UTS continues

So I added rocks, beads and shells... ...some ribbon sea weed and needle woven fronds ...and beads and twisted gimp in pink and feather and fern stitches over some bias binding.

It went Under the Sea

my Half and Half round robin block that is! The guidelines required that we stitch a block in two colors. This is the naked (unembellished) block I sent out. It measures 10 1/2 inches within the stitching area.I really appreciate Amber, Lynn and Jenni stitching on my block. This is the block I received home. The ladies did some great stitching but I wanted to add some more to my ocean floor scene. I let the block sit for a while before I began. I'll do a second post. Blogger is having fun with me today!

It's not a Swap or a RR , it's a Challenge

Sue is our host for the Asian Challenge on CQ4Newbies. Each participant creates a block to keep and embellish. The challenge is over the next six weeks( each week) one or two stitches will be posted for use as a seam treatment or motif. Later this summer there will be voting and prizes awarded!!! This is my naked block for the challenge.

Underwater Round Robin on CQ4Newbies

A New round robin has begun on CQ4Newbies. The theme is underwater, ocean, under the sea. This is my block that I am sending around for the ladies to stitch on.

Half and half round robin continues

Jenni's block is the first one that came to me. I had just acquired a new to me book. It's The New Ribbon Embroidery by Victoria Adams Brown. My inspiration is found on page 88. The center ribbon motif was inspired by the author and book. This is my naked block I sent around. Will post the finished block soon. Amber's block after I stitched a few things. I was the last in the rotation and mailed it home to Amber.

Half and half round robin

My work on Lynn's block

In Honor of Our Pets

The first three blocks are the ones I created and sent to be exchanged for another block. I used trims, surface embroidery, applique, buttons and ink stamped motifs to embellish the pieced fabrics. I have some Christmas fabric with 12 days of Christmas depicted with felines. It still has a Christmasy feel I could not seem to tone down. The batik in the lower left corner was a bad choice in that I couldn't seem to tie it into the block. Angel kitties represent all those beloved pets who have crossed the bridge before us. I found this one impossible to embroider on. Why I don't know. Instead I used ribbons ,trims and buttons. These blocks were created by Lori . These are the blocks I received in the Cat and Dog block swap on CQ for Newbies. Crazy quilting is a free form of expression using a pieced foundation. Then buttons, embroidery of all descriptions and trims is used to embellish the block. This block I received from Chris. I think I have the great beginnings of a small quilt. I plan to piece an additional three blocks in coordinating colors and theme.

Summer-Season to Season block Revisited

Early this year CQ4Newbies group began a series of blocks called Season to Season. Marianne of NJ worked on my Summer block. I felt that I gave her a hard task because I tried to use some of my button collection to build a tree. She contributed some leaf beads. Here's photos of the block. I love the ribbon seagulls. I've seen some great trees that others have done and decided the buttons had to go. Kathy has a great tutorial here. Ann created a neat tree shown here. I still want to try Ann's but this time I decided to attempt one like Kathy's. I need to move the sun and finish the couching but this is a beginning. I think I will be adding to the block size. Maybe a border of 3 inches or so. The block is only 8 inches square. I am trying to depict a live oak tree. There was a large one in Grandma's yard during my childhood.

Cobalt Blue Round Robin

This is an update on my work on Skye's block for the cobalt blue group of the blue round robin at CQ4Newbies. I was inspired by Ing's work to try a butterfly in silk ribbon embroidery. For this round robin we are to stick almost entirely to blue embellishments. I began with some feather stitching to which I added beads, spankles and straight stitched ribbon. Then I outlined the shape with a running stitch in floss. I began on the upper wings to fill in with a looped wild rose, then spider roses and some folded roses made with wired ribbon and stitched on with floss. Between the larger roses I filled in with rose buds, folded and stitched: gathered bits, and french knots. The lower wings are covered in ribbon using the plume stitch and french knots. It is still not complete but I could not wait to post a photo. Oh! yes, I wanted you to know the block is 12 inches square and my motif is about 4 by 6. Do you put length or width first??