle cotton to create a boat.

A straight stitch with size 5 DMC white perle cotton, and 2 straight stitches and a few satin stitches with size 12 DMC white perle cotton completed the sailboat.

Stem stitches with 2 strands of DMC 4020 floss created ripples of waves on the calm ocean.

A single strand of black DMC floss created this island and palm tree. The island was outlined with a split-stitch and then filled with a satin stitch. Stem stitches created the palm tree. (This island was inspired by the one Sandra Todd added to one of my blocks in an Under-the-Sea Round Robin in 2015. You may see it here.)

For the sun, I lightly traced a half circle around a spool of thread with a pencil.

Using a single strand of DMC 4077 floss, I followed the outline for the sun with a split-stitch.

The sun was then filled in using a single strand of the same floss and a satin stitch.

The seagulls were created with 2 strands of DMC 648. Using a needle, I punched holes through the birds in the sketch I had drawn (pictured above). I positioned the sketch over the heart on this block and made light pencil marks on the sky fabric through the holes in the paper. Those tiny marks were the guides used to make the birds.

Using 2 strands of DMC 4160, the heart was outlined with buttonhole stitches. To keep these stitches even, I used one of the templates I received from Sharon B. 

(I received the templates in return for an honest review and I love using mine! The full product review may be found in the Summer 2016 Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine, available at Magcloud.com. I am not affiliated with the templates or the magazine.)

The Crazy Quilt Journal Project (CQJP) is a challenge to create one crazy quilt block each month. The goal is to complete a 12-block crazy quilt by the end of the year. It is a personal challenge. You may learn more about it here. Sign ups usually open in November, if you think you might be interested in participating in 2019.

My block looks more like it is for an art quilt than a crazy quilt, but when the blocks are all assembled, I plan to add a crazy quilted border.

My April and May blocks have both been pieced, so there is hope I might finish CQJP 2018 before 2019 arrives. We shall see...

I hope you all have an amazing week. Thank you for visiting!
Renee


Related Posts:
Embellished CQJP 2018 February block - here
Embellished CQJP 2018 January block - here

My CQJP 2018 progress may be followed on this Pinterest board.

Sun, Sand, and Sea BOM 2017 - Block 9

"Bathing Beauty" is block 9 of the Sun, Sand, and Sea Block of the Month hosted by Sew Incredibly Crazy and Friends.

This block was designed by Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy. You may find her post about it here and the pattern (which is free in October of 2017) may be found on Craftsy, here.

You might have noticed, I have not yet finished Block 8. I had a hard time figuring out how to add "Beach Boy Freddie" to the quilt so it would fit with the color scheme. I was not sure pink would fit in with all of that orange and black. And I was already worried about how stark the green on "Mr. Crabby" stood out.

I think I found fabrics that let Freddie rock the orange and black. And, I worked in more of the green fabric so Mr. Crabby will fit in better. I still need to hand embroider around the applique and piece the border.

This is how the blocks look together right now.

I look forward to seeing what the ladies designing the blocks for this BOM have lined up for us next month!

Related Posts:

Blocks 1 & 3 - here

Block 2 - here

Block 3 Progress - here

Block 4 - here

Blocks 5 & 6 - here

Block 7 - here

Photos and links to each of the blocks may also be found on the Sun, Sand, and Sea 2017 BOM page tab at the top of the blog.

Thank you for stopping by!

Renee

Sun, Sand, and Sea BOM 2017 - Block 7

The August block for the Sun, Sand, and Sea BOM was "Mr. Crabby", designed by Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy.

Isn't he adorable?! Every month, I find myself in awe of the creativity shared for this BOM.

On September 1st, I shared this photo with the fabrics I planned to use. After cutting the fabrics and setting the pieces in place, I was not happy with the red/yellow/orange fabric. So, I used a cloud fabric instead.

The other fabric choices were based upon the colors used in the pattern. After I pieced the block, I realized I have yellow and green fabrics touching on a quilt with an Oregon State University theme. An OSU fan in my life declared this block might spontaneously burst into flames as a result. I laughed. (Yellow and green are University of Oregon colors and the two teams are rivals. Please do not tell the OSU fans in my life that I cheer both teams on...) 

Here is how all of the blocks look together. 

Now to see if I can finish "Beach Boy Freddie", the fun flamingo designed by Carol of Just Let Me Quilt, before October 1st.


Related Posts:
Blocks 1 & 3 - here
Block 2 - here
Block 3 Progress - here
Block 4 - here
Blocks 5 & 6 - here

Sun, Sand, and Sea BOM Blocks 5 & 6

Today, I finally finished adding buttonhole stitches to tack down the applique on Block 5 of the Sun, Sand, and Sea Block of the Month hosted by Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy.

This darling block was created by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt. I used Therm-o-Web's HeatnBond Lite to adhere the applique to the block and then used buttonhole stitches to secure the pieces in place for future laundering. Stem stitches were used for the window panes and details on the lobsters. And, chain stitches encircled the middle window.

I really enjoyed paper piecing Block 6 for this BOM. The cute fish border was designed by Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks and the directions included options to paper piece or applique the fish. 

In the quilt assembly stage, I plan to add buttons for the door knobs on Block 5 and for the fish eyes on Block 6.

Now, I just need to make Block 7 - a super cute block featuring an appliqued crab that was designed by Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy. Here is a link to a post on her blog featuring photos of each block and links to their patterns.

This is how blocks 1 - 6 look together. It will be such a fun quilt when it is finished! The ladies designing these blocks amaze me each month, making my first Block-of-the-Month experience amazing.

Related Posts:
Blocks 1 & 3 - here
Block 2 - here
Block 3 Progress - here
Block 4 - here

I am joining with Monday Stitchery Link Party #124 at Super Mom - No Cape! The free patterns available this week include some fun summer fruits. 

Thank you so much for stopping by!
-Renee

Sun, Sand, and Sea BOM Blocks 1 & 3

It is happy dance time! 

I am now caught up on the blocks for the Sun, Sand, and Sea 2017 Block of the Month hosted by Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy.

There is a Sew Incredibly Crazy and Friends Facebook Group for those participating in this BOM. You may find it here.

Block 1 was designed by Amy at Sew Incredibly Crazy.

I have always wanted to try making dresden plates. 

I am not sure why the idea intimidated me. 

The block was a lot of fun to put together!

You may find Amy's blog post here.

The pattern is here.

Block 3 was also great fun to see come together!

This darling block was designed by Carla at Creatin' in the Sticks.

You may see here blog post here.

The pattern may be found here.

I was sure I measured everything accurately, but somehow my white strips were about 1/8" too big, so my corners did not line up.

I told my family they could officially call me 

The Queen of Wonky Blocks.

My 20-year-old son grinned and said it did not matter if the corners lined up or not, because the birds were so cute. 

Thank you, Carla! You saved the day with your cute applique.

The photo at the top of this post shows the first 4 blocks together. The 5th block (which will sit in the center area) will be released in June. 

I can barely wait!

Thanks for stopping by,

Renee

Related Posts:

Block 2 - My blog post is here.

The block was designed by Carol at Just Let Me Quilt. You may find her post here and the pattern is here.

Block 3 Progress - post is here.

Block 4 - My blog post is here. 

The block was designed by Joan at Moosestash Quilting. Her post and the pattern are available here.

HAED SK Effects of Caffeine Day 15

This weekend we went to Lincoln City and I took my Heaven and Earth Designs SK Effects of Caffeine cross-stitch with me. I love this storykeep (SK) based on artwork by Randal Spangler. 

I managed to add 136 stitches, so the 2nd row of page 1 is almost finished, and the top gem on the book is almost filled in.

(Here is a close up photo taken at an angle.)

As for the reason we were in Lincoln City... 

My Christmas gift to my husband and my boys included tickets to see Bill Engvall perform at the Chinook Winds Casino.

We laughed SO hard! Seriously. Bill Engvall is hilarious.

We had an amazing view from our room at the Best Western Plus Lincoln Sands Oceanfront Suites.

(Most of the time it was stormy and we watched huge waves breaking. Sunday morning there was lightning, too!)

My camera was zoomed way too much when I caught this shot, so it is a little pixelated. I don't think I care. It was one of my favorite pictures from our trip. 

Our clothes were dripping when we returned from our walk. It was awesome.

Between rain showers on Saturday, we walked along Highway 101 and checked out some of the shops. I loved little areas like this on the sidewalk.

Personally, I cannot eat shellfish. However, my family loves it. So, no trip to Lincoln City is complete without stopping here, at Barnacle Bill's, on the way home. 

(My family is happy! Looking up their website to share a link, I discovered we can find Barnacle Bill's seafood at a market only half an hour away.)

I hope you did something fun this weekend!

Today I am joining the Monday Stitchery Link Party #94 at Super Mom - No Cape! I do hope you will join the fun by linking a post with embroidery or just visiting those that have linked up and checking out the free vintage embroidery pattern - there are seahorses this week!

Things that might be of interest:

InCoWriMo - Have you heard of this before?! I read a hashtag on Instagram on Sunday morning and had to check it out. International Correspondence Writing Month was inspired by NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month, which occurs in November.) InCoWriMo is a commitment to mail or deliver a hand written letter (or postcard or card - the key here is that it be hand written) every day in February. I love the idea. It will be a challenge for me, but I plan to try it this year. If you decide to join, please let me know!

TAST - A new series of Take a Stitch Tuesday will be beginning this week as Sharon B. celebrates ten years of this personal stitching challenge. The new stitches will be shared at Pintangle and several participants share their work on the Facebook TAST group.

Sunday Stitch School - I met my blogging friend at Queenie's Needlework through TAST. This year, she decided to learn some new stitches is sharing a new one each Sunday.

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

Note: I am not affiliated with any of the companies, people or blogs linked to in this post.