Crazy Quilting and more

Some of you know that Sharon Boggins is coming to the US next year. HURRAH! Our SF Bay Area will be one of her stops. To ensure that anyone who wants to take her classes has the necessary prerequisites, the shop Always Quilting and I are putting on a CQ Retreat weekend. The shop wanted something to display so I worked madly and put together the front panel for a hussif (Victorian sewing roll). It still needs some more embellishment, but I didn't want the example to be tooooooo challenging to newbie CQ people. So consider these to be "in process" pics. The piece is set for a finished size of 25" long and 8" wide.





Next up, is to do 4 to 6 blocks - 8" blocks with the set of agreed upon stitches. I have 3 patterns the shop made in their EQ6 program from which I'll make card pattern pieces. Since we will give these to the students, I had better test them out first. Then I'll do a couple blocks freeform. The shop also gave me an advance pack of fat quarters for the new Kaufman fabrics designed by Judith Montano Baker. I also purchased some silks from the JMB collection from Treenway silks. I have some additional threads I'll probably add in, but at least the base will have a predetermined set of color matches.

In case anyone is wondering, I do my CQ embroidering using Qsnaps. I find that they work better on square/rectangular things. I like being able to see all/most of what I am working on to avoid working myself into a corner/block.

However, I can't get started on the blocks until next week. We are off this weekend to an invitational only tournament. It promises to be hot - 90-100 all weekend (nights in the mid-60's). Haven't figured what project I'll take with me. The site has a red clay dirt so I don't think I'll take the lace (LOL). I have some alpaca in a reddish color - the whole fleece, that needs spinning so maybe that will be an idea. For now, off to finish the 2nd chair cover and to unearth ALL the banners -- 2 for the pavilion, 2 for the field decoration poles, 2 for the feast hall. Wish we had a new gambeson and fighting over tunic for Will. Oh well, next time.

Pictures as Promised

Whew!!! Stopping for a quick break to fulfill the promise made a few posts ago.

For June Crown I made lanyards on some awls as thank-yous to the ladies who did the embroidery for the Kneeling Carpets. Each is done on the muradai rather than fingerloop braiding. I could get a more even tension and it gave me practice for kumihimo.


As a gift to our current Queen, Kaaren, some of us did bits of embroidery to go on her persian coat. I was assigned a rose. We were given the threads, fabric premarked, and complete discretion on stitches. I did the outlines in stem/outline stitch, filled with chain for the petals, a version of leaf for the leaves, outline for the accents, and beads for the center. I also whipped the outer petals with gold thread. It reads pretty well for a piece approximately 4" in diameter. It must have been okay since it was placed on the center front right panel top -- just under where a belt would be placed.


At A&S I turned into Her Majesty Kaaren the gift bag for Pennsic. Our giftee was Atenvelt. I was assured by Their Majesties that the bag would be a point of contention for the recipients (as in which Majesty would get to keep the bag). I can only hope so --- LOL! It is made of heavy blue wool with gold wool applique. It was large enough for a 4" binder. I did the applique accents in black silk. Other accents are in gold and blue wool threads.


More on my latest project anon.

Rollercoaster

Whew! Managed to pickup Jane at the airport even with her plane an hour late. I used the time to visit Michaels and pick up 2 of everything she listed for us to bring. Somethings were in the alternative, but I figured there is always someone who can not find the necessary items or who didn't get the supplies list. We ran by the store to get a look at the space and design our set up. Met up with the class organizer and made sure everything was a go. Since the pickup was on fighter practice night, I warned Jane that there would be a strange man arriving home late. In fact she might not even see him even in the am since he was taking the MDX in for servicing and would be leaving early.

Will left early and I had just finished dressing when I received a call "Honey you need to come get me. I'm okay, but I've been in an accident." The accident was about 1.5 miles south on Hwy 1. It took me forever to get there. I called the class organizer to come pick up Jane since I didn't know when I would get there.

Will was at a stop light. He was stopped. He was rear ended by a newish pickup truck. It spun him 180 degrees and into the left turn lane. Fortunately, there was no cross traffic. The pickup stopped about 100 yards - he never braked. BOTH drivers walked away. So.... the MDX is no more. If you want to see pictures of the demise of the MDX ... It did its job and Will is okay -- a bit bruised and shaken, but okay. Went to the doc and he didn't find anything broken fortunately. Have spent large portions of several days with insurance companies since and it is not over yet.

Spent large portions of the day being Will's driver to work, the doc, etc. Spent a bit of time in class and picked up Jane at the end with Will along. He was still a bit dazed over the event.

Thoroughly enjoyed my remaining 3 days of class with Jane. She is delightful as a person and extremely knowledgeable as a teacher. She claims she is a bit of a martinet, but I found her to be very kid glove in guiding the class and ensuring that everything is adequately covered. Learned lots - lots of little hints and tricks that make things easier. I had commented on her name tag and asked how she did the pomegranate. She had me turn to the page of her book and started to walk me through it. I promptly said - I understand it now!

No time to practice unfortunately. Spent Tuesday with my EGA meeting, planning the CQ weekend in November and teaching Tuesday evening. Then had to finish the handout for the filet lace class and the Pennsic presentation bag for Saturday. The class went well - 5 students! The bag was delivered with 2 lengths of inkle trim in blue and gold and 2 dozen lavendar wands. Yes I took pics. I'll post a series of pics soon - I promise.

This week is more family history stuff and doing a bit of CQ. Need to have an example or 2 for the shop's booth at the County Fair. We want lots of signups for the November weekend. They need about 20 to cover the basic costs plus the cost of having me. Seems a bit strange to be charging serious bucks for my teaching, but it is 3 full days. Should be lots of fun.

Eyes Crossing

Running fast the next few days. I have the pleasure of being Jane Nicholas's hostess while she is on this side of the bay. She is teaching a basic class and an intermediate class for us. 

I understand stumpwork in theory. I looked at lots of it during the UK trip. Now for some hands on at the feet of an expert. I am so looking forward to this.

Adventures in Fingerloop Braiding

Almost forgot to share.... I entered the narrow wares competition at June Crown and won (grin).

I had been doing some fingerloop braiding - nothing complicated before we went to England. Then part of the class was doing some fancier loop manipulation with Jacqui Carey who is one of THE experts. Lots of things went "ding" during that portion of the class. She also introduced us to a new, for me, source - Lady Bindloss's manuscript - 2nd qtr. 17th C.

Part of my problem with reading Spies or the CA#108 by Swales and Williams was, it didn't click for me. Their way of walking you through the moves didn't line up with the way my brain works. Tak Bowes I can use easily. Carey I understand easily. Once I saw through Bowes and then Carey "the how", I could return to Spies and the CA and understand most of what was being said. It no longer was a foreign language.

When I returned I wanted to do some more fingerloop braiding to cement the knowledge. Spent a couple weeks reviewing the materials - including scans of and redactions of period books. Some of the books have samples of the braids glued to the pages of the book.

For the entry I "created" a "book" of samples (bound the pages together with a braid). I started with reviewing the sources. Then showed half a dozen braids - the source, identified if there was a redaction from a printed source and if not gave my own, what the braid would have been used for, how the ends would have been finished, and then put the braid on the page (using a whole punch to make a place for the braid - versus glue). I did 5,7 and 8 loop braids including one with "split loops" (loops made from 2 colors). I also did "staff and crowns" on the marudai, and identified it as such; since it requires 2 braiders. Each example was done with a 2 ply silk which is about the right weight for the braids from the London finds; although it was probably a finer finished silk than I used for the examples.

It was fun to do. Met my need to "cement" the technique. The win was a great bonus.