Window on Spring

Finished Front of Window on Spring
Originally uploaded by lasassone.

Well, I talked G into holding the pieced front of this project so I could get a picture. I still have to prep the backing, hanging sleeve and binding tomorrow, but the front is done. I'm very happy with it. The backing is a printed cotton with the same shade of beige as the borders on the front. It is printed to look like crackled paint.

I'm thinking I may stitch "in the ditch" around each window pane before I bind this quilted wallhanging. I also have prepped a personalized silk label for the back.

Heck, I'm so proud of this, I feel like putting the label on the front! LOL!

I'll be taking more pictures with my GOOD camera tomorrow including some closeups too. If I'm going to send this off into the world and never see it again, I want lots of pictures to remember it by.

I sure hope my "challenge partner" likes what I've made. I know it's something that I would like to receive. And, isn't that the whole idea of these challenges? Aren't we supposed to make something WE would like to have?

Final Pane in the Window Project

lower right pane for window project
Originally uploaded by lasassone.

This is the final pane, all done, for the window project. How do you spell R-E-L-I-E-F? Now to get it all together and get it mailed out on Monday!

If you click on the picture you can see a larger version. Some details on the lower right block:

Hand dyed motifs -the flowers and the butterfly up top, iron-on dragonfly and those green leaves down in right corner that the spider loves so much are a fairly new trim from Ribbonsmyth. I did the pink buds with some wider gauzie see-through ribbon that was in the swap bag. It was the same kind of ribbon as the green that I put on with beads on the lower left pane. It makes GREAT flower buds!

I CHEATED!

lowerleftpane
Originally uploaded by lasassone.

I got going on the lower left pane for the window project and skipped over the lower right. I can't believe I finished 2 of the panes today. Tomorrow I'll finish the other and begin assembling the project.

Some details:
I found the tiny little bird in my redwork bird binder. It's a copy of a vintage pattern.

I cut the Easter egg from an Easter print cotton fabric and tried to do a neat needleturn applique. I still need more practice on needleturn. It was easier to do the kite on the top left pane because I could iron back the edges for a crisp shape. That didn't work too well with the egg shape.

The pink & green trim came to me in the "baggie" but was white. I handdyed it with Ozcraft dyes and it was in the picture I posted the other day - a couple entries back.

The green gauze ribbon was in the baggie too. I have never before done anything like what I did with it, but it just seemed to be needed to soften that long curve through the block. I anchored it with the larger beads and then snuggled up a cluster of 3 seed beads on each side of the larger ones. There's lots of beads on this one, but that's pretty normal for my work I think. That and stitch combos!

The feather stitching on the lower right is done with YLI's Pearl Crown Rayon thread in the Baby Pastel color. I was not sure the colors were working but now that it's all done I think it was the right choice.

I have to say that pink has never been a favorite color of mine and I NEVER have worked with so many pastels before. I think it's going to be a good piece when it's all done, but I don't think I'll be able to look at another piece of pink fabric for awhile!

Upper Right Window Pane DONE!

Upper Right Window Pane
Originally uploaded by lasassone.

Even the Beading is done! Had to take a break from the work on #3 and #4 blocks to give myself the satisfaction of actually having #2 totally done.

And now, would you believe, I have noticed that I missed a seam in the blue sky at the top. Imagine if you will 3 fly stitches done vertically with chain stitch anchors. That's what I intended to do and WILL do as soon as I log off this computer!

My dh is making fun of my "barely blooming" tree, but time is awasting and I told him it's just a hint of what the beginning of Spring would look like. HEY! It's my work and I'll do it however *I* want!, Right?

The blossoms and tiny leaves on the tree are done with pearl cotton because I'm having problems right now with my hands and cannot manage to pull silk ribbon through this block. I started with SRE, but had to give up before doing much at all.

I added the two faux seams in the large expanse of green silk noil hillside and I'm glad now that I did. I think it balances the block.

And stay tuned for Pane #3 where you'll see the hillside continued

Been Busy!

Playing with Ozcraft Dyes
Originally uploaded by lasassone.

Today I let my hair down & had some fun playing with my Ozcraft Dyes. I had some basic white motifs here that came in this challenge packet and they didn't fit on the project anymore. The 2 pieces at the bottom were left natural colours but the rest of the pieces I antiqued. That rose in the upper left area is a crocheted motif made, I think, from Knit-Crosheen. I wasn't sure it would take the dye very well, but it turned out lovely.

The pieces that look more peach than pink are for my next project which is a pillow for a friend who did G and I a huge favor. I hope she likes it.

Back to Stitching and Beading on the window panes!

Tree on the Hill

Naked Tree
Originally uploaded by lasassone.

I had never done any broderie perse before and that is how I this tree is applied to the upper right "pane" of the window project. I used Heat & Bond Light to apply the tree but that doesn't hold permanently - especially I would think on the fancy fabrics that are in this block.

I started out using a hoop, but ended up doing the last half of the tree without a hoop. A lot of the tips of the branches had come loose but they are secure now!

I used 1 strand of silk floss for this technique, which, if I understand it correctly, involves doing teeny tiny buttonhole stitch on all edges. At least that is what I did and I'm mostly happy with the results.

Now on to dressing the tree in it's Spring blossoms!

A Day Late & a Dollar Short

MaySnowman
Originally uploaded by lasassone.

That's what my Mum used to say .... frequently to me because I've ALWAYS been a procrastinator.

Here's my May block for the challenge on thebluerose-redwork list at yahoo. I'm doing these in Southwestern colors, as I've mentioned before. They are fairly easy designs to stitch. The only hard part has been deciding what color to put where. All except the snowman him or herself - they will always be this pretty blue!

Now back to my challenge piece! Only 9 days to go! It has to be mailed on the 10th of June, but I'm sure I'll be up late the night of the 9th.....