TAST 2024 Week 1: Running Stitch

 

Pintangle TAST 2024 Running Stitch

Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST) 2024 began with the Running Stitch. The Beyond TAST stitch was a new one for me, the Ainu Running Stitch. 

You may find directions for both stitches in the Stitch Dictionary at Sharon Boggon's blog Pintangle.com or by clicking on the names of the stitches above.

Running Stitch

Running Stitch

I opted to use a button and the running stitch to create a moon motif on the first seam of my Crazy Quilt Journal Project (CQJP) 2024 January block. 

The button catches the light beautifully. It was attached with DMC silver metallic thread that blended in with the button. 

The running stitch was completed with glow-in-the-dark Kreinik Metallics Fine Braid size #8 (052F). My stitches are not even, but I think that adds a bit of whimsy to the moon.

I used circles from stencils designed for bullet journaling to help guide the circles around the moon. My bullet journal ruler was used to make marks to help make my next stitches a bit more even.

Ainu Running Stitch

I clearly need more practice with this stitch, but it worked well to create a seam between the snowy ground and the dark night sky on my CQJP January block. 

The base running stitch was made with Finca size 12 thread. The next step was completed with size 8 Anchor white perle cotton.

If you have not already, I do hope you will join TAST 2024!

To see other ways I have used this stitch, click on Running Stitch in the labels listed on the lower right side of the blog.

You may learn more about CQJP 2024 here.

Thank you for stopping by! 

Renee

Simple Heart Block

The Spring 2019 edition of the Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine is now available through MagCloud here.

The block in the photo above is featured on pages 14-15. The article shares how the block was pieced and how each section was embellished, using 8 basic embroidery stitches. 

The cover of the magazine features the gorgeous work of Margreet De Reus. (Note: This photo was borrowed from Pamela Kellogg's blog, Kitty and Me Designs.)

I must admit, it is a bit unreal to see my work in print with so many talented crazy quilting artists. There are a few tutorials in the magazine that I hope to try out and share soon.

If you crazy quilt at all, I encourage you to contact Pamela Kellogg about submitting photos of your work. My goal is to work on a Fall/Halloween piece to submit before May 1st for the Fall edition.

Thank you for visiting!
Renee

CQJP 2018 April Block

The 4th block for my Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2018 is finished! 

Once again, the fabrics were colored and heat set with Crayola crayons. (That process is explained here.) You may click on any photo for a larger view.

The first seam was rather simple with cross stitches that I spaced evenly using waste canvas. 

Next, I added seed beads.

The second seam used one of my favorite combinations - buttonhole stitches, detached chain stitches, and beads.

One of the templates I received from Sharon B. helped me evenly space these stitches. (I am not affiliated with the templates. They were received in return for an honest review. I love using them! My full review is shared in the Summer 2016 Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine. I am not affiliated with the magazine.)

For the first motif, I poked holes in the sketch of my block and created a dotted outline of the heart on the wrong side of my fabric with light pencil marks.

The flight path was created with a strand of purple embroidery floss and a running stitch. The butterfly was added with detached chain stitches, straight stitches and 2 French knots on the antennae. 

For the second motif, I created another dot-to-dot guide. This time, I was not confident I could line it up properly on the back side of the block, so I marked the front fabric (which always makes me nervous.) 

I still wonder if I should have used a computer font and printed out the words, rather than relying on my own handwriting for this section... The words were embroidered with size 12 black perle cotton and a stem stitch.

The last motif was created with green and purple size 8 perle cotton. Two straight stitches and 3 detached chain stitches created stems and leaves. Two sets of fly stitches created heart-shaped flowers.

Rather than individually stitching beads around the heart-shape on this block, I strung beads on a strand of floss and then couched that floss down between each bead. It was fun to try something new.

This block turned out very close to the sketch I made during the planning stage.

Four of my CQJP 2018 blocks are now complete.

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2018 (CQJP 2018) is a personal challenge to complete a crazy quilt block each month that measures at least 8 x 8 inches. You may learn more about it here. You may see the work others have created this year on the CQJP 2018 blog here or shared on the Facebook page here. Sign ups for CQJP usually open in November.

Thank you for visiting!
Renee


Related Posts:
Embellished CQJP 2018 January Block - here
Embellished CQJP 2018 February Block - here
Embellished CQJP 2018 March Block - here

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

Sneak peeks of my progress are shared on my Instagram account. 

Embellished CQJP 2018 February Block

My 2nd CQJP 2018 block is now complete! The theme for my CQJP 2018 project is "My Favorite Things" and I love trees, flowers, butterflies, birds, hearts and snailmail.

Click on any photo for a larger image. 

A snail was added by couching size 5 variegated brown perle cotton in a circle. Size 8 brown perle cotton straight stitches created the snail's body.

My attempts to embroider a mailbox this small did not work out, so I drew one on the block with a black Micron pen, colored it in with a crayon and heat set the pigments.

Next, size 8 yellow perle cotton created a yellow butterfly with detached chain stitches and a straight stitch. Running stitches created a flight path. 

Size 5 variegated blue and purple perle cotton and detached chain stitches were used to make a flower border around the heart. Size 8 pink perle cotton French knots were added to the center of each flower.

Size 8 green perle cotton stem stitches created flower stems around the base of the tree. Small detached chain stitches were added to create leaves. Tiny straight stitches filled each leaf. 

Size 8 variegated pink perle cotton straight stitches creaed flower petals.

A detached chain stitch, 2 tiny straight stitches, and a French knot made with 2 strands of blue embroidery floss created the body of a bird. A tiny straight stitch with a strand of light orange floss made the beak.

Straight stitches with 2 strands of floss (one light and one medium brown) made the nest.

Running stitches created with silver metallic thread made a snail trail.

To keep these flowers subtle, I used a single strand of light green floss. The flower stems and leaves were made with a fly stitch and a straight stitch. The flower petals were made with 2 strands of a light variegated yellow and pink floss. A French knot was placed on the tip of each stem. And a tiny fly stitch was added just beneath the knot.

This completed block 2.

Thank you so much for visiting!
Renee


CQJP stands for Crazy Quilt Journal Project. It is a challenge to complete a crazy quilt block each month that is at least 8-inches square in size. You may learn more about it and see blocks others have created for CQJP 2018 here.

Related posts:
CQJP 2018 Block 2 - here
TAST Weeks 5-6 - here
Embellished CQJP 2018 January Block - here

TAST 2018 Weeks 1-2

Week 1: Running Stitch

The first stitch introduced through the new round of Take a Stitch Tuesday (TAST) was the running stitch.

I worked the stitch as a flight path for a butterfly on the crazy quilted messenger bag I am making.

And, I used it to couch down a ribbon.

Week 2: Buttonhole Stitch

I woke up at 4:30 this morning and could not get back to sleep, so I checked my emails and learned the buttonhole stitch was introduced for TAST. Then, I picked up a quilt block to finish securing the applique and pondered how I should use the stitch this week. I think it took me 5 minutes to realize I was sewing the applique onto the block with the buttonhole stitch. (I blame it on not finishing my first cup of coffee!) 

I frequently use this stitch to create flower stems.

Today, I added this seam to my messenger bag. It includes a buttonhole stitch with detached chain stitched leaves and French knot flowers.

I also enjoy using the stitch to create fences in landscape crazy quilt blocks. Straight stitches make boards connecting the fence posts.


Thank you for visiting!
-Renee

TAST stands for Take a Stitch Tuesday. It is a personal challenge offered by Sharon Boggon at Pintangle.com to learn a new stitch each week. Learn more here.

This year there is also Beyond TAST for those that have completed TAST in the past or those familiar with the basic embroidery stitches. Those participating in Beyond TAST are encouraged to explore the stitches in more depth. Some of the work already shared on the TAST Facebook group has been incredible.

Embellished CQJP 2018 January Block

CQJP 2018 Block 1 "Love You"

If you follow me on Instagram or on Facebook, you have seen a few sneak peeks of this piece. This was such a fun block to embellish! 

This is a photo heavy post.

If you want to know how each part was embellished, keep reading. If not, feel free to skim through the photos!

The heart was created with white fabric that I colored in with shades of pink using crayons. (The process is better explained in this post.) It was applied to the block with Therm O Web Heat-n-Bond Lite.

After adding basic stitches to the 2 seams, I covered the edge of the appliqued heart with a whipped chain stitch. There were a few fibers along the seams that were not caught beneath those stitches, so I couched down a strand of black perle cotton. That almost solved the problem. Couching 6 strands of variegated pink embroidery floss covered those last few fibers.

I wanted to add the spider web to the pale pink section before adding the flowers to the feather stitched seam. (You may have noticed, I added detached chain stitch leaves first.)

The heart center was created with fly stitches extending from the 3 points of the heart to the edges of the pink section. 4 more long straight stitches were added to give me more spokes to attach the central web to. 

Cast on stitches created flowers along the seam. A spider was made with 2 silver beads (one 2mm and one 3mm). The legs were made like a fly stitch without the tail.  

"Love you!" was added with a stem stitch and black perle cotton.

Raised cross stitch flowers were added beneath the chevron stitched seam.

Straight stitches with 2 detached chain stitched leaves were worked above the chevron stitch, and 2 detached chain stitched leaves were added to each flower below.

Flower petals were created with sets of 3 detached chain stitches or with a fly stitch added to the top of each stem. 

This butterfly was added with detached chain stitches and a straight stitch. The running stitch made a flight path.

A similar butterfly was added to the second motif. 

Beads were added to both seams and a few more detached chain stitch leaves were added to the second seam to complete the block.

I am incredibly pleased with the results! 

Thank you so much for stopping by!
-Renee

CQJP 2018 January Block Seam 1

CQJP 2018 January Block Seam 2

CQJP 2018 January Block Motif 1

CQJP 2018 January Block Motif 2

CQJP 2018 January Motif 3

Related blog posts:
CQJP 2018 Block 1 Pieced - here
CQJP 2018 - 2 Basic Seams - here
CQJP 2018 seam and motif photos are beig saved to this Pinterest board.

Click any photo above for a larger image. (I am not sure if it is a Picassa issue or a blogger issue, but the images are blurrier in the blog posts. The enlarged view is better.)

CQJP = Crazy Quilt Journal Project. It is a personal challenge to embellish a crazy quilt block each month of the year. You may see work of other participants here.