Are you up to a challenge?



I think combining specific personal challenges with the CQJP is a great opportunity... I've belonged to Crazy Quilting  International for a long time and have participated in many of their activities, but BY FAR my favorite was the couple years they did the challenge list for a block...  It involved doing a one 11" block over a year's time.    A list of things was posted and it was up to the individual to include as many as they wanted....this was a challenge for personal growth and not a competition in any way...  Here was my challenge block for 2009...

 

Things I chose from the 2009 list that were either a new skill or something I needed to improve.  You can find them all...The list included using: pansies, paisleys, hankies, butterflies, fancy beaded seams, lettering, embellished rick rack and painting on fabric.  I chose them all since I had a whole year to do it but many only chose 3-4.  So you not only got to challenge yourself, you got to see what others did with the same list.    I was  just blown away by all the gorgeous paisleys.

I was really disappointed and distressed when the format of the challenge block concept changed.... Rather than being skilled focused it was more about adding bizarre embellishment.  I dropped out then but have always continued to have at least three personal  challenges I want to focus on for every project I start.. usually skills I need to improve or using something interesting I've seen on another block...

Haven't made a final decision but on my early list for CQJP is silk fabric flowers, surface embellishment, maybe woven or folded ribbon work, and ALWAYS elaborate seam work.  Sometimes I choose a tool or thread to try.  Years ago I bought a punch needle I've never used and another possibility is to use some of the novelty threads that are accumulating and multiplying in a drawer unused...especially Kreinik metallic ribbon. I'm still thinking on it...

So if you are participating in CQJP or even if you're not, give some thought to choosing at least three things you'd like to focus on and improve in the upcoming year...  If you think of some you'd like to use, leave a comment...maybe it will be something someone else would like to do and hasn't thought of it.....  I will try to provide some examples and ideas for you as the year goes on.

Surface embroidery does not need to be abstract...

Surface embroidery or surface texture does not need to be abstract in nature.  In my opinion it just need to fill an area..  This is a piece of mine which I have shown before.  There many awkward little patches I chose to ignore as individual pieces and covered the entire area..

This another of my pieces which had a bunny in an awkward corner and I used surface embroidery to make him a "thicket."  You might want to notice how I staggered the daisy clumps lower left so they filled the triangle.. Although not easy to see the lavender patch is filled with crystal rain drops from the cloud.

This next piece is by Sharon Boggon who is an absolute genius at surface embroidery.  I took this photo of the actual quilt in CT last spring.  What a treat to see the it "live."

This incredible piece was in my files and I have no idea who stitched it or how it came to be in my files.  If I had a name I lost it. If anyone knows, could you let me know because I am in love with it...

Note:  The mystery is solved here and I should have known...  This work was done by Ritva in Finland and I just talked about her exquisite needleskills yesterday..  She and I have been in many round robins together.

Not related to stitching but the kind of thing you remember once you become friends.... Ritva has a lovely very old church in her village and it is painted yellow...  I saved the picture as I intend to paint it on a button one day...

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