Under the Sea Block Step 4: Seahorse Motif

Before I explain how I created this little seahorse, I have to admit I still consider myself  a novice in SO many ways.

So... I have a disclaimer. I do not know if the method I use is a recommended way to add a satin stitched motif to a block.

I have seen tutorials that recommend stitching the motif onto a piece of muslin or onto felt (as felt does not fray), and then carefully cutting the motif out and attaching it to the block as an applique. (Gerry at Older Rose has a great Birds on Felt Tutorial that uses this method.)  

Every time I make one of these seahorses, I decide to try the applique method next time. And then I forget. Until I begin the next seahorse and see all of the tiny needle holes so close together (particularly in the tight little area inside of the neck), and begin to feel a bit panicked that I am ruining the fabric. Then, I remember I planned to try it as an applique next time. Of course, once it is done, it appears perfectly fine.

I tried searching for more information and advice on-line. All I found were multiple warnings that the satin stitch should be used to fill small motifs (about an inch in width or less) and reminders that the use of a hoop is important to keep the fabric taut enough to avoid puckering. 

If you make satin-stitched or short-and-long-stitched motifs, I would love to know how you make yours! (I will not be offended if you say I am doing it wrong.)

Correct or not, this is how I made my seahorse. (You may click on any picture for a larger image.)

1. Sketch the pattern.

I scanned my sketch and saved it as a PDF file, which allows me to print it at the original size, or change the percentage to print a larger or smaller image. Here is a link to the PDF for my Seahorse 2 sketch. (You should be able to follow this link to the PDF file, and then download and print it.)

2. Transfer the pattern.

Some people like to mark the front of their fabric. That makes me nervous, so I reverse the image, hold it up to a window or to a light box and trace the design on the muslin backing using light pencil marks. 

3. Stitch around the outline.

I made my first seahorse with a short and long stitch, so I used a single strand of floss and split stitch for the outline, as recommended in my book by Trish Burr. Out of habit, I used the split stitch again. I worked from the front of the fabric, but made sure my stitches followed the penciled pattern on the muslin back of the block. Around the inside section of the eye, along the inside of the belly, and along the back fin, you will see I have two rows of split-stitches so my satin stitches will have borders for each section.

4. Satin stitch the seahorse one section at a time.

I do not think it matters where you begin. Use a single strand of floss and the satin stitch to fill one area. I began with DMC 4200 on the belly. Each stitch began on the outside of the belly and ended between the two sets of split-stitches separating the belly and the body. 

Next, I used DMC 3706 to fill in the eye area.

The body was next, using a strand of DMC 4200 again. These stitches used the second rows of split stitches around the eye and the belly, and the first row along the fin.

Still using a strand of DMC 4200, I stitched the fin last.

5. Add a black bead for to the eye.

Using a single strand of DMC 310 (black) floss, I stitched a black seed bead to the center of the eye area. (I like my beads to hold firmly in place, so I passed the floss through the bead three times and then knotted the thread three times in the back.

That is it! This little guy took me somewhere between 4 and 5 hours to complete. I am still working on improving the tail on this pattern, but I am still happy with it. I do hope Sandra likes it!

After I made my first seahorse (which feels like ages ago), a friend asked if I could trace my sketch with a Sharpie and share it as a PDF. I was not sure how. At long last, here is a PDF file of my Seahorse 1 Sketch. Pictures of this pattern outlined and completed using a short and long stitch are below.

For this seahorse, the eye was satin stitched with a single strand of black floss.

If you like under the sea motifs, you might like to know that the Summer 2015 edition of the Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine has a couple of amazing seahorse tutorials and an incredible octopus tutorial. (I am not affiliated with the magazine.)

This post is part of a series explaining how I embellished Sandra T.'s block in the CQI UTS Round Robin we are in together. Links to previous posts in this series are below.
Step 1: Planning the Seams
Step 2: Planning Motifs
Step 3: Embellishing the Seams

If you make an under the sea themed block using a tutorial in the magazine or using one of my seahorse sketches, I would love to see your work! 

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

Work in Progress Wednesday 05/20/2015

Well, I completed 2 of my 5 goals for the week... 

I managed to add 295 stitches to Santa and the Mouse. The fireplace is done and the chart is now 71% complete. The photo below shows how it looked last week.

Although I only completed 2 of my goals, I am happy to say I have not been slacking! What have I been up to? Well, I am working on a task for my son's upcoming senior grad night party. I have been putting together the step-by-step series for the under the sea block I am working on. (Even if I had realized how much time that would take, I would happily do it again.) And, I have been fulfilling a few behind the scenes responsibilities for Crazy Quilting International (CQI). I am not big on tooting my own horn, so I may have neglected to share that I was asked to be a CQI moderator. It is a huge honor and I hope to serve the group well.

Oh! I cannot forget to mention I spent some time drooling over pictures in the Summer Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine that arrived this week. I am not affiliated with the magazine. If you enjoy seeing the under the sea blocks in the round robin I am in, you will love this edition of the magazine. There are some amazing tutorials. Kathy Shaw shared pictures of two of them, if you want to check them out here on her blog. I cannot wait to try them out!

This is going to be another busy week, so we will so how far I make it on this week's goals. To be honest, as long as I mail out Sandra's UTS block tomorrow, the rest will be icing on the cake. 

Thank you for stopping by!
Renee

Last Week's Goals:

1. Complete 250 x-stitches on the HAED Santa & the Mouse chart (which is no longer available, but it is a part of this chart at Heaven and Earth Designs.) Done. See above.

2. Complete Sandra's Under the Sea block for the CQI Round Robin. Almost done! My next post in the series will include how I made this fellow. 

3. Work on my Beginner's block from Kathy Shaw's FREE Crazy Quilt Basic Class. Hopefully next week! I really want to finish this one.

4. Link up with the Monday Stitchery Link Party #6 at Super Mom No Cape on May 18th. Done. You may view my post here. 

5. Put together a 2nd raised bed for our garden with my husband. Nope. I am hoping next week the weather and my available time will coordinate a bit better!

This Week's Goals:

1. Complete 250 x-stitches on the HAED Santa & the Mouse chart (which is no longer available, but it is a part of this chart at Heaven and Earth Designs.) 

2. Complete Sandra's Under the Sea block for the CQI Round Robin.
3. Work on my Beginner's block from Kathy Shaw's FREE Crazy Quilt Basic Class.

4. Link up with the Monday Stitchery Link Party #7 at Super Mom No Cape on May 25th. (If you missed the party on the 18th, you may check it out here!)

5. Put together a 2nd raised bed for our garden with my husband.

6. Share my 1 Xmas Item a Month post.

7. Link up with the Stop Pinning and Make Something May Link Party. (The May link up is here and details to join in are here.)

Edited 5/21/2015 - Oops! I forgot to add the link to the May Stop Pinning and Make Something Link Party. It is there now!

Under the Sea Block Step 3: Embellishing the Seams

I am currently participating in a Crazy Quilting International Under the Sea Round Robin (CQI UTS RR) and working on a block for Sandra T. This is the 3rd in a series of posts explaining my work on this block, step-by-step from start to finish. Links to the previous steps are at the end of this post.

It is photo heavy post. 

You may click on any picture for a larger image. And, I apologize. I tend to be verbose!

1. Trace Seams or Motifs if Needed

Before I make that first stitch, I think about any seams or motifs that need to be marked on the block to stitch them well. On this block there were two items.

A. The swirly seam. Using my sketch (and thinking hard to reverse the swirls) I lightly penciled the seam in free-hand on the back of the block.

B. The seahorse. I taped a sheet of paper with my seahorse drawn in black sharpie to a bright window. (Make sure the window is clean if it has had flowers growing near it. On a previous block, I failed to notice pollen on the window until I saw yellow smears on the fabric. It came out, but it was stressful!) Then I positioned the block over the paper so the seahorse outline showed through the block where I wanted it and at an angle I liked. As you can see in the photo below, I took care to leave plenty of room for seam treatments so they would not interfere with the seahorse.

There are several ways to transfer images onto a block. This is my preferred method. If the fabric had been too dark to see the drawing, I could have cut out the seahorse and traced it that way.

Note: I will share my seahorse pattern (if I can figure out how to add a document to a post) in a later post in this series. There are also a couple of great seahorse tutorials in the Summer 2015 edition of the Crazy Quilt Quarterly I hope to try out soon!

2. Select the First Seam

For this block, I looked at my sketch. The buttonhole seam will have the feather-stitched seam, the fly-stitched seam and the French knot coral motif overlapping it; so, I chose to embellish this seam first.

The seam was created using 3 strands of DMC 4050 variegated green floss and a buttonhole stitch, varying the height and angle of each stitch. I chose this floss because it pulls colors from 3 patches of fabric on this block and because it shows up along the seam without being too dominate. 

If you enlarge the picture, you will see I began and ended the seam slightly outside of the seam lines. This will ensure the full seam is embellished when the blocks are assembled. However, the seams are not far enough out to risk the threads being cut when the block is trimmed down. 

The tops of the buttonholes are at least one-fourth-inch away from the seam lines because small beads will top each stitch. I will wait until the two seams and the motif that will overlap this seam are completed to add the beads so they do not hinder the stitching.

2. Select the Second Seam

Next, I chose to complete the fly-stitched swirly seam. Completing this seam would eliminate the risk of my feather-stitched seam accidentally overlapping my sketch for this embellishment.

This seam was created with a fly stitch using a single strand of DMC gold metallic floss. 

I began the first stitch slightly above the top of the center curl. The tops of each "v" are slightly to the left and right of sketched line. The straight stitches follow the traced line on the back. 

After the initial stitch, the "v" stitches began about halfway between the top and bottom of the straight stitch. This placement is easiest to determined from the front. 

Bring the needle up at the bottom of the straight stitch from the previous fly stitch, catch the floss, and check the sketch on the back to see where to end the straight stitch. (I hope that makes sense...)

Confession: I wanted this seam to be bold and shiny like the feather stitched section Kathy S. created for Sandra.

Kathy's work on Sandra's block.

So, I began using 4 strands of metallic floss, but could not get the strands to stay even for 2 stitches. I cut back to 3 strands. Even with a larger needle, the metallic floss frayed within 3 stitches. (The seams have more layers of fabric for the floss to pull through. I assumed that was part of the problem.) I tried 2 strands. Same problem. So... I went with 1 strand and made a very subtle embellishment. My hat is off to Kathy for creating such a lovely motif with metallic floss!

3. Select the Third Seam

The seam consisting of chain stitches and beads was next because I needed to know I would not accidentally place any fish or feather stitches in the way.

First, I created a chain-stitch using 3 strands of Waterlilies by Caron silk floss. The color is #207 Bermuda Reef. The trick here was to make the stitches large enough to add the beads later and not to pull them too tight, or leave them too loose. 

Next, I added Mill Hill Petite Glass Beads #42010 at the larger end of each loop. (These may be found at most cross-stitch stores. I have also purchased mine at Amazon.) Note: I did not add a bead to the loop ending at the seam.

Select the Fourth Seam

I want the fish embellishing the upper-right seam to journey all the way across the block. So, I chose to complete the feather-stitched seam next. That way, I will know where to place the fish.

This seam was created with 4 strands of DMC 4060 variegated floss. I began the feather stitch at the top of the block, and worked my way down. Additional columns were added that met up along the way. 

Select the Fifth Seam

Fish will decorate the final seam on this block.  A couple of people have asked how to create these fish and I am happy to say they are super easy.  I like to make them with variegated floss, so they are not all the same. 

I used 2 strands of DMC 4120 variegated floss because it has several hues of orange and the block needs those to balance the colors.

First, I made a detached chain stitch. This one is almost pulled too tight. If pulled tight, the stitch closes and creates more of a line than a loop, something you want to avoid. (To make a larger fish, I could have added a second detached chain stitch around the outside of this one.)

Next, I added a small straight stitch to the open end of the detached chain stitch.

A second straight stitch created a fish!

I could have ended there, but I opted to add a straight stitch in the center of the loop to fill in the center. 

I began at the edge of the purple, above the orange, because I wanted the fish to miss the orange fabric (where they would not show up well.) I was also very careful about watching the back of the fabric to make sure my seam would not interfere with the seahorse I plan to add later.

As my husband pointed out, a "conga line of fish" is not exactly realistic. But, I think it is a fun way to dress up a UTS seam.

Sorry for the super long post! My next post in this series will cover an individual motif.

Previous Steps in this Series:

Under the Sea Block Step 1: Planning the Seams
Under the Sea Block Step 2: Planning Motifs

Today, I am linking up with the Monday Stitchery Link Party #6 at Super Mom - No Cape. I encourage you to check it out. Today's free pattern has butterflies! If you have a blog and share photos of your hand stitching, I encourage you to join in the fun. 

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Renee

Under the Sea Block Step 2: Planning Motifs

If you missed my first step in this little series of posts about the current block I am embellishing for Sandra T. as part of a Crazy Quilting International Under the Sea Round Robin, you may find it here. This is another photo heavy post. You may click any image for a larger view.

Sketch of piecing on Sandra's UTS block.

Sometimes, deciding how to fill in the blanks on a block is an easy process. Other times it is really hard. This block has 6 areas for motifs. I knew exactly what I wanted to stitch in some areas and I am still pondering others.

Section 1

With Sandra's block, I knew I wanted to add a mermaid or a seahorse. To be honest, I wanted to make a mermaid, but I have never tried stitching the arms or face and was not comfortable trying that out on a block for someone else. I contemplated painting the arms and having the mermaid's back to the viewer, so there would be no face. However, my acrylic paints do great with some fabrics and bleed into others. Without fabric to test them on, that option was out. So, I ended up deciding my little seahorses would be my "signature" addition to each block in this round robin.

The seahorses I stitched for Nicki Lee and Kathy were both on the right side of the block and facing the left. So, I wanted to put this one on the left side of the block. (This is something I took into consideration before sketching my seams in Step 1.) However, that area is a bit narrow and I did not want to crowd the seahorse too close to the edge. I feared the top purple section would place him too high. The center felt too small. So, I opted for the triangle on the right side of the block. I am not sure why, but I do not like the idea of the seahorse being close to the edge and facing the edge. I feel like the seahorse needs to face the center of the block. So, this will be the third in this round robin placed on the right and facing the left.

Color is also something I begin thinking about as I plan each motif. My friend from Queenie's Needlework made the same observation I did while viewing all of Sandra's blocks. There are various hues of orange in each bare block. The gorgeous orange fabrics pretty much scream for orange embellishments to balance each block. And these orange embellishments will also create more cohesion when the blocks are quilted together. Keeping this in mind, there is a very high chance my seahorse may be created using a reddish/orange variegated floss or using two separate shades of orange hues. 

Section 2

The sandy section was another easy one for me to plan.

Adding some orange and purple to balance these colors out may easily be done with the addition of a few starfish. Before I figured out where to place them, I needed to decide what else to add here.

Again, to tie in with the block Nicki Lee did, I wanted to add a beaded feather-stitched area. So, I sketched that in, knowing all of the beads would be a minimum of one-fourth-inch from the seams of the block. (Sewing them together is SO much easier without beads and charms fighting with the foot of the sewing machine.) I also wanted to add another snail. The bead I plan to use for the body is a bit thick, so I wanted it even further from the seam. Some reddish-orange or purple coral could also be added to balance the color on this block, so I sketched some. A few sea stars were sketched in, though I imagine the locations my change a bit. They look too lined up here.

Section 3

I just LOVE this swirly fabric! As much as I love printed fabrics, sometimes they are the most challenging for me. So, I made myself tackle that section next. 

Whatever goes here will need to be rather bold in color or it will be lost in the print. This section is still near the ocean floor, so I decided more coral would be perfect. Using a dark reddish-orange, the French knots will stand out from the fabric. However, the pattern of the coral will still allow the fabric beneath to shine through.

Section 4

The narrow blue with sparkling gold dots would be mostly feather stitches from the seam. However, it would still require some small points of interest.

We send out a booklet with our blocks in a round robin to let the other ladies know what elements we like and do not like. Sandra mentioned she likes glitter. 

I still have a few clear buttons with the silver glitter accents I like to use for jellies on under the sea blocks and one is rather small. Perfect. A few small fish will also be making their way toward the seam I plan to embellish with fish.

Section 5

The purple section at the top was my next challenge.

The seam along the orange and light green fabric will have fish swimming along (toward the right because the seahorse will be facing the left and I do not want all of the movement going in one direction.) 

I sketched in another jelly. This one would be larger than the one on the left side of the block. I left this section, knowing I would probably want to add more than just tiny fish to fill in around the jelly. At the moment, I am thinking there may be a fishing net in the water. We shall see what I decide when I get there...

Section 6

Knowing the seams planned to the right and left of the orange fabric in the center would take up a fair amount of that space, I did not really plan for any motifs here.

Once all of the planned stitching is completed, I usually fill in any areas that are too bare with scattered fish. I did not sketch any in here, but I do picture a fish or three (odd numbers) playing in the "vegetation" on this section.

Sketch of Block

Making this sketch took roughly an hour from start to finish. The actual block sat beside me on our sofa so I could take the fabric colors and patterns into consideration during the planning process. With this as a reference, I do not have to stop and think about what I am going to stitch. I just work on one section, select a floss for the next section and move right along.

The completed block may differ, as I have been known to change my mind along the way. However, this is the rough plan I have been working from on this block.

My next post will share a few of the seams I have completed.

Thank you for stopping by!

Renee

Under the Sea Block Step 1: Planning the Seams

After sharing pictures of the under the sea block I embellished for Kathy S. in MD, I had someone ask me a, "How did you..." question. In school, we always encourage students to ask questions and let them know odds are pretty high someone else in class also has the same question but may be afraid to ask. So... instead of sharing only the completed work I do for the next block in this Crazy Quilting International Under the Sea Round Robin (CQI UTS RR), I decided to share it with a Step-by-Step rundown of my thought processes and how I go about each part. (I hope it does not bore you!)

I plan to break my work on this block down into a small series to limit the photos, but I fear they may still be photo heavy posts. (You may click on any photo for a larger image.)

1. Select a block

I am currently working on a block from the set Sandra T. created for our CQI UTS RR. (If you are not sure what a round robin is or how it works, this post may help.) Of the 4 blocks remaining to be embellished, I chose the one above.

2. Sketch the block

For a round robin block, occasionally I feel comfortable just winging things by embellishing seams and then adding motifs as the mood strikes me. However, I found I feel less stressed, I am able to finish a block sooner, and I am happier with the end results if I take a bit of time to plan things out first.

I believe some people make a photo copy of the actual block. I prefer to sketch the block on notebook or graph paper. I had a spiral notebook handy and used that and a mechanical pencil this time.

After sketching a 6" block (the actual block is larger with seam allowances, but I am only planning out the embroidery area), I sketched in each seam.

3. Plan the Seam Treatments

Personally, I like to embellish every seam. To avoid conflicts between my seams and motifs, my next step is to figure out how I want to embellish each seam. In a round robin, it is important to consider how the other blocks were embellished while making these decisions so all of the blocks go well together when they return to the owner.

Along the sandy shore, I opted to put one of my favorite (mostly) horizontal UTS seams. It is a buttonhole stitch where the stitches are not uniformly spaced and may be various heights and/or angles. When finished, small beads will be attached to the top of each stitch. This one reminds me of algae.

Next, I wanted to add some curves and swirls to match both the fabric in the lower-right-corner of this block AND because Kathy S. and Nicki Lee S. both added swirls and/or curves within their blocks, as seen above.

So, I thought I would use these curvy fly-stitches to embellish the short, somewhat vertical seam near the bottom.  It seams like a perfect seam , as it is emerging from the sandy ocean floor.

In my opinion, one of the easiest ways to dress up a vertical seam on a UTS block is with a feather stitch. The stitches do not need to be even, as they are imitating seaweed or algae, which would not look uniform. This felt perfect for the long, tall seam along the left side of the block.

All three of the seams above are along the sandy ocean floor on Sandra's block. One of the reasons I chose these particular seam treatments is because they look natural along the bottom of the ocean.

You may remember, on the last set of blocks, I used a seam treatment Nicki Lee had used on the block she embellished for Kathy S. My work is not nearly as encrusted as the work others are doing on these blocks, so I wanted to use similar colors and a version of this seam treatment to create something similar between the two blocks. I love the subtle way this seam treatment adds sparkle and interest to a UTS block. It is just perfect for a seam running through the ocean waters; so, I decided to use it again along the long slanted seam on the right side of this block.

And, when I am not sure what to do with a seam on a UTS block that runs through the ocean water, small chain-stitched fish are my go-to seam treatment. I chose them for the fifth and final seam.

My next post will share how I planned the motifs.

Thanks for stopping by!
Renee