Crazy Patch Embroidery

 Recently I saw some crazy patch embroidery some one was doing and thought it might be nice to revisit that craft. I learned how to embroider when I was about 14 in 4-H. My first quilt was embroidered squares. 

I found this book on my shelf that I bought about 4 years ago. Turns out that the author was a newbie and created her own base seams for her Stunning Stitches. The book has 480 embroidered seam designs. Now I see on Amazon that she has another 350 in a new book. 

I do not intend to pretend that I will make all those, but I plan to make at least 24 seams. Goodness knows, I have enough floss, silk ribbon, beads and other bits and pieces that can be used. 

I learned a bit about silk ribbon embroidery a lot of years ago. I was so excited, I bought ALL the tiny kits (15) that were on a ridiculous close out sale years ago back in the '90s. I had forgotten about them until I was rummaging through boxes looking for some elusive thing that I am always misplacing.

In 2010 I signed up for a Baltimore class. I collected a lot of supplies. Our instructor used to own a quilt shop in Alabama and when her husband took a job in Toronto, she had no time for a sale so just loaded everything up and brought it with her. She gave away a lot of door prizes at her classes. 

I  had just started teaching the Dear Jane class at the Farm and thought I might move on to teaching dimensional applique. So, I bought lots of fancy ribbon with wires in them. Will I even remember how to do any of that? 

Did I mention that I was working on a master's degree at the time? I was. I did finish that. 

And I bought books. I was going to do this one day. 

Kits were started and neatly (hardly) shoved into bags and later project boxes.

All of this survived the great purge of 2021. 

I took a silk ribbon class around 1996. At least that is the date on the receipt in the bag.

I have taught a lot of girls to start stitching. I led girls clubs and 4-H 20-30 years ago. The stitches were worked onto a scrap of cloth and we created a little picture. 

I am teaching the little girls to do various kinds of stitching.

I took a workshop in crazy patch back in 2010, but had too much going on to focus on the creativity that it required.  

We were told to trace the pattern onto the back of a piece of muslin or other scrap cloth. Then we did a sew and flip method of foundation piecing. The new book has us securing the block into a stretcher frame. So I did. Yesterday.

My OMG goal was to sort through, organize and make a plan. Since I have this block already started, my plan for now is to add a few more rows of stitching. And while I do this, I will ponder what I could do next. Stay tuned. Because, if I start a new block, I will have to rummage through boxes and boxes of fabrics choosing the right ones. And the yard of muslin I bought in Shipshewana has gone awol. 

Blessings,

Chris

To-Do Tuesday

I had planned a simple, quiet week after the Christmas crowd. But that did not happen. We ended up with all the grandkids here as well as an exchange student. Roblox was the main activity with all devices going. No snow so the four wheelers and golf cart saw some action. We even had a chocolate fountain one night. 

This was my list.

1. Clear away the clutter in the quilt room. Nope did not even try but I did succeed in making a bigger mess. 
2. Write up several blog posts to get the year started. Yes
3. Work on the Chookshed 2024 Challenge. This month's project is Crazy Patch Embroidery. this is now my OMG project
4. VisionBoard Experience Workshop on Wed to get clarity on my plans and purpose for 2024. All the grandkids were here for the week and I had to miss it. Since I registered ahead, they will send me the link to do it on my own. this will have to wait until we get back from the wedding in Hyde Park NY next week. 
5. Track my daily stitching time for 15 Minutes to Stitch 2024. 4 times. It is after all, only 15 minutes but my hands are not happy. 
6. Track my daily exercise of at least 15 minutes. Totally forgot to track even though I did move a bit. I have a recumbent bike but it got moved. I have a tread mill but it has been buried under stuff. I now consider shopping a physical activity. I can really boogey when leaning on a shopping cart. 

This week's goals will be different We leave on Wed and return next Mon. Linking with To-Do Tuesday.

1. Stitch something.
2. Move.
3. Enjoy time with my Sweetie.
4. Drink more water.
5. Figure out how to move photos and grab the button. Something has changed and I have not been able to figure it out.

blessings,

Chris

January 2024 OMG Goal

I have thought long and hard about what my January One Monthly Goal should be. I have not always remembered to post one and not always followed through to complete it. I decided to join the Chookshed Stitchers 2024 Challenge and I can combine the 2 goals together. Not an original idea but it works for me. 

My Challenge project is to work on Embroidery. I had this crazy idea to do some crazy patch embroidery. I have a book, I have several project bins filled with floss and silk ribbon and seed beads and other interesting things.

My OMG goal will be to sort through, organize and make a plan.  I actually have several books. This will be a year long project or longer, depending on the plan I come up with. 

We have had all the grand children and an exchange student here for the past week and off to a family wedding in New York later this week. It has been gloriously noisy and busy. This truly has been a Christmas to remember. 

linking with Kathy at Slow Sunday Stitching. 

blessings,

Chris

To-Do Tuesday January 2024

My To-Do Tuesday list for this week looks like this:

1. Clear away the clutter in the quilt room. 
2. Write up several blog posts to get the year started. 
3. Work on the Chookshed 2024 Challenge. This month's project is Crazy Patch Embroidery. 
   
   
   
4. VisionBoard Experience Workshop on Wed to get clarity on my plans and purpose for 2024. 
5. Track my daily stitching time for 15 Minutes to Stitch 2024. 
6. Track my daily exercise of at least 15 minutes 

This should motivate me to start moving forward in this brand new year. 

Until all the grand children showed up at the same time for a few days. 

Blessings,

Chris