Marie Antoinette Crazy Quilt Repost

I've been quite busy with my online classes, my books, my etsy shop and taking care of my house!  Yes, I tend to be all over the map but it keeps me out of trouble! LOL!!!

I was asked if I would re-post the photo of my Marie Antoinette Crazy Quilt.  Here she is:

Marie Antoinette Crazy Quilt by Pamela Kellogg

And just for fun, here is my Crazy Button Quilt:

Crazy Button Quilt by Pamela Kellogg

And here's my Crazy Garden Quilt:

Crazy Garden Quilt by Pamela Kellogg

And finally my Lucky Quilt:

Lucky Crazy Quilt by Pamela Kellogg

Enjoy the eye candy everyone!  And if you would like "pin" my images, please feel free to do so but make sure there is a link to either my blog or my etsy shop.  Thanks!

Crazy Button Quilt Progress

My Button Quilt is all sewn together now.  I spent yesterday afternoon at my sewing machine.  The quilt came out good and straight and square:

Now if only I could have gotten my photo straight!  LOL!!!  Anyway, I had planned on putting a light blue border around it but I'm reconsidering that.  It's 30 inches square and at this point, I'm not even sure where to hang it as my empty wall space is limited.  I don't have to decide on that right now.  My immediate goal is to get it assembled so I can take it with me for examples when I teach my CQ class in May.

The quilt is quite heavy too!  It has to weigh at least 8 pounds at this point!  Once I get the back on and add the "support buttons" to the back, that will add a little more weight to it.

The blocks are first sewn in vertical strips.  Then I sewed the strips together horizontally onto a heavy muslin foundation.  This will help to support the weight.  I use Allie Aller's "False Back" technque. You can find Allies technique in her new book called, "Allie Aller's Crazy Quilting" available at Amazon.com.

Do visit Allie's blog!  You'll love seeing her work!

I'll post another update on the Button Quilt when I get the back on.

For now, I thought you'd like to see the cat doll that I'll be giving away when I reach 400 followers:

I'm pretty close to 400 so please spread the word!

Crazy Button Quilt

If you've been following my blog for a few years, you may remember the button Crazy Quilt that I was working on before I got sick.  Each of the 25 6 inch blocks featured button clusters and some of my fancier buttons.  When I got sick, I couldn't do much of anything much less put a quilt together so the blocks have been sitting in my closet for over 2 years now.

I thought about them the other day and even mentioned the button quilt in my blog post yesterday.  The quilt kept popping into my mind and I finally realized why!

I'm teaching a Crazy Quilt class in May on how to work with my Elegant Crazy Quilt Seam Treatments.  It occurred to me that I should take that quilt with me since most of the seams are worked with the charted borders from my Ebook.

When I got back from town this morning, I pulled those blocks out and squared them up:

I probably won't get around to the assembly process until this coming weekend but it feels good to have taken the first step with it.  I have everything I need to finish it and it will indeed be a good example to take with me when I teach my class!

Crazy Quilt Spider Webs

I completed Button Block #34 yesterday:



When I do my spider webs, I do what I call "mock couching". My spider webs are all free-hand. I work the long spokes of the web first, starting in the center. Then, when doing the short spokes of the web, I come up on one side of a long spoke and down with my needle on the opposite side of the next long spoke. This will hold the long spokes in place without couching them all down individually. Saves a lot of time! Click on the image to go to my Flickr site where you can see the large version. You should be able to see the stitches.

Remember, that most spider webs are not perfect! The more imperfect they are, the more realistic they look!

For the spider, I sew down a big bead, running my thread through the bead twice. I then do the same with the small bead. Then, I run the thread through both beads which again, holds them in place and keeps them in alignment with each other. Finally, I do the legs last.

For the buttons on this block, I used a mixture of new and vintage glass buttons, antique metal buttons and a few modern plastic buttons. Mixing them up adds visual interest so don't be afraid to play! Again, clustered buttons are more interesting to look than just one here or there. You can also layer buttons. Look for the square button and notice that I sewed an antique metal button on top of it. That gives the cluster some dimension. And for buttons with holes in them, I always fill those holes with seed beads. That adds a bit more sparkle as well as giving them a nice finished look.

Finally for today, here are pages #6 & 7 of my Needlecrafts Embroidery & Fancywork Catalog from the 1930's:





Enjoy!

Beading Crazy Quilt Seam Treatments

I started beading the seam treatments yesterday on Button Block #34:



I mentioned yesterday that I intended to chat a bit about how I go about the beading. Generally, with my own charted borders, or any borders for that matter, I always look for the points and intersections.

If you look at any of my CQ pieces, the points of any border are always topped off with a bead or sequin. This adds color, light and extends the border even further. It also adds clarity which keeps the points from getting lost in over all design.

Intersections are another good place to look for possible bead placement. I use quite a few cross stitches in my charted borders and if you look closely at the bottom right-hand border, you can see that I placed beads in between the arms of the "X".

I'll talk a bit more about beading CQ borders tomorrow.

For now, here are pages 2 & 3 of my Needlecrafts Embroidery & Fancywork catalog from the 1930's:





Click on the images to go to my Flickr site where you can view the large version.

Enjoy!

Button Block #34

The seams on Button block #34 are covered now:



Yes, I'm going to plug my book again, Elegant Crazy Quilt Seam Treatments and mention that my seams are worked from my own charted borders using Waste Canvas. I love the perfection of the stitches and the variety of designs that can be worked using my charted borders. If you're new to my blog and are interested in learning more about my technique, click here.

I'm going to start talking more about the variations that can be created using charted borders as well as how I actually go about beading them. I do plan to put Volume 2 together in the near future and that will open even more doors to new borders and designs. I already use the borders in Volume 2 on my projects along with borders from my own personal collection.

Stay tuned!

Wishing You Peace This Christmas

When you find peace within yourself, you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others. Peace Pilgrim

Just a quick update on Button Block #31:



I was able to use my Peacock button after all!

I hope everyone has a Happy Holiday.

Button Block #30 Completed

I finished up on Button Block #30 this morning:



This one really feels a bit crazy and insane to me but I'm sure it's because my head has been a bit crazy. On Sunday, while we were at the flea market, we had a branch come off our maple tree and hit our house. And I'm not talking a stick. The damage was minimal compared to what it could have been and I won't go into everything that needed to be repaired but thankfully, the majority of the repairs have now been made. And needless to say, I have a tree man coming on Saturday to take that tree down.

This is an excellent (for lack of a better word) example of how we create our own reality. Scott and I have always feared that a branch would fall off that tree and hit the house but I never wanted to spend the $ on having it removed. Too many times, we let go of resistance when our backs are against a wall. And that's not the opportune time to let go of resistance.

The weather this time of year does not help my mood either and what little bit of Christmas spirit I had (and I did actually have some this year) is now just about gone. As far as I'm concerned, it can be Spring now. I've had my fill of snow, freezing rain, wind and cold.

To lift my mood, I decided to put the Button Quilt down for a bit and make myself a new purse:



The roses in the middle are the corner of a vintage hankie.

I have to run and get some groceries now before it starts snowing again. One of these days, I will have me a Winter house in Florida!

Button Block #29 Completed!

I finished up on this block Friday morning:



I love pink with green. One of my readers sent me the glittered shamrock charm but I can't for the life of me remember who. I like to give credit where credit is due so if whoever sent it to me will claim it, I will give credit in my next post.

This is Button Block #30:



I'm going to give this one a real Springy look. I'll stitch & embellish it with purples and greens. I have a little bunny button that I'll be using on it.

If you're new to reading my blog, these are 6 inch square crazy quilt blocks intended for a quilt called "The Button Quilt". There will be at least 100 blocks but I'm leaning more towards doing 120 all together. If you would like to see the ones I've done so far, click here.

We're off to an antique flea market now. Thank goodness it's all indoors!

Button Block #29

As most of my long time readers know, I have a tendency to let Winter weather get under my skin. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't cold and it didn't snow! Anyway, I'm not feeling very chatty today so I'll just share an update with you on Button Block #29:



I have a beautiful Czech glass shamrock button that I'll be adding to that upper left-hand corner.

I'm going to go and wrap a few gifts and then I'll get back to stitching on this.

Button Block #28 Completed

After agreeing to get a Christmas tree yesterday and putting it up, I stitched on Button Block #28 and completed it:



Since this Button Quilt will have at least 100 blocks, I'll probably do a few more "fish under the sea" themed blocks.

My husband took a few days off so today we'll be doing some Christmas shopping. I expect to have some stitching time later to work on Button Block #29:

Button Block #27 Completed

I finished up on Button Block #27 this morning:



Later today, I'll start on Button Block #28:



I also worked up a few new charted borders:



Click on the image to go to my Flickr site where you can download the large version. These charted borders are for working the seams with Waste Canvas. To learn more about the technique, check out my book.

Be sure to keep your eye here on my blog as I'll be adding a few additional borders over the next few days.

If you would like to see all of the Button Blocks that I've done so far, click here. There will be at least 100 Button Blocks in this quilt if not more!

Button Block #27

Just a quick update on my current button block:



As you can see, I have the seams covered now and I just filled my stitching basket with beads.

It's snowing here, again, so I'll be stitching on this for the rest of the day.

Button Block #25 Completed!

Just a quick update for today:



I finished this one up yesterday morning.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Finishes

I finished up on my 3 CQ ATC's:







I've agreed to trade 2 of these and I would like to keep one for a gift.

I also started another button block:



If you would like to see the other blocks for my button quilt, you can find them here at my Flickr site.

Finally for today, I worked up another tag:



Click on the image to go to my Flickr site where you can download the large version.

Linda B. asked me what software I use to make my fractal designs. I use Coral Photopaint 12 with the special filter add-on. It has all sorts of cool filters which I combine with the Fractal images.

Button Block #24 Completed!

I had yesterday to myself but have been working on really cleaning out closets, drawers and cupboards when I have time. I did manage a wee bit of stitching time yesterday afternoon and completed button block #24:



The large button is a Victorian hand-painted button that Scott's mom sent to me a few years back.

If you would like to see this one along with the others I've done, click here.

My mom asked me if I would make her a "plain" cellphone pouch. She would like something a little more simple for at home. I told her I don't do "plain" and she laughed! She asked me to try. I'll see what I can do! I'm thinking something with SRE and some buttons. I have a pink one that I sewed up a few months ago so I'll pull that out later and get it set up.

Update On Button Block #24

As you've probably noticed, I'm a little behind on blogging. I've spent a lot of time helping out my parents and I'm also in the process of really cleaning out my closets and cupboards.

My dad is doing very well but it'll be a few more weeks before he can drive again. He's walking with a cane now and only uses the walker at night when he gets tired so he's progressing very well!

I did get in a little stitching time earlier this week:



I expect to complete this one soon.

I bought a few fancy Czech glass buttons from Ebay so I need to get in some treadling time too. I want to piece some blocks that will really make those fancy buttons pop! My mom also asked me for another cellphone pouch. She wants something more plain for everyday. Something with some buttons on it. Because she's visually impaired and my father is momentarily handicapped, I insist that mom keeps her cellphone on her at all times.

I'm going to try to keep my posts a little more consistent. It's not like me to not blog every day. I'm doing the best I can here so please hang in here with me.

Don't forget, for my cross stitch readers, I have some gorgeous cross stitch fabric packs from mom's stash in my Etsy shop:

May Take It Further Challenge Completed!

I must say, I was really starting to feel like I've been stitching on this forever! I've just had a lot on my plate this month but I finished it up last night just before the ballgame:



Sharon's concept for the May Take It Further Challenge was "How Do You Define Yourself As An Artist?"

As I explained in my first post on the May Challenge, I prefer not to define myself by any labels. To me, that's "ego stuff". Instead, I consider myself to be a channel through which the creativity of the Universal Mind flows.

So instead of working with a focal point theme as I have on the previous challenges, I chose to let this block just go where ever it decided to go. As you can see, it's rather abstract with some feminine qualities. And I must say, it works quite nicely with the other challenge blocks that I've done. If you would like to see them all together, you can find them here.

If you're new to my blog and wondering what I plan to do with my challenge blocks, I decided in the beginning that when the challenge was over, I would sew all of my blocks into a nice wall quilt. My blocks are all 9 inches square so I'm thinking of 3 rows across and 4 rows down.

The rhinestone pin in the top left-hand corner is vintage. Ironically, I just bought that at an antique mall about 2 months ago. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it but when I saw the palette for this month, I knew that pin would work perfectly!

All of the buttons are vintage glass buttons. The large one is a Lacy Glass Button and several are Moonglows.

And speaking of buttons, a serious weakness of mine! I'm going to go back now to my Button Quilt! At least I'll do a block or two. I'm wanting a new purse for Summer too! But I thought I'd do another button block. This will be block #24:



I'm going to clean out a closet now and then I'll just relax and stitch for awhile. If you would like to see the button blocks that I've done so far, click here.

Take It Further May - Block

I finished up my 23rd button block the other day:



I still have a long way to go on this project as I want it to be quite large. I'm still thinking I'll need between 80 - 100 blocks.

I'll take a break from it for a bit and do my Take It Further block for May. I did a bit of treadling the other day and this is now ready to stitch on:



My Take It Further blocks will also be sewn into a quilt at the end of the year. As I mentioned in my last post, I don't like to define myself in any way but as a channel through which the creativity of the Universal Mind flows. This block won't have a predetermined theme but instead, will go where ever it goes. I do have a beautiful vintage crystal pin that matches that periwinkle blue fabric perfectly. I'm not sure yet if I'll be using it but it is in the back of my mind.

Button Block #23

I sewed this block specifically for the Czech glass cat button. I found it on Ebay:



We're going to head out for breakfast in a little while and then run some errands for my mom & dad. I expect to stitch on this some more later.

I was asked about the accuracy of the DMC matchups for the May Take It Further Challenge palette. They are accurate based on the color settings of my monitor and my printer. All hardware is different so I can only go by what the colors look like on my monitor and my printout. I use a DMC Color Card and I matched them in natural sunlight.