Landscape 1 Glasses Case Completed!

Well, I have never claimed to be a seamstress.  There is a good reason for that - my sewing skills are definitely at a novice level!  The bottom is slanted.  One corner is rounded, and the other not-so-much.

I wish I had not used the fluffy green fabric where I did.  And, the sun should have had a few more chain stitched rows. However, that being said, I think I am still happy with the way this gift turned out. 

I found a fat quarter of this green fabric in my stash and used it for the back.  As for the La Mode button, I picked it up at Jo-Ann Fabric the end of last year, planning to use it with this gift.  The scenic picture with the tree seemed just too fitting! 

The inside lining is a soft yellow flannel.  (You can see it peeking out around the flap for the button.

Thank you for stopping by!
-Renee

Glasses Case Panel - Landscape 1 Almost Done

This gift is almost complete!  The crazy quilting is done, I just need to assemble the rest of the case. 

As you can see, my fear of the tall grass hiding the flowers was not unfounded...

I used 2 strands of a green DMC floss to make uneven buttonhole stitches along the seam between the grass and the water.  Next, I used a single strand of yellow DMC floss to attach a small yellow bead to the top of each "stem" created by the buttonhole stitch.  Using 2 strands of variegated yellow floss, I added lazy daisy stitches around each bead.  The taller "stems" received five lazy daisy stitched petals, and the shorter "stems" only received three petals.

The fluffy green fabric looked too strange with lazy daisy flowers, so I opted to not to add them in that section.  I did put a yellow bead at the top of each "stem."  My boys decided it looked like the flowers were peeking out of tall grass.  (My husband simply laughed.  I told him I hoped the tree made up for the flower seam treatment!)

Next, I used two strands of yellow DMC floss to stitch two butterflies.  A single strand of the same color stitched their flight paths.

Finally, I added a sun in the upper-left corner. Two strands of DMC yellow floss were used to make a series of chain stitches.  Both ends of the rows of chain stitches extend a bit past the seams.  This way, the sun will be full in that corner.  The "rays" are split stitched with the same floss.  My only hope is that I made it large enough to really show up once the case is sewn together.



Thank you for checking in to see my progress!
-Renee

CQJP 2013 Block 3 and Glasses Case Progress

While I continue thinking about how I want to proceed with my CQJP Block 4, I thought I would put some time into Block 3 (which will likely be my April block... even if it is May already!)

I find myself wishing I made the sidewalk a little bit smaller.  However, the fabric I used for the sidewalk was gathered at the bottom of my eldest son's very first pair of jeans.  So, I do not mind having a bit of that fabric on its own...

The first addition to the block was a small child's wagon.

Cross-stitch pattern from Leisure Arts 150 Itty-Bitty Motifs

The pattern for the wagon was found in the Leisure Arts pamphlet 150 Itty-Bitty Motifs designed by Jorja Hernandez. 

It is a bit tiny, so I worried about it being way too small for the scale of the block.  Then, I remembered that the red wagon my boys had was a tiny little thing.  It may have been a foot wide and two feet long, so I decided this itty-bitty wagon would be just fine.

Next, I sketched a window and a door that would fit the house well.  Using a rotary cutter, I cut out fabrics to attach to the block.

CQJP 2013 Block 3 and fabrics to create the house.

I am not a huge fan of sewing, in and of itself; however, I love seeing how small pieces like these can become so much more.

Next, I attached the door and window to the fabric with fusible webbing.

Then, I began securing the door into place with two strands of DMC white floss and a satin stitch to prevent the fabric from fraying.

I figure the satin stitch makes a decent door frame.  I began in the lower right corner.  Had I realized the fabric was already beginning to fray above, those first stitches would have been wider to make the size more consistent.  (As you can see, I still have a small section to complete before I get to move on to the next part.)

I confess, these satin stitches bore me.  So, I completed a strand of white on Block 3, and then allowed myself to add a strand of floss to the glasses case I have been working on.

The leaves to the tree are now finished.  I added a fence using a single strand of white DMC Pearl 8 Cotton.  Perhaps it was cheating, but I used small pins to mark where each post would go - measuring so they were an equal distance apart.  (The trick is not allowing your floss to catch on the points of the pins!)  Next, I added the boards along the bottom.  I began on the right side of one post and brought the needle down on the left side of the next post to help secure them and prevent them from snagging in the future.  The top boards were completed in the same manner.

I also used two strands of a green DMC rayon floss to make uneven buttonhole stitches along the waterline.  (Again, I marked the distance with pins.  And I measured the height of each stitch.)  Yellow flowers will be added today.

I have mixed feelings about the wonderfully, soft, fluffy green grassy section to the right of the tree.  It adds texture and is SO soft to touch.  However, the stitches do become lost.  I hope the flowers with their beads work out as intended...

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I hope you have a fantastic day.

-Renee

CQJP 2013 Block 4 and Landscape Glasses Case Progress

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2013 Block 4

One of my first stops in any fabric store these days would be the area in which they keep their fat quarters.  And, as I have always been fascinated by the idea of making a landscape quilt, I find myself drawn to landscape fabrics.

The problem with purchasing the fabrics as fat quarters, is that I do not always know who made specific fabrics.  However, I have had a few comments about the fabrics in this block, so I thought I would do my best to share a bit more information.

The blue swirl fabric used for the water was purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics - I think (maybe?)

The brown fabric I used for the muddy ground says it is by Hoffman California International Fabric.  It is a screen print and says it is style #PN008.  (I tried to find it on their website and failed.  I think I picked it up last summer at a quilting store.)

As for the lightning fabric, I was able to do a Google search and find a bit more information.  I purchased mine at a quilt store as a fat quarter.  However, I discovered the fabric is called "Lightning Storm" and it is a product of JOFabric.com.  The ID # is nat00065.

So far, I have only stitched the "water" onto the block.  I used a buttonhole stitch with a variegated blue Edmar floss.

I plan to add a tree to the block, but I have not decided how I plan to stitch it yet.  I may use satin stitches, like I did with the birch tree on my CQJP 2013 January block.

Or, I may use a chain stitch for the trunk and branches, as I did on the landscape glasses case I am working on.  (I have a few more leaves to add on the right.)  In either case, I do not believe the tree on Block 4 will have leaves.  The stormy scene could easily take place in the fall...  (Hmm... should there be leaves falling from the tree in the windy storm?  There are just SO many choices!)

My stitching must be improving... My husband saw my tree last night and exclaimed it was, "Absolutely gorgeous!"  This morning, he saw it on the table and declared it was, "Amazing!"

This is the full panel at the moment:

 

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Renee

Glasses Case Panel - Landscape 1

Waaaayyyyyyy back in December, while piecing my first CQJP blocks, I made a couple of extra glasses case panels to embellish as time allowed.  (I have not tired of them yet - lol!)

I have been working on the one above as a gift.  (I do not believe the recipient reads my blog.  Even if they do, I doubt they would know it was for them!  So, I think it is safe to post this...)

My first steps were using a metallic DMC white floss to make stem stitches along the white lines in the water, and adding silk ribbon cattails.

I found the directions for these cattails in The Silk Ribbon Embroidery Bible by Joan Gordon.  I picked up a used spiral bound copy at Powell's Books in Portland for about $20.00.  (I had NO idea the new ones sold for over $90.00! The link above will take you to Amazon.com, where used copies are about $23.00.  There were 8 used copies available when I added the link.)  I love this book, and the fact that it is spiral bound makes it easy to use while I stitch.

My cattails are a little on the short side, but I worried that longer stems and leaves would snag easily.

Next, I added a tree.  (I wanted to experiment with tree ideas before adding one to my CQJP block.)

For the trunk and larger branches, I used two strands of floss and chain stitches.  Those two strands of floss were both different shades of brown: one strand of DMC 838 and one strand of DMC 3021.  Using the same colors, I added a few smaller, stem-stitched branches to the tree.  (I began with the chain stitch on the far left and just continued working to the right, randomly beginning lines of stitches from the bottom to create the roots of the tree.  After I made the taller lines, I added a few shorter sections amidst the roots to fill them in a bit.)

Next, I used a single strand of DMC 433 (a lighter brown) and made a few back-stitched lines through the trunk of the tree to give an illusion of bark texture/highlights.

There are three types of lazy-daisy stitched leaves.  Some use two strands of DMC 702, some use two strands of DMC 704, and others blended the colors - using one strand of each.

So far, I am happy with the way the tree is turning out.  (Unlike the cherry blossom tree I put on my last CQJP block, my husband has not teased me once about the top of the tree not being big enough for the trunk.  I guess I am making progress - lol!)

As always, thank you for stopping by!