RAFFIA

Many of you wondered about raffia and using it in embroidery.  This is the first time I was introduced to its use at Lesage.  The purple and shiny pink are raffia.

Lesage Level l

Lesage Level l

This Lesage piece in progress also has raffia.  The shinny gold is raffia.

 

Lesage Level III

This is one of the flowers on my new quilt.  The pattern is from the Lesage book  Le Langage Des Fleurs.   The blue in the center is ribbon the outside is raffia.                                             

 Here are the flowers on the new piece I am working on also raffia.  I must add the effect is just dumb luck.  I had tried so many different ways to stitch the flowers.  If the raffia didn't work the piece was headed to the dead pile. 

 I also was asked how I did the leaves around the bud.   I outlined the shape of the leave with green sulky rayon thread using the tambour hook.  Then using green ribbon floss I ran enough strips (laying each flat) to conform to and cover the lenght of the leaf shape.  I then wove the ribbon floss across the width.

This is the raffia I bought on the internet.  The raffia at Lesage comes in about 1/2 widths.  I tried to dupliciate the materials provided for the student at Lesage ... raffia ... sequin ... beads ... chenille unsuccessfully.   One day I woke up and decided I would use what I can get!!   This raffia is about 1 1/2 inches wide so I spread it out, tape it to my cutting board in 18 inch lengths, and cut it in 1/2 inch widths with my rotary cutter. 

A name and a few finishing touches and "She" is completed!!

I put "her" on a stand in the back yard in the and a friend took the pictures.  We were battling the  wind and sun but I think they came out nicely. These are close ups of the  some of the flowers.



In shade



In full sun

Now I need a new adventure!!!!!!!!

The home stretch is the hardest!!!!!!!!!!

I purchased 4 packages of DMC black floss.  Little did I know that I would have to buy 8 more in order to finish the infinity symbols on the back (coat) of my quilt!!!  It felt like and eternity to work each symbol in the Portuguese knot stitch ( one of my favorites) especially on the hot days we had last week when all I could finish was one or 1/2 of one a day.  I still have to do more in the center to anchor it but that will have to wait a bit.

To relieve the boredom I started on the framing the front with lace.  I am still auditioning corner ideas.  It beats !!working on the back  

When I went to college I never liked to read over my papers when they were completed and right now there are so many details... the back ... the lace ... mounting the flowers ...  TO make matters worse I went to Delectable Mountain Cloth yesterday and OMG - purchased fabric for my next..... "project"!!! 

Putting it together continued!!

The lace is just laid onto the border.  I have not decided yet if I need to adorn it with something....

I am now in the process of sewing on these black 12mm dome sequins in the center of each square.

 I only have a couple of hundred left to sew on.

My cat Opie will not sit on my lap nor will he allow himself to be petted unless forced!!  However whenever my back is turned he insists on staking out his claim to my quilt!! 



Putting it together!!!

 I really dread the idea of putting my "Crazy Art Quilt" together!!!  The thought of it terrifies me..... so in the interest of procrastination I made some motifs that people had asked me to make.  The first one is gold, the second is chocolate (tortoise shell sequins) and the third is red.  The pictures of the second two just would not cooperate and rotate in an upright position.

Just to prove to you all that I have indeed been working on my project I have put a 1/4 inch pipping all around then I added a 4" green sashing piped on the outside with the same gold.  The black lace I bought eons ago at Delectable Mountain Cloth is going over the green.  I have one more side to go.   The colors look "blah" in  the pictures but I think it is going to look really pretty!!!   at least I hope sooooo!             

Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day!!!! 

Crazy Art Quilt

This week was spent walking around the Brimfield Flea/Antique Market and I got some treasures!!  The sequins in the first circle were found on Monday at the vintage textile show in Sturbridge MA.  The second table I came to had a this pile of wonderful sequins.  They are about  5mm crinkly maroon (although they may look orange in the picture) and I believe they have gold leaf sprinkled on them...  I couldn't resist!!!!!!   They were just in time to adorn one of the last three circles.  I replaced what I had originally done and added them.

Sorry for the lint ... the velvet I used in the squiggles around the circle does a lot of shedding.  I also found the pink size 15 faceted steel cut metal beads I used in my chop on Monday.  These are the last 3 circles!!! 

Crazy Art Quit

At the Adventure in Crazy Quilting in CT last month Susan Elliott took some pictures of my quilt and I would like to share them with you all...

 

  

 

 

Thank you Susan for the wonderful pictures...  

I have just been asked and agreeded to teach a class in Tambour hook next year....   I will have a link to the class and other events as soon as everything is firmed up.

Crazy Art Quilting

I just have the ribbon flowers to do and I will be done with another corner.  I found a curious shell

bracelet at Joanne Fabric so I cut off  the elastic, and  I used them as a circle in the center filling them  with tiny drop beads.  Then I got crazy with the large ruffle shape sequins and walah!!   In the very center I used some velvet rickrak to make a flower (learned form Sharon Boggins and Allie Aller).

 Update on the yellow one.  I wasn't happy with it so I made some changes.  Took off the ribbon, added tiny beads around the center motif, blanket stitched the velvet.  blah blah blah

The purple is still my favorite... I added a few hot fix among the sequins in the background to give it  a little punch.   I am starting to talk to these things!!!