My Gift to Jennifer

If you have read my previous blog post you got a sneak peek at my Covert Round Robin gift. The secret is out now and Jennifer from http://findingmywayintexas.blogspot.com has openned her parcel.

I chose to make her a small little tote bag based on black and white fabrics becuase I read a post on her blog about a monogramed wall decor she made. So I hope I got the colour choices right! The bag is a scaled down pattern from Sentimental Stitches. here is a link to the pattern http://sentimentalstitches.net/free-stuff/schlep-bag/
That sized pattern made a big shopping bag or beach bag. So my squares where 4 1/2 inches, the triangles cross cut from 2 5 inch suares, while the handles were 7 inches long by about 1 and 1/2 inches.

The flower is very easy to do. First make a simple template of a petal, but leave the bottom long and straight at the bottom. See to the right side of next photo.
Next take a rectangle of fabric and fold it right sides together, on the wrong side draw 6 petal shapes. Then sew with a tight stitch around the heavy line twice. Cut out each petal about 1/8 of and inch from sewing line. Turn right side out. Slip stitch end shut. Then taking a large "crowbar" of a needle sew them together and put a button in the center and attach to bag.

Next came some more blog visiting to Jennifer, to get some inspiration for her "Crazy for you " mini wall hanging. She is a very talented photograher so I thought a vintage camera and some black and white photos might do the trick. However I am very aware that people have strong reactions to crazy patchwork, so I was nervous about making this for her. Here is the starting block with selected possible embellishments.

Then I got to work and stitched those seams. However I do not cover every seam, as I like to make wavy fronds and put curves in with lace and beads. I also like to have a selection of "big, medium, small and tiny" in the work to give it more interest. The big were the silk images, mediums were the lace and frond embriodery. Small was the rest, and tiny was the rose tucked behind an ear.
Here is some detailed photos.

I've left some blank spaces for Jennifer to add her own special beads, lace, buttons or special "broken but not out" jewellery.

Take some time to visit Jennifer and get to know this lovely lady, I know that you will like her as much as I do.

Love Karen

Shh its on its way, but the sender is still a secret!

I've been working on my Covert Round Robin Project.....so I have been busy!
First up was a little blog visiting so that I could get "in touch" with the person who will receive my swap gift...well actually it was a bit of detective work.  So that you get to share in the detective side of things, today's post will have clues as to who my gift is on its way to.
  I only hope that one of her cute journal covers comes my way!

But back to what I made...the first idea came quickly and was inspired by a recent home decor project that she made...this is it

 I hope she likes it!
Then because crazy patchwork is my thing...I made a tiny wall hanging to express both myself and hopefully something about her!
          However...not everybody likes crazy patchwork! 
So that's why I made the bag.
Here is the wall hanging. Pay attention because there are clues!

Unfortunately I didn't photograph the entire wall hanging as I was in a rush to get to the post office!
So have you guessed who is my swap partner???

January to Febuary

Seeing illness has kept me a little low profile in blog land....here is a catch up!
This is my Christmas navitiy

I've been part of the Vingatge christmas BOM from Shabby Fabrics, so I decided to start working on them.  The  pattern kit includes a precloloured fabric to stitch but I prefered to stitch on the backing fabric so that it toned in  with my Nativity set. I've stitched these so far...

2 down 18 to go !

Then I decided that I just had to have a neutral fabric bag to put my stitching supplies for this project in.  This is the first bag I made

It was tooo big..so I made it smaller....

My new beach bag!

This one was just right!

Then I had to have a needlecase to match......

Now I have practised 2 little quick items for my Thimbleberry lovers yahoo groups next secret santa swap...
speaking of which..this was 2011 secret santa parcel under my Christmas tree...thanks ever so much...

Then I swapped a Crazy patchwork boot.  This was mine, and I was very touched that the hostess of this swap ended up with my boot.  Her family choose the one they think she would like out of the boots before they are sent on the way.

Then I have made a star for a special person...I won't say who.....

The other thing I've been working on is my Goldwork RR.....

My CQPJ block for January

A needlecase for CQ for newbies swap ...

Then I've soldiered on with Hydrangea Lattice.

This is what is in the quilting frame...

I went to a quilt in arranged by the Lions club with Robyn Falloon as the guest speaker...where I did put my foot in it big time...I wish  could sit on my mouth instead of my hands at times...Her is Robyn  comentating 'Show and Tell'

My personal favorite

It's a pumkin!

Yvonne's Journal cover..inside

Robyn's award winning quilt

Close up

this lady crocheted flowers and butterflies onto this crib quilt

The heart I stitched for next years raffle quilt

Some close ups of some antique quilts owned by Robyn..

So that's it for now!
But I don't have anything photographed to show you for TAST yet.
Who can believe that it is Valentine's Day just around the corner!

Love Karen

Fools Gold Round Robin

I left a comment on Gerry's blog, which was I thought wishful thinking on my part.  It was along the lines of  "what a great idea, I really wish I could do that too.....................(I have listed and linked everybody's blogs at the end)

  Then, like a dream come true "  I was in a round robin"  entitled "Fools Gold" with 2 of my crazy patchwork heroes.....once I got over the shock.....panic set in.   I kept on panic mode for a few days and then sorted myself out.  Research was going to be my  saving  grace.  So I hit the engine and kept on looking.

  Finally I started making my blocks because I had an "idea"  I used the "the year of the Dragon" as my basic starting point, and then found out that 2012 was also the 6 year cycle of " the water Dragon" which will tone done the nastier side effects of the fire dragon!  I chose mainly batiks because I thought that they would allow alot of blending effects.  I did 3 hot coloured blocks and 3 cool coloured blocks.

  So they have been sent on to Cathy!
  Arlene's blocks arrived early.  Thank you Arlene, because of her I worked out how to do the notebook that accompanies the blocks. Unfortunately ,  Madeline, my darling daughter, ( I have to remind myself!) emptied the black and most of the coloured ink in my printer.  I was left with handwriting my notebook and was able to use my draft computer copy for the front cover.  I think every one will know that this is definitely my first round robin!  Out of the 6 blocks I chose this one to DYOB ( do your own block)

  I  chose it for its simplicity and strong large shapes.  I have decided to do my "military" inspired cuff in gold leaves in one corner.  This will be my 'signature" for this round robin. Then as Arlene likes flowers, I have echoed the wavy curve in her print fabric in my stem and have started on some stylized flowers and leaves.
  I was very grateful that I had Pat Winter's magazine "Crazy Quilt Gatherings" issue 2 2011 for the articles by Cathy Kizerian and Gerry Kruger on round robins, as well as Pats " Embellishing - where to begin".
So I have spent some time looking at Arlene's blog to get a 'feel' for her and her work, but I have kept in mind Gerry's advice for the first person in a RR to be conservative.  So my individual element is the military cuff.  I will stick to the flower vine.  I am thinking that as the other blocks have a fabric with perfume bottles and 2 of the blocks are fan shaped, that they are screaming Paris to me.  So I hope to include a fan, the Eiffel tower, a perfume bottle and a bow.....maybe!  I know Gerry loves to add a bird and I love embroidering peacocks, so I will try to sneak in a peacock.  However this is all subject to change!!!! See what I have done below!

 I hope Arlene Likes it!!!!

Here are everybody's blogs as promised, you will enjoy visiting.
Arlene  http://arlenes-crafts.blogspot.com/

Gerry   http://olderose.blogspot.com/

Pat      www.gatherings100.blogspot.com

 

3 Whales Tails....

Orca Bay part 5

Not that I think that Bonnie of Quiltville has this in mind...I would definetely not try to guess.....the Christmas carols are starting to reberverate even in the quiet space of my sewing room. 
I have managed since last week to get 150 hourglass blocks from part one done..and some some present shopping.  It still is not too late to join in click here. Or to get straight to the mystery go to the link below.
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/orca-bay-mystery.html

I see red

Orca Bay Part 4

That Split Endz song has been in my head all weekend.

Rule 1

Orca Bay Part 3!

I started today looking for my ezi angle ruler...the one that I checked was in my ruler basket when I was getting ready for Bonnie ...so where is it now?   I still have no idea!

So remembering rule number one...I got busy and did more hourglass blocks.  Then I did the math and added 7/8 and made one 2 inch square! Don't tell me how many more to go!

When I find my ruler in "the safe place" I am going to paint the said safe place something fluroescent and label it "The Safe Place"!  Check out what everybody else is doing at http://quiltville.blogspot.com/