Crazy Patch As Promised!

A few posts back, I shared some photos of some of my stitching treasures with you - including some yummy antique laces. My blogging buddy Judy suggested maybe I should try my hand at some crazy patch blocks and incorporate some of my laces. Well ... it just so happens that I actually already HAVE 12 crazy patch blocks all sewn and partly embroidered, so I don't think I'll be making more soon, but I promised Judy I'd share some photos.

About 5 years ago (Maybe more?!?!) I attended a weekend workshop with well known Australian Quilter Robyn Ginn - who also happens to be a family friend who took a lot of our wedding photos for us ... but that's another story!! Robyn usually makes 'story quilts' using her own (much simpler!) version of needle-turn applique, but she went through a bit of a crazy patch phase, which led to her creating some MAGNIFICENT crazy patch quilts, winning a number of quilting awards with them and teaching lots of crazy patch classes. Robyn's crazy patch quilts are works of art - you can look at them for DAYS and still find something new every time you look! She just incorporates so much GORGEOUS embroidery, beautiful buttons and lots of lovely symbolism. So ... that's when I made up my blocks and started the embroidery. Yes, this is one of my very WISPy WISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSPs!!! :0)


I love the grape vine on the right of this block and the wreath towards the top. And do you see that little bear on the blue satin background? Cute, huh?!!


I haven't done a lot of embroidery on this block, but love the shiny variegated thread I used to do the big leafy things on the right - I've saved the photos at a bigger size than usual so you can click on them to see the details a bit clearer.



There's a "K" for "Kris" on the left there, and I love how the peacock feathers came up on the right. I also love the effect of the multi-coloured fly stitches up the top there. Robyn showed us this little trick - each time you finish some embroidery somewhere and have just a little length of thread left, pop in a few random fly stitches. With all the different colours, over time, it builds up into a really cool rainbow effect.


There's an "S" for my Sweetie - Scott. And I love how the Sturt's Desert Peas came up in that top section - a native flower here in Australia that is truly spectacular to see in person.


I love the effect of the block on the left - using three lazy-daisy stitches, I created a leaf shape and then did them in all different autumn tones - looks like a tree dropped all it's autumn finery, doesn't it! And I was really happy with how the strawberries came up at the top there, as well as the lavender bush to the right.


Another "K" for "Kris" and can you see the crazy cows to the right on the green background? I embroidered them rows of stocks flowers to munch on.


Here's a green 'spring' version of the leaf effect, on the right, and a spray of fuchsia's at the top left that I was really happy with how they came up.


This is the large sample version of a crazy patch Christmas stocking for a class I taught at our church craft group some years ago. This stocking is about 50cm long, so once I actually FINISH it, Santa will be able to put LOTS of goodies in there for me!! All of the embellishments are finished - I just have never got around to putting a backing and binding on this. Maybe I need to make this one of my finishes for the OPAM Challenge!!


And this is the smaller version of the Christmas stocking, only about 20cm long, so not so many gifties will fit - though small, shiny jewellery boxes would fit nicely! Tee! Hee! Hee! This one, too, just needs the back and binding done - I really should do that!! I think I put off finishing these because I was trying to work out whether I wanted to line them or not, but perhaps I just need to do backing and binding to get them finished!

So ... there you go Judy! That's some of my crazy patch blocks (I have a few more with the piecing done, but no embroidery yet). I loved working with these blocks - I love the depth of colour and textures of the satins, velvets, brocades and silks that I worked with - I particularly wanted to get that rich, exotic and luxurious "harem" kind of feel about them, which I think I achieved. Of course, there is so much more embroidery to do on them that I may be a little grey-haired old lady before I ever get to snuggle under my Harem quilt, but that's part of the fun of stitching!

I did manage to finish a long-term project yesterday, but it's a secret squirrel one for now, so can't show you yet, but will do so once it reaches it's new home. OPAM gals, don't forget to UPDATE your sidebar lists of your finished projects for April and if you have a chance to email May Britt or I with the number of projects you've finished this month, that would be great too. May Britt will be choosing this month's winner, so stay tuned!! And now ... I'm off to find a pair of snuggly socks, cos autumn is starting to make itself known here on top of our hill (you know, that little series of 'hills' we like to call The Great Dividing Range! Tee! Hee! Hee!) and my toesies are feeling a bit icy. Hmmm ... Karen sent me a SUPER pair of stripey socks in the SSCS, so I think it's time to give them a test drive! Stay warm and til next time - Bear Hugs!

CHEERS!
KRIS