Crazy Quilt Block Patterns

Originally created as an Online Crazy Quilt Class on Color and Composition.

9 individual block patterns on how to work with color and composition in crazy quilting. This was an online Stitch Along class that has ended now but will continue to be available to anyone who would like to learn this aspect of crazy quilting.

Following the step by step directions in these books, you can create these lovely 6 inch Crazy Quilt Blocks.

If you make all 9 of the blocks in this series, you will have enough to make a beautiful Crazy Quilt!

These are now available at Etsy:  http://www.kittyandme.etsy.com/
Also available at Magcloud:   http://www.magcloud.com/user/kitty-and-me

Student Crazy Quilt Blocks

I have some pretty completed blocks to share today.  The first is Kathy's completed Lesson 4 - Flight Of The Bumblebee:

Kathy did a wonderful job with Lesson 4.  A nice variety of stitches, I see some pretty floral vines, a few extra bumblebees - Kathy are those little ones embroidered?  Kathy did a wonderful job filling the negative space without covering up the entire block.  Notice how your eye moves around the block.  There's a nice flow to this block.  And a lovely combination of colors.

Next, I have Maria's block from Lesson 7 - Proud As A Peacock:

Maria's peacock is gorgeous!  This lesson required that all seams be stitched with the Feather stitch.  Maria has several variations of it on her block.  Notice the cast-on stitch to the left.  Lovely!!!!  I also see the buttonhole stitch used on the leaves of the branch and some pretty yo-yo flowers at the top.  Again, Maria did a wonderful job creating movement.  All the required elements are here and the colors in this block are just beautiful!

Finally, I have Karin's Lesson 7 block:

All I can say is, beautiful!  That peacock is just stunning!  Karin outdid herself on this block.  The feather stitch is used on several seams, the long and short stitch on the peacock's upper body is perfect and the white flowers create a wonderful balance with the white peacock.  I see the ribbon and yarn vines at the top some pretty satin stitched leaves on the branch.  Karin, is that a vintage brooch on the peacock tail?

I have to say, I'm blown away by the beautiful work that is coming from my students.   I'm seeing an awesome amount of creativity added to the requirements for each block.  Excellent execution of the requirements, and very good balance.

Thank you Ladies!  Ya'll did a wonderful job on these blocks!

Lesson 8 will be available soon.  If anyone is interested in taking my Crazy Quilt Color & Composition Classes, you can start anytime.  Feel free to join in the fun!  And be sure to email photos to me of your finished blocks!

Crazy Quilt Online Course

I finished up my crazy quilt block with the yellow rose which came from a vintage hankie.  As I mentioned the other day, I couldn't help myself, I had to add some pink!

This will be a pillow.  A gift for a friend.  I'll get it sewn up in a few days and post another photo of the finished piece.

In the meantime, for those of you who are taking my Online Crazy Quilt Course, I thought I'd show you how I make the eye move around my blocks using color.  Look closely at the pinks on the block.  Notice how the pinks flow.  Start near the bunny at the bottom and follow the pink buttons up to the large butterfly and Silk Ribbon roses at the top.  Coming down from the roses are 3 light pink butterflies.  Where does you eye end up?  At the pink flowers in the center under the yellow rose in the hankie.

That's how I use color to create my compositions.

And speaking of my Crazy Quilt Color and Composition Classes, this is Maria's block from Lesson 3:

Again, notice how Maria balanced her block with the hot pink flowers in the center.  This block is very well balanced, interesting with lots of pretty embellishments and pretty stitching.  Well done Maria!

Crazy Quilt Color and Composition Classes - Lesson 2

We've released Lesson 2 of my Crazy Quilt Color and Composition Classes:

*The theme that we'll be working with for Lesson 2 is Lucky Charms
*The color scheme is green and purple.
*The techniques we'll be using are:  printed image, yo-yo, gathered lace, beadwork and filling negative space.

You can find the publication at Magcloud.

And here is a printable image of the Irish Lady that we'll be using on this block:

There is also a Flickr group that I've set up for discussing the projects and sharing photos.  Find the Crazy Quilt Color and Composition Flickr group here. 

Color and Compostion Classes Lesson 1 Stitched Pieces

I thought for today I would share a few photos of the stitched pieces from my Color and Composition Class.  The theme for lesson 1 is Forget Me Not.  The required colors are pink for the background and blue for the stitching.  A stitched counted cross stitch piece that I designed was also a requirement for this block.

This is Jane's block:

Jane did a great job conveying the forget me not theme.  Her inspiration was the little forget me not flowers as you can see.  She did very well balancing the blue throughout the block and I love how she trimmed out her stitched piece.

This block is Kathleen's block:

Again Kathleen's inspiration was the little forget me not flowers that we see so often in Victorian graphics.  Kathleen did great balancing the block with the blues and using a variety of stitches to create tiny flowers through out the block.  And notice how Kathleen trimmed the stitched piece.  A lovely herringbone stitch all the way around it!  Beautiful!

And this block is from Cris:

Cris has been fighting an eye infection so she isn't as far on her block as she would like to be but I wanted to share it anyway.  I love the fabrics Cris used and I love how she trimmed out her stitched piece.  Cris has a lovely memory of her grandmother that she plans to express through her block.  It's a "think pink" theme since her grandmother died of breast cancer.

Finally, and I've shared this before but here is my block:

For me, the phrase "forget me not" represents my 3 kitties at Rainbow Bridge.  Francis, Garfield and Simba.  If you look closely at the little basket at the top left-hand corner, there are 3 kitties in it.

Lesson 2 will be released on Monday, January 21, 2013.