More surface embroidery

After I posted Laurie's CQJP I received this comment from Ritva in Finland who used surface embroidery for her TAST challenge.  "What a coincidence! On my CQJournal challenge block I have made some surface stitching, which has been my passion lately. I used the new TAST stitches."

On the left is the beautiful surface stitching she did with the Cretan stitch.

Here is more of her surface work on another block.... Also Ritva's seam work is extraordinary...Go to her Flicker album to see the work she has done. http://www.flickr.com/photos/ritvap  

Surface embroidery should be on your to-do list.....

I was so excited when I saw this block and even more excited when I realized that there might  be 11 more as part Laurie Burgesser's CQJP 2012.  You might have seen it on her blog or on facebook,  but even if you did see you might not realize how unique it was...  You need to file this piece this away, pin it on your wall or put it by your work area as a reminder...

Laurie description of this block was:. 
"All the  fabrics except the red/white stripe started out as solid color pieces. I liked the idea of the geometric surface embroidery juxtaposed with the curves of the patches and the seams"

The key words here are "surface embroidery"  This technique can be the answer to many of the problems stitchers have with a block...  I've always referred to it as "surface texture" but I like Laurie's phrase much better...   Last fall I was giving some advice to Flora to use this technique

November Post: I think the idea of a bird in a nest is a great idea because, as you mentioned,  it would complement the bird button.  But if you stuck it in the corner brown patch it would be corralled by that curved seam. and isolated from the block...  But if you perch the nest just above the patch on a branch..  it becomes a working element in the block and part of a path that moves your eye around the block...

Then you are still left with that brown patch and I'd recommend expanding your seam treatment right down into that patch to give it both texture and interest... "

Maybe a patch or area is in an odd position or you need to accentuate your focal point or you just need that "little something" extra or you want some technique that adds interest but is not overwhelming...  Well surface embroidery can solve all these problems...  When you run into one of these problems, remember Laurie's block..  Laurie chose to use contrasting colors but the technique is also effective in coordinating colors.


Laurie is one of my very favorite stitchers because she  has such a keen sense of humor which shows in her work and because she is so talented and creative. Her blog is http://dontcallmecrafty.blogspot.com/2012/01/cqjp-2012-january.html   Unfortunately she doesn't blog that often but I follow so I never miss one...

From my list of the "Best of the Best"

 "Crazy Quilting = Harmony... a pleasing arrangement of parts to their whole and to each other..."

I am a self-taught crazy quilter and worked for years in isolation using books, but a whole new world opened up when I found CQI and the internet... By far I was most dazzled and inspired by Jo Newsham from NZ and sadly she no longer does any CQ at all...

It was her seam work that was most extraordinary.  She never fell into a habit of using a variation of a limited number of stitches..  All of her seams  were unique and I especially loved the ones that incorporated  ribbon work as you see here.  This DYOB block was part of  Fab Fans RR. 

Do click on it to enlarge and study the detail.

Most everyone, and especially myself, used conventional fans but not Jo.. Hers were all very creative and not a machine-made lace fan motif to be seen.. 

Most noteable was the focal fan of this block... a paddle fan..   She could have used just a piece of lace with a handle but she took it a step further by putting a circle offset in a circle... much more interesting. Doing it white on the light center patch makes it stand out on the block while the darker work on the darker lower right patch recedes and makes a perfect balance

This was the other piece of Jo's I had in my collection of great blocks...  But first I must share that Jo is color blind. To compensate she most often stuck to a very limited color palette or a monochromatic selection of threads and fabrics.  These techniques defined her style and should be a great inspiration to anyone struggling with color theory. . You can see here she chose only lavender and soft green.. This limited palette gave her work a  simplicity that ensured all the parts of the needlework would complement each other.

My favorite on this block is the elaborate seam running diagonally up the block.  It is  a seam treatment but is much more as it creates the path that takes your eye around this block... It is so creative.  Look closely at it and don't overlook the little white needlewoven leaves. There is so much movement in this short section of thread, beads and buttons that it almost seems alive.

And of course her  ribbon embroidery work is second to none... Please take note also that there are very few "doodads" on Jo's work...it is all about needlework and superb needlework at that.

As I mentioned she doesn't do any CQ work anymore but much of her work is still archived on her blog under "round robins" label and you can also see what she is doing now...   I often think her tidbits of sage advice and wicked humor... I do miss her.