Cross Stitch Patterns by designer Pamela Kellogg of Kitty And Me Designs

The Blog Of Cross Stitch Designer Pamela Kellogg
Kitty And Me Designs

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Kitty And Me Designs

Celebrating 35 years of Needlework!!!!

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine Spring 2015 Now Available

The 2015 Spring issue of Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine is now available!

Click here to order at Magcloud!

Broiderie Perse Embroidery

Early this morning, I finished highlighting the applique on this piece with Kreinik metallic #4 braid:

I used several colors of the Kreinik metallic rather than just one color.  I wanted the applique to almost look like a painting rather than a piece of fabric applied to a foundation.

Don't forget, I will put together a simple tutorial for Broiderie Perse and post it sometime this coming week.  I'm hoping there are some stitchers out there who will give it a try and send me photos for the Fall issue of CQ Quarterly.

I'm not going to share the entire block at this time but there are a few other things I thought I would discuss as I work on this. 

I have one seam that I embroidered on this piece that does not show up well.  Rather than pulling it out (which I almost never do), I will show you how I make it work using beads.  It's all about working with color. 

Every crazy quilt block offers some unique challenges.  I've kind of gotten away from sharing my works in progress but I think it's time to get back to that.  I'm sure some of the solutions that I use to deal with problem areas will useful to other crazy quilters!

Thursday, January 29, 2015

More On Broiderie Perse Applique

I'm still highlighting the flowers on my applique with Kreinik metallic threads.  The effects are quite lovely:

You may want to click on the photo to see it better.  I still have a bit more to do but as I mentioned yesterday, I love handwork!

I've received several really great questions about Broiderie Perse applique and I will address them here next week.  I want to work up a tutorial for everyone but I need a bit of sewing machine time to do it as well as a fully charged camera battery!

Again, this is a wonderful technique for crazy quilting and I want to make sure that everyone is comfortable in trying it.

I'm wondering, have you ever been intimidated by a technique?  What sort of things have you been wanting to try but just don't know how or where to start?

I ask because I've always been one to just jump in and do it.  I don't know if there's a right way or a wrong way to do any of these things.  I only know my way and if that works, then it's good!

I say that because we've all be taught that there is a certain protocol for everything in life.  And I agree that for the most part, there are right ways of doing things and not so right ways of doing things.  But when it comes to being creative, those protocols can get in the way and limit our creativity.  I think sometimes, they keep us caught in the web of "I don't know how so I can't do it" mindset.

I would suggest that if you were planning to make a traditional "sane" quilt with applique, there would be more rules about it so that it holds up to washing and everyday wear and tear.  But for the most part, crazy quilts cannot be laundered or dry cleaned.  So we can ease up a bit on some of the rules that would apply to traditional quilt making.

So, that's my little piece of philosophy for today!  LOL!!!  Again, I'll post a nice little tutorial here next week.  I really want to see some CQ pieces with Broiderie Perse.  I will publish them in the Fall issue of Crazy Quilt Quarterly.

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Broderie Perse

Well, it took me about an hour but I was able to get the tension straightened out on my electric machine yesterday.  I had to fiddle with both the top tension as well as the bobbin tension.  I didn't get my door hangers sewn together but at least I don't have to mess with the machine tomorrow.

I thought I'd talk a little bit today about my goals for Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine.  First and foremost, I took it on because I wanted to continue on with what Pat Winter started.  She created a beautiful way for stitchers to share projects, ideas, tutorials, patterns and eye candy with other Crazy Quilters.  Let's face it,, we can't have time to stitch and have time to be online looking around constantly.  So the magazine gives everyone a chance to share with each other and learn from each other in a really beautiful condensed format. 

Another goal, a very long term goal and perhaps not even a do-able goal, is to end the debate over whether Crazy Quilting is Quilting or Embroidery.  When I was talking to brick and mortar store owners in regards to the 2015 Crazy Quilt Calendar, the quilt shops looked at crazy quilting as embroidery and the needlework shops looked at it as quilting.  This story I'm sure is quite familiar to many long time crazy quilters.  Neither niche wants to accept it.  I'd like to help quilters to see it as quilting with embroidery and needleworkers to see it as embroidery on quilts.  Again, this may not be do-able or maybe it is.  Rome wasn't built in a day, right?

So in thinking about what steps could be taken to accomplish this mission, Broiderie Perse came to mind.  If you've been following Allison Aller for awhile, you're probably aware of what Broiderie Perse is.  It's really not as fancy as it sounds!  It's simply a type of applique work.  It has a long and interesting history which you can find here at Women Folk.

Since applique work is quite accepted in the quilting community, I thought we would start there.  I have some beautiful chinz fabrics with gorgeous florals on them.  All courtesy of my favorite decorating store who kindly and generously gives me their outdated fabric sample books.  I decided to start working this technique into my crazy quilt pieces and hopefully, other crazy quilters will follow (hint, hint)!

The piece I'm working on right now is my block for the 2016 Crazy Quilt Calendar.  I don't want to share the entire block at this time but I do want you see what I'm doing with the floral piece.

If you're not aware of this technique, I ironed my floral fabric to a piece of fusible web.  I cut the flower pattern out and ironed it down onto my block.  Using YLI silk thread, I did a tiny blanket stitch all the way around.  So not only is it fused, but it's also stitched in place.

To further secure (decorate) it, I'm highlighting the flowers with Kreinik metallic threads.  I'm using the #4 braids.  I've only just started on this step so I will share an update when I have the highlighting complete.

Again, this is not new.  Allie has used this technique many times on her beautiful quilts.  It looks more difficult than it actually is.  In fact, the blanket stitching can be done on the sewing machine.  I love the hand work but there's nothing wrong with sewing machine work either.

Okay, so where am I going with this?  I would like to encourage all the crazy quilters out there to give it a try!  It's an awesome design element and an excellent (easy) embellishment!  I will be using more of this techique on future projects.  But I would like to see other crazy quilters try this and send me photos for the magazine!!!  Let's work together on this goal, doable or not, let's give it a try!  One step at a time!

Okay, with all that said, I would like to point you in the direction of Gerry Krueger's blog.  She was asked to identify some old sewing tools!  I love the history of anything but esp. the history of sewing items.  So please hop over and read this post!!!



Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Door Hangers

I was just getting ready to sew these into door hangers when I realized that I never posted photos of them:


These were just a couple of smaller projects that I was working on before starting on my design for the 2016 Crazy Quilt Calendar.

Another thing I realized is that before I sew them up, I need to fiddle with the tension on my sewing machine.  I'm not sure how it got screwed up but I've been putting off fixing it for awhile now.  I don't have patience for little things like that.  Isn't that funny?  I can stitch and sew beads and other dodads on for hours but taking the time to mess with the tension on my sewing machine is tedious and boring.  But if I don't do it, it won't get done so I'm off......

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

New Door Hangers

I've been working on the computer all day so I'll just post some eye candy!  These are new Door Hangers.  The hearts are Mom's and the Crazy Quilt ones are mine:








All are available at Etsy.  I'm off now to go make dinner.  Then a shower and then, if I can keep my eyes open long enough, I'll pin on my phone for a little while!


Monday, January 19, 2015

1 Year Subscriptions to Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine

Hi everyone!  With the February 1st release date of the Spring issue of Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine quickly approaching, I thought I would go ahead and offer 1 year subscriptions for 2015.

You will receive 4 printed issues of Crazy Quilt Quarterly magazine.  Each issue will be ordered on the release date:  Spring - February 1st, Summer - May 1st, Autumn - August 1st, Winter - November 1st.  They will be shipped directly from Magcloud and will arrive approx. 1 - 2 weeks after the release date.

A 1 year subscription is $59.00 plus shipping (which will vary depending on where you live).  This offer is only for the current year 2015 and only available for printed copies.

If you would like to order a 1 year subscription, please email me and I will send you a PayPal invoice for the $59.00 + shipping to your location.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Mom's Tussy Mussy's Are Back!

I suggested to Mom, that she make some more Tussy Mussy's for our Etsy shop.  She hasn't made any in a few years and I always thought they were so pretty.  She agreed to make some and apparently, other people thought they were pretty too because they sold out last night.

I thought I'd share photos with you just because I think they're beautiful!






Mom is working on some now for St. Patrick's Day and she was talking about Easter ones as well!

I'll have some new little door hangers to share next week.

In the meantime, does anyone have an original beaded fish tutorial?  Please email me if you do!

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

Pillows Finished

I finally got around to finishing up these last two pillows that I stitched:


These are both in my Etsy shop.  At the moment, I'm stitching up a couple of little door hanger pillows and when I finish that, I'll be starting on my block for the 2016 Crazy Quilt Calendar!  Yes, it's time to get that together!!  I've sent out my invitations and the girls are so excited!!  All are bouncing off the walls.

But I'll have more information on that down the road a way.  For now, it's like 0 degrees outside and I can live without that!  Tomorrow is supposed to be colder! 

Thursday, January 01, 2015

Crazy Quilt Quarterly Sneak Peek

Good Morning everyone!  And Happy New Year!!!

As promised, here is a preview of the 2015 Spring issue of Crazy Quilt Quarterly Magazine:

Available on February 1st, 2015 at Magcloud.

This upcoming issue is filled with eye candy, tutorials and articles, all contributed by very talented crazy quilters!

Also, I'm getting ready to start on the Summer issue.  I'm now accepting articles, photos, tutorials and vendor ads.  Please email me if you would to submit content.
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