Tatted edging

This lovely edging is a pattern by Jane Eborall:  Oh SO simple edging. The pattern is very clear. The only problem I stumbled upon was the split ring. I could imagine what the purpose was, but didn't know how. Fortunately Google gave this link.

As a beginning needle tatter I have a lot to learn. The arrows show where I can improve.

Not all the picots are equal, the chains aren't the same length. They have the same number of double stitches but I didn't pull the thread equally tight. Some chains seem to want to twist. I am not sure why they do that.

The thread I used is DMC 80.

Here the edging is sewed on the border between two blocks. The color blends lovely with the yellow and orange fabrics.

While I was sewing I could correct some of the imperfections of the tatting.

The right side is not sewed down yet as it will continue on the adjacent block.

On the lace leaf I stitched veins on the outside and little cross stitches in the centre parts.

I used Kreinik thread. I am thinking about adding purple beads too, but I'm not sure yet.

This is the picture so far.

The yellow patch needed something more, so I echoed the tatted edging.

It wasn't easy to couch down a thread in this shape and to make all the "waves" look equal.

TAST week 17: wheatear stitch

The TAST stitch of this week is the wheatear stitch. I had never heard of this stitch before, thus I wanted to try it.

I decided to make little bunches as a seam treatment using two strands of DMC cotton in the same color as the little violets.

Introducing an UFO: cushion

The picture of the finished cushion was printed in the middle of two pages of "Inspirations".

Beautiful flowers designed by Trish Burr.

Look at these gorgeous threads: Gumnut Yarns Blossoms crewel wool, Gumnut Yarns Buds perlé silk, Gumnut Yarns Daisies fine wool, Gumnut Yarns Stars stranded silk, Gumnut Yarns Tulips mohair, DMC stranded cotton, DMC stranded metallic and Gloriana stranded silk.

I started this kit some years ago and I plan to work on it in between the violets and other things.

Lace flower spray

As I want this crazy violets quilt to form a harmonious unity, I have to considerate the adjacent blocks. There are two purple patches next to each other. I want to create a lace flower spray on both  purple patches. Of course I had to sew the two blocks together first.

Two lace lower motives were cut into pieces. The pieces form a new bouquet.

I added five beads to heart of the yellow flower and embroidered tendrils with alternating barred chain stitch. This was the TAST stitch of week 12. I didn't know this stitch yet and I wanted to practise it. It is a nice stitch for tendrils. They are uneven, but that is what I wanted.

The beads in the heart of the yellow flower have been removed, I didn't like them. Instead I made french knots with a unknown thread with a little sparkle.

Four little violets are embroidered with detached chain stitch and a heart of a french knot.

Half buttonhole wheels with Kreinik #8 braid and sequins. It is a very nice variegated sparkling thread.

I added more little orange violets and some orange beads.

This is the whole picture as it looks now. At the top of the purple patch I added a stem stitch branch with ribbon leaves. This branch comes from the block left of this one. As the blocks are sewed together this branch will continue on the adjacent block.

TAST week 16: french knots

The TAST stitch for this week is the french knot.

I used the french knot to fill the heart of this lace flower. It is a thread with just a little sparkle, what brand I don't know.

Here I used french knots to manipulate the fabric for the "Pebble Adventure".

Lots of french knots. 

Fabric button tutorial

I started with cutting a circle, wide enough to include a little seam. Than I stitched the seam with little running stitches using a single strand of DMC floss. Machine thread is better for this job as it is less likely to break.

Gathering and gathering.....till the thread broke and the fabric circle showed to be too small.

You might ask yourself: "Why didn't she use machinethread, she knew it could break easily?" It is a matter of color. I have all the DMC and Anchor colors downstairs. If I want to look for the right color machinethread I have to go to the attic a.k.a. studio, that means climbing two! stairs. I am much too lazy to do that because there is a really big chance I have not the right color. Besides two strands of DMC work fine.

A smaller button was inserted. An extra button is always useful!

Next I cut a larger circle, stitched small running stitches with two strands. 

Started gathering and gathering...... 

and gathering till there was a huge ball of fabric.

The button could not lie neatly next to his little brother on the left.

Therefore I cut some excess fabric away.

Did running stitches and some gathering....

pulled the sides together firmly, sewed them....and finished with a neat fabric button.

TAST week 15: stem stitch

The TAST stitch of week 15 is stem stitch. I have embroidered some leaves using two strands of DMC floss. For the veins I used one strand.

I started with a button cluster. As I didn't have  buttons in the color I wanted, I covered two buttons with fabric. Next week I'll share how I did that and what I learned. 

The whole block.



The two blocks laid next to each other.

The orange and light orange of the leaves come back in the adjacent block.



Back to the crazy violets

Now that the pebble adventure has come to an end (for the moment!), I want to try to catch up with the CQJP March and April blocks.

This is an overview of the top six blocks. The January and February blocks are on the left. The next block I'm going to work on is the one in the top centre.

The naked block. 

I wanted to sew on a shiny purple ribbon and a piece of lace.

There was a little problem with the piece of lace. Where the red arrows point at is the lace a bit blue.

When I sewed the lace on the block I made a lot of stitches over the blue.

Now the blue is nearly invisible.

Sumptuous pebble is completed

Below you can see some detail pictures. First I want to show you how I tried to “fix” the hollows in the hearts.

The red arrows show the hollows.

With tweezers I manipulated the threads to make a hole.

Here the hollows are filled.

It was a fiddling job.

But it worked out fine.

At least it was better than it was.

When the pebble was assembled the hearts were stretched. After all the heart surgery hadn't been necessary.

The final job was assembling the pebble.
I used a very firm oval piece of cardboard, 2 á 3 mm thick and a heap of layers of batting.
My friend Deb shared a tutorial on how to assemble the pebble. You can find it here.

Below as promised the detail pictures: