This is a simple seam with a curved line of Stem Stitch trimmed with Straight Stitches and Beads…I chose a simple stitch that I could work in a fine thread for this seam because the red fabric is really difficult to stitch through, even with the fine thread you can see where threads in the fabric have pulled.
|
How do you know when a crazy quilt block is finished? A Frequently asked question…most common answer is that the block will tell you…I will add to that, that sometimes it is helpfull to get a second opinion.
When I finished embroidering the seams on this block I expected to add several embellishments but after adding the button cluster I placed a few charms but could see no where else that needed further embellishment…the block was telling me that it was finished but with so few embellishments I didn’t beleive it till I got a second opinion. I asked Sharon when I visited her for a sewing afternoon and she agreed that it was finished…I used to add embellishments to a block as I thought of them, often keeping seam stitches low key and then putting embellishments over them, this year I have been thinking seam treatments and because my seams are becoming fancier they read on the block as embellishments which is why the block is finished sooner than I expected.
The charms I added are a teapot, a moon, a heart, a dragonfly and there is a tiny butterfly bead hiding in the lace.
  
 
And Here is the Finished Block
|
I started by doing the Palestrina Stitch on a sample block to get the feel for it, I did 2 rows with there arms touching which formed square spaces down the middle…On mum’s quilt I did 2 rows with their arms touching and then added beads in the spaces down the middle.
|
 This is the 20th block for mum’s memory Quilt.
For the seam I had in mind Oysters ah la Natural…I dyed some silk ribbon in a mottled grey oyster colour and then did to rows of randomly zig zagged Oyster Stitch…I’m not sure the seam worked as I envisioned but I kinda like it anyway.
|
This Up and Down Buttonhole Stitch is the last seam on this block…now for the embellishments.
 I have added a buttoncluster on the left hand side…and don’t know where to go from there, I have auditioned a few charms but most of them make the areas look crowded or just look out of place, I am going to sleep on it before doing any more.
|
 The Ribbon for the bow was easy to find today…
click here for instructions for making the bow…normally I would do the knots with a different coloured thread but this block already has enough colour and I chose the cream ribbon to bring more cream into the block so I kept with that and did cream knots.
Admin note: I have made a good start on my new years resolution of blogging frequently thoughout the year and this post is my 103 consecutive post which is a new personel record for consecutive daily posts.
|
This seam has a piece of pink satin bias binding (to bring pink down into this corner of the block) overlaid with lace held in place wit herringbone stitch and trimmed with beads.
|
 I like Oyster Stitch but when I sat down with my visual journal I found that my mind was playing with ‘Oysters’ instead of the stitch, did you know that Australia has a BIG Oyster, not one of the better big things lol, I will have to get another block for mum’s quilt pieced so that I can combine the stitch with the memories, the Big Prawn referred to in the link to the big oyster is in my home town where mum still lives.
Back to Oyster stitch, I did use it one one seam today, a simple zig zag variation which I have left unbeaded because it will probably end up as the background to a button cluster.
The other seam is buttonhole stitch done over herringbone stitch trimmed on one side with straight stitches and lace flowers.
|
 I am glad that I decided to paint Humpty’s coat onto the shell, his legs provide just enough balance to let him sit upright and I love how he turned out…His arms, legs and hat are are made from cardboard and his bowtie is ribbon with thread wrapped around the centre.
I made the wall from the end of an egg carton lid, the side of the wall in the photo was supposed to be the back because I thought that the moulding of the egg carton would look out of place and the other side is nicely square but as it happens the back turned out better than the front.
When I first thought of doing a humpty egg I was going to paint him and then let him have a little fall and put him back together but once I started making him I realizes that I wouldn’t be able to bring myself to deliberatly crack him, just knowing that I could put him back together is enough.
|
 I wanted something special for this seam that is in the middle of the Birthday Block and when I did the Climbing Rose the other night I decided that it would be perfect for the central location of this block.
|
