Craft Gossip

Mar

20

Video tutorial: French-knot loop flower

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Melissa of Honey Bee’s Bliss says the French-knot loop flower is the perfect filler for silk-ribbon sprays. (See the tiny blue flowers in the upper-right motif of the CQ block at left.) She shows us exactly how it’s done in a short, clear video. See the tute.

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Mar

19

Free pattern: Armchair sewing caddy

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You want this gorgeous armchair sewing caddy, don’t you. You can have one! Maureen of Maureen’s Vintage Acquisitions Blog says,

Over the two years my website was closed, I received several requests asking for me to sell the pattern for my Arm Chair Sewing Caddy.  I had no idea where it was.  Well, I finally found it and, rather than sell it, I have…

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Mar

14

Try this sequin-flower border

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Oh, SharonB, you make me sigh with envy. What an endlessly creative brain this woman has. Check this CQ seam treatment, for example. Outlining the pattern in the black lace with metallic stem stitch was inspired. And the little row of sequin flowers made me squeal. As lovely as this treatment is in dark colors, imagine those little flowers in…

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Mar

14

Nicki Lee: New CQ shop and a giveaway

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If you love Nicki Lee’s hand-dyed laces as much as I do (and you know you do!), this news is going to rock you: Nicki has opened an Etsy shop where you can buy her laces and other lovely crazy-quilting tidbits. Even if you’re not a crazy-quilter, you should check out the shop. Imagine these laces on a baby dress or…

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Mar

7

Free patterns and charts

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(1) Spring Daffodils needlepoint by Cheryl Fall of About.com
(2) To A Friend crazy quilt block from Nostalgic NeedleART
(3) Vintage shopping girls from doe-c-doe
(4) Four vintage angels from Faster Kittykill! Blog! Blog!
(5) Eleven country designs from Broderie d’Antan
(6) Nine cross-stitch heart designs from Aliola
(7) Light sabers in three colors from Cross Me Not
(8) Flowers In a Pitcher from Suestreehouse
(9) Two colorways of a bird…

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Mar

6

CQ seam treatment: Drama

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Here’s another stunning seam treatment from SharonB of Pin Tangle that you can easily duplicate on your crazy-quilt project. She points out that the arches are worked in chain stitch and the black stitches use rayon ribbon floss. The addition of beads to this pattern give just the perfect sparkle. Find out more from Sharon’s blog post.

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Mar

4

Mysterious project is revealed

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I gave you a peek at the latest project of Susan Elliott (Plays with Needles). She has now revealed the work in all its glory. And she has already gotten rid of it! You’ll love reading about the development of The Giving Purse, a practical work based on Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, which Susan created for The Power of the Purse auction benefitting The Columbia…

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Feb

24

Susan “leaves” a mystery

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Susan Elliott (Plays With Needles) is up to something new. I can’t wait to see what it is! Go to her blog post for a peek.

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Feb

18

The creative process: JO in NZ

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If you love the crazy-quilted postcards created by JO in NZ (and you know you do!), you will surely groove on the quilt she’s undertaking. Her notes about design and composition are as delicious as her photos. Get an eyeful of Jo’s beginning quilt blocks now, and be sure to bookmark her blog so you can follow the whole series.

…

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Feb

9

A gift from SharonB

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Needle artist Sharon Boggon has been blogging for six years! You’ll enjoy her anniversary post. It’s full of juicy information and includes a gift for readers: a free stitch guide! SharonB says,

 12 Surface Stitches for Beginners is the 12 basic stitches that new hands to surface embroidery need to know. These same stitches, are also the basic stitches that crazy quilters use…

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Feb

3

Get your free calendar from SharonB

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SharonB of Pin Tangle blog is giving us 12 special gifts this year. At the first of each month, she posts a free calendar image that you can use as desktop wallpaper on your computer. And the calendar pages feature her gorgeous stitchery! The February 2010 page is available now. Go get it.

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Feb

3

Enjoy the latest issue of CQMagOnline

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The January 2010 issue of CQMagOnline is now live. Many great projects are included, such as a Spring Pansies Covered Tin by Victoria Adams Brown, an Easy Postcard Needlecase by Dakotah Davis, and Hanging Valentines by Maureen Greeson. There’s a free vintage embroidery design (shown above), also from Maureen Greeson. And, as always, you’ll find plenty of crazy-quilting tips and news. Go to the site…

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Jan

29

The creative process: Gerry Krueger

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I love this little peek into the creative process of crazy-quilter Gerry Krueger (olderrose). She says,

When is a seam not a seam? When it is a little garden. I had this tiny yellow hanky lace that I want to use, and thought I I’d incorporate the delicate part where the lace was attached to the linen. But after looking at it…

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Jan

29

CQ tip for perfect stitch spacing

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KERRYKATIECAKES has a great tip for using tiger tape to make perfectly spaced crazy-quilt embroidery stitches — horizontally and vertically! Check it out.

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Jan

27

Round robin shares CQ techniques

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Ingeborg of Ingebord Loves Flowers blog lets us feast our eyes on all the details of an exquisite round-robin crazy-quilting project. My favorite seam treatment is the vine shown here with silk-ribbon leaves, sequin flowers, and pearl buds. But another of the dozens of expert treatments may be your favorite. See them all via abundant, excellent photos on Ingeborg’s blog.

…

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Dec

17

Free CQ block: Happy New Year!

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nyblockJanet Stauffacher of Nostalgic NeedleART is sharing a crazy-quilt block that will help you ring in the new year right! The block features one of her favorite antique postcard images. Janet says,

Print this block directly onto computer printer fabric with your inkjet printer, then use it as the foundation for your crazy quilt block with the center image already in place.

Get the…

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Dec

17

Undersea CQ seam treatment from SharonB

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seaThis gorgeous seam treatment by SharonB of Pin Tangle reminds me of an undersea garden. Sharon says,

This is seam first covered with braid. On the bottom edge of the braid I worked two rows of herringbone in bunka thread. This formed a band of herringbone stitches. The bottom row I interlaced with chenille thread and the top section of the band I…

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Dec

14

Great idea: Needlepunch with silk ribbon

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needlerbnOMG! Look what Allison Aller came up with! She made the latest flower set for her repro vintage crazy quilt by needlepunching with 4 mm silk ribbon!!! I’ve never seen needlepunch done with ribbon, but of course it would work. And aren’t the loopy flowers beautiful! Furthermore, Allie’s friend FredaB has lent her a needlepunch tool that is designed especially for use…

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Dec

10

Tutorial: Deefield Herringbone Stitch

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DEERFIELDKERRYKATIECAKES teaches us Deerfield Herringbone Stitch, a simple but effective seam treatment for crazy quilting or other hand-embroidery applications. See the tute.

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Dec

4

Allie’s making poppies

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poppiesOooooo, look! Allie Aller is making California poppies for her vintage repro crazy quilt. Find out how.

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Dec

2

Giveaway: Victoriana Quilts membership

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vicYou could win a treat for yourself this holiday season! Benita Skinner of Victoriana Quilt Designs is giving away a free site membership for 2010. See the site’s home page for a list of membership benefits, including free quilt patterns and online workshops. Benita says,

Win a Victoriana Quilt Design Membership for 2010* (http://bit.ly/cf8Rj) by becoming a Facebook ‘Fan’. 
Current Fans are already entered.
Membership prize…
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Nov

28

Allie’s ribbon cornflower

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allieAllison Aller has posted the latest block in her reinterpretation of an antique floral crazy-quilt. This one features a ribbon cornflower — beautiful! See Allie’s post.

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Nov

19

Susan Elliott’s garden

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fernSusan Elliott is stitching a garden. I don’t know what the completed work will be, but the photos of the journey take my breath away. I literally couldn’t decide which image to entice you with, so the pearl-encrusted fern shown here is a random selection. See more astonishingly fabulous close-up photos of Susan’s remarkable needlework on her blog post.

…

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Nov

16

Free patterns and charts: Christmas

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mosaic(1) Red and Green Sampler from Embroiderbee (with a correction)
(2) ABC … Noël (1) from et patati et petites croix
(3) ABC … Noël (2) from et patati et petites croix
(4) Five Christmas patterns from Sibling Craftery
(5) Christmas sleigh from Matrioshka Biscornu (This design is based on a picture drawn by Alexandrina’s 8-year-old son, Dima!)
(6) Père Noël from Le blog de kali
(7) C’est la belle nuit de…

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Nov

10

Meri’s version of the 4 Rs

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meriThese photos show Meri’s version of Recuperar-Reutilizar-Reciclar-Reduzir (Repair-Reuse-Recycle-Reduce). Now that’s my kind of recycling! Find out more from Agulhas da Meri. (Meri writes in both Portuguese and English.)

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