CQJP 2017 January Block Seams 2 & 3

Here is a crazy quilting question... Do you plan out the work on your blocks, or do you just embroider whatever strikes your fancy in the moment?

I am guilty of both. For this block, I sketched out a plan in my bullet journal. 

As you may have guessed from my scribbles, I have already made a few changes from the diagram I drew. For easy reference, I numbered the seams in a clockwise fashion (except #15 because I forgot to sketch it.)

As I thought of an idea for a seam, I jotted down the corresponding seam number in my journal and listed the names of the stitches required and (if applicable) what inspired the seam. There is a separate page in my journal where I neatly list the supplies and stitches actually used to embellish each seam as I go.

DISCLAIMER: I have added links to a few supplies used for your convenience. Please note that if you visit Amazon through my blog and make a purchase, I do receive a small credit.

Seam 2

The second step on this block was to secure the lace.

I decided to dress this lace trim up with flowers.

I like the embroidery to extend off of the finished block on the outer seams. When I get to the assembly process, if I cut a 1/4-inch seam allowance, I do not want to cut my embroidery thread. So, I start and end most stitches roughly 1/8-inch outside my basted seam lines.

As you see here, I began a buttonhole stitch just outside the seam line. It was worked with size 8 DMC #320 medium pistachio green pearl cotton and I ended the seam just before the black fabric began.

Using the same green thread, I added "leaves" to the bottom of each "stem" along the seam. First, I added 2 straight stitches to the base of a stem. Then, I added a pair of detached chain stitches to the next one. I continued alternating stitches along the seam.

Using size 12 Presencia Finca baby yellow color #1211 perle cotton, I added a colonial knot to the first stem (with the straight stitched leaves.) 3 detached chain stitches were added to the top of the next stem. (I work the petal on the right, the petal on the left and then the center petal when creating these flowers.) I continued this pattern along the seam.

To complete the seam, a Mill Hill Petite Glass Bead Seed Bead #40123 Cream was added to the top of each of the detached chain stitched flowers. 

I love that Mill Hill has a conversion chart showing matching colors of DMC threads to attach their beads with. Following the chart, I passed through each bead 3 times with single strand of Ecru DMC floss and a beading needle. I knotted the floss in the back and then moved on to the next bead. (I prefer to secure each bead individually, so if one comes loose they will not all fall off.)

This is one of my favorite crazy quilt seam combinations and I love it with this lace.  (I later tacked the bottom of the lace down with tiny stitches and a strand of Ecru DMC floss.)

Seam 3

The next step was to secure this ribbon.

It moved slightly when the block was pieced, allowing a bit of the seam to show beneath the left side of the ribbon.

I pinned the ribbon so the visible seam lay parallel to it. Then, I couched a line of size 8 DMC #605 very light cranberry pearl cotton along the seam. (I used the same thread to couch the thread in place.)

Next, I pinned a strip of waste canvas over the lower edge of the ribbon. (Before I began stitching, I made sure the edge of the ribbon lined up with a single row of the waste canvas. It is slightly askew in this photo.)

Herringbone stitches were added using size 8 Anchor #926 (cream or ecru?) pearl cotton.

I worked the stitch from the edge of the black and pink fabric, and up just over the edge of the ribbon. I counted 3 squares of the canvas up and to the right for the first stitch. I brought the needle up one square to the left of the stitch at the top and counted diagonally down 3 squares of canvas. This process was repeated until a stitch ended about 1/8" past the basted seam line.

This is how it looked after removing the waste canvas. 

Using size 8 Anchor #225 light mountain meadow pearl cotton, I created stems and leaves for 2 small heart flowers.

First, I determined where I wanted to place both plants and made 2 straight stitches extending up and out from the same spot on the ribbon. Next, I added 3 detached chain stitches - one to the right, one to the left and one in the center of each pair of straight stitches.

Heart flowers were added with size 8 Anchor #052 pink pearl cotton and what I assume might be called an open detached chain stitch. I tried to capture the process in this photo.

This seam was copied from my work on a block embellished for Alexandra in 2014.

Mill Hill Magnifica Beads #10026 Old Rose were added between the herringbone stitches with a single strand of DMC 3688 floss to complete the seam.

This is how my January CQJP 2017 block looks with the first 3 seams embellished.

I am joining with Monday Stitchery Link Party #93 at Super Mom - No Cape! I do hope you will hop over and join the fun!

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Renee

In case you are wondering...

What is a bullet journal?
A bullet journal (sometimes referred to as a BuJo) is a customizable planning system designed by Ryder Carroll. You may learn more about it HERE.

What is CQJP 2017? 
It is a personal challenge to create one crazy quilt block a month. This year, the blocks must measure at least 8- x 8-inches square. (Which is the size of the block I am working.) You may learn more about CQJP 2017 HERE and you may see blocks others have embellished HERE.

Links to previous posts related to this block:

1. Piecing the Block 
2. Seam 1 Part 1 

My CQJP 2017 Project may also be found on this Pinterest board.