Recent find, is it a good one?

I recently purchased these fun looking yarns at the newly open Christmas Tree Shop in Fayetteville. I think they would be great for couching on under the sea blocks. When I read the label it states 'Do not iron'. Is this common with these types of yarn? They are 100% polyester. Should I strike them from my list of sea weed possibilities? I'd appreciate any input!

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!

Thanks for posting a Tutorial

The instructions for business card holders was shared on Stitchmap (see side button). A fellow member found them here at The Crafty Cupboard. Thanks Melanie! The internet has opened the world of crazy quilting to me and I love it!! I have found so many sharing sites. I have visited Kathy here many times. On the CQ4Newies group we are doing an Underwater or Under the Sea (UTS) Round Robin. I remembered Kathy posting about UTS. Her post taught me the needle weaving leaves or fronds in pea green. Thanks Kathy! The cup cake pincushion was another Stitchmap project. I really layered on the icing! The tutorial was posted on Buzzing and Bumbling. Linda shares several other good tutorials. Thanks Linda! These small pincushions were talked about on CQI but I don't remember any particular website. I think there's a flickr site for these. They are made from soft drink 2 liter caps and the cap from a spray starch. Almost like potato chips... you can't make just one!! I have swapped several mug rugs and have enjoyed making them. There are several sites that offer instructions.

Fabulous First Timers Round Robin

This is Pam's block. I was the third person to work on this. My work is in silk ribbon on the right side. Purple, beige and turquoise flowers and at the bottom a group of cattails. This block belongs to Linda. I am the second person to work on her block. I did the long trail of silk ribbon, beads and stitches again on the right side. The white patch at the top holds a spider web but I did it in DMC effervescence and it doesn't show up well. I'd love to rearrange and add to the button trail! This is Katy's block. I had to restrain my stitching. I tend to like bigger and more. I found some great embroidery motifs on flickr and used them. There's the purple butterfly and the blue fan in the lower left. The smaller butterfly Linda tatted. The dark brown patch included a diamond emblem in it's design so I created a birdhouse out of it and added a branch. I don't know where I got the blue heart. I added beads to it. The yellow-orange half fan, the yellow roses and the orange medallion I bought from Nicki Lee. This is Judy's block. I added the purple irises in silk ribbon on the lower left and a button trail to the right of that. I added six dragonfly charms, a butterfly bead and a bee charm to the rest of the stitching. This is the gorgeous block I sent out bare and received back with loads of stitching. The girls really out did themselves! I love it!

Crazy Quilt Garden Baggie Swap

Crazy Quilting International is one of the yahoo groups I enjoy participating in round robins, challenges and swaps. The last swap I received was a garden swap. I was running close to the deadline so did not get any pictures of the baggies I sent to our hostess Debbie. The photos show the lovely crazy quilt supplies I received from Debbie, Lorrie, Susie and Lynn.

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.

Only Pink Round Robin

I have been participating in a round robin on the CQ4Newbies yahoo group. Pink is the selected color. Fabric and all embellishments are to be some shade/tone of pink!! Here's my 'naked' block. And below is Jenni's block, the first one I have stitched on. This one belongs to CathyL I have not quite finished my work.

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.

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.

Yellow fabrics won!

Who doesn't love giveaways? I enter them haphazardly and occasionally I win! Yea! I put my name in the hat over at Simply CQ and I won.I have scattered my winnings but you can see another photo here. Here's what I've created so far by adding a bit of blue. Thank you Deb and the other great gals at SCQ. Here's a couple of photos of my yellow bells. They are planted with a spirea and a flowering quince.

Crazy Quilting supplies

I have ordered from several online sources. Today I would like to recommend Evening Star Designs. Carolyn has a survey about embroidery thread sold in her store. If you have a moment please fill it out. I am still so new at this crazy quilting adventure, I do not have enough knowledge to answer these questions.

New crazy quilt block/panel

Here's a block I am sending on a round robin. I have joined CQI and am excited about this adventure. There's still some finishing stitches left to do and I must make a small booklet for the others to sign. The block measures 9 X 18.

Mermaid adventure continues

I have begun to build on the landscape around my 'Mermaid'. I think this part of the scenery is complete enough to begin embellishment. At this point I do not know what I will do with the sky. Original idea can be seen here. I added some color to the rocks with the zig memory pens. Also used Wilton's concentrated gel for cake icing! Will photograph these so you will know what I'm talking about. As I see it the next step is to begin gathering threads ,yarns and ribbon.

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.

On the Farm, washed up on the beach

DH took pictures of the leghorn (chicken) with her one chick on the bamboo roost. Aren't they cute?? Inside where it was cooler I was playing with ideas and fabric. You know I can't go to the dumpster without bringing some thing home? Yep! I have 'dumpster dived'. The county turned the garbage collection over to a company with fenced in areas and maned facilities. But they have a building where you can hang clothing. I am getting long winded!!! I brought home a shirt thinking it would make a great purse. 100% polyester and 'snake' skin design. Then I 'found' the "girl on the beach" shirt in my stash of recyclables. I haven't had too many people interested. Here's one of my ideas. I colored the fabric with pigment ink pens by ZIG memory system. Not sure where I go from here. Any suggestions welcome. I've got coral ,seaweed and shells in mind but not sure where that will go. :)

Once upon a Shirt

At a yard sale or thrift store I picked up a man's shirt: 100% rayon and beachy type. Or it should be a girl ON the beach. I neglected to get a photo before the scissors came out! Yep, I cut this baby up and want to share with you. Crazy quilting, mixed media or other. You tell me what these could become and I'll give you one( or more). I have 12 complete girls and 8 partials ( legs or heads??) There's only one of this last pose, so the first comment gets it if that's the one you want! The blue is not quite this pretty. It's more dusty.

Lace and bangles-- yard sale find!!

I wanted to share my finds from the yard sale this morning. A blouse with a bit of lace. Lace is 5 inches wide and there's almost a yard and half of it! Then the necklace of bangles. I plan to use them on my thread rollup I'm creating at Stitchmap. Will post photo of finish later!

Cool giveaways Hot Summer days!!

There's a couple of giveaways going on that I want to tell you about. Kerry has one here. She plans to have several so you better sign on to follow! If you crazy quilt she has lots of great tutorials. Such inspiration. Then Pat is having a giveaway here She often shares vintage images and has a separate blog for her crazy quilting. Part of her giveaway is silk ribbon which she is a master at using! I have purchased some of her ribbon and it is lovely stuff. Lastly I am giving away some fluffy yarn. I find these orphan skeins at yard sales and the thrift store. Here we have red and lime green feathery type stuff. And a blue and green eyelash yarn. The next photo shows black eyelash, white feathery, a black and white boucle (?) and a gray and black eyelash. The third photo highlights 2 of the three browns. The 2 color is "normal" yarn with a touch of glitter. The tan is similar to the feathery stuff but with a permanent curl! This photo shows the purple eyelash in good color. Can you pick out the blue suede like yarn in the blue green eyelash? Sorry I didn't get it separated!! I have a brown in the suede stuff, also. Lastly I have a length of ribbon with butterflies and beads. Another feathery type yarn. This one counts (3) because it is variegated. Lime, orange and pink and then it repeats. About 4 yards in each color. I will cut it by color or leave it if you select these as your choice. I use these to make twisted rope or couch them down on a bit of crazy quilting. A ball will last me a long time so I thought I'd share some with you. There's 15 colors of yarn and a length of ribbon with dangling butterflies and beads. To be in the drawing you must comment on this post. There will be 4 names drawn. First one gets your choice of 4 colors. Drawing ends on June 30. Names announced by July4th.