Sunday, July 15, 2018

OPEN REGISTRATION - Basic Crazy Quilt Course - 15-17 July

Please read the ENTIRE post before you email your registration information. Thank you :)

 
Basic Crazy Quilt Course (BCQC-1) is open for REGISTRATION until midnight on 17 July (Central Standard Time) 
  
NOTE: I do not accept late registrations for classes...you need to register within the dates of the open registration period. I'm sorry, but I just have too much going on to keep up with early or deal with late registrations.
 
This is a FREE online class. It is self-paced, and expected to take 4-8 weeks, depending on the time you have available to complete the 12 assigned Tasks.
 
 
These 12-Tasks include:
 
1 - How to Use the Class Blog
2 - Selecting Supplies
3- Design Principles of CQ
4 - Sewing the Block
5 - Surface Beading Techniques
6 - Template Seams
7 - Shape Seams
8 - 11 Various Silk Ribbon Flowers
12 - Finishing (lace, charms, etc.)
 
The class is FREE, you will not be charged anything for the instructions. You will need to obtain your own supplies as I do not sale kits.
 
Link to the Basic Supply List 
 
Basic CQ supplies include silk ribbon, pearl cotton threads, tiny beads, etc. as the photo above indicates. None of these are in large quantity for a single block that measures about the size of a sheet of print paper.
 
You will be required to use a quilting hoop (Q-snap is fine).
You WILL be required to access the private class blog (upon an invitation sent to you) and post photos of your work as you progress through the class. This is an ON-LINE course, so basic computer skills are needed (printing documents, uploading photos, etc.).

  If you are interested in taking this course, please email me at shaw.kathy@yahoo.com and provide me this information:
Your first name
Your last name
You country of residence
Your state of residence IF you live in the USA
The email address you wish me to send class instructional handouts to.
 
After you register, I will send you a Welcome Email AND Google/Blogger will send you (at my request) an Invitation to join the Class Blog where the class will be held. Watch for BOTH of these emails, check your spam folder.
 
Because this is an ON-LINE internet class:
You will need to follow some simple instructions to register and gain access to the private class blog. Your name and email will need to be entered; but NO social security or credit card information is required. Just basic information to "recognize" you as a class participant.
 
You will need to be able to take a photo of your work, and upload it to the class blog. You will get instructions on "blogging" so don't worry if you don't currently do that now; you will learn.
But, you DO NEED to have an operating camera and be able to take photos.
You do need a basic understanding of how to save these photos and then retrieve those picture files. IF you use an IPad to take photos...you will need to email them to yourself, download them to your computer, and then upload to the class blog. If you use a phone or camera...follow the instructions for that specific camera to upload photos to your computer.
 
NOTE: You will be given class handouts/instruction in the form of emails and pdf documents.
 The pdf files can be opened with Adobe Reader (free software on the Adobe.com site)

 You need to be able to open these handouts/instructions and save them.
You can also print as you desire. In total, the course contains over 200 pages of information...so paper/printer will be required if you want to retain a hard copy of this information.
 
Hugs, and I hope to see you in the class! 
 
This Basic CQ Class (BCQC-1) is a REQUIRED course...before you can sign up to any of the other crazy quilt courses offered throughout the year. You begin with this course.
 
After you register...expect an invitaion to the course site before the morning of the 18th.
 
HUGS!

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

TEMPLATES are here (no more having to make your own)!!!

Yeah...look what is available now. They're here!



Etsy Shoppe
Embroidery Stitch Templates

I'm so excited! For the past few months, Janet of Creative Impressions and I have been working on the production/distribution of a new set of Embroidery Stitch Templates.

Yesterday, a case landed on my doorstep....thank you UPS guy!

So, I've loaded all of the information into my Etsy Shoppe (link above)...and these are available now for all of my followers and students (and their friends).

The set comes flat and is about the size of a booklet...so ships in a plain shipping envelope for minimal cost.

There are 5 pages of transparent, flexible plastic template sheets.

While they can be used just as is...my recommendation is to cut these apart into individual seam/motif templates. I've included dashed lines between so you can easily see where to cut them apart. A pair of utility scissors or a rotary cutter/mat is all you need.

I just cut these apart by scoring with my rotary cuter and then folding/snapping them apart. In this photo you can see some of the Straight Stitch Templates and some of the unique Motif Templates like the starts, flowers, hearts, etc.

Each individual template has the "type" of stitch base the template is for. You can see the actual seam marked on the template, and there will be little "holes" punched where each needle-up/needle-down position would be for that size/type of embroidery stitch seam.

Each individual template also has a single slightly larger hole punched out near the end...and the entire set (which took me about 5 minutes to cut apart) can be easily organized by placing on a key ring (like my Mrs. Owl here)...or tied together with cording/ribbon, etc.

The templates are clear so you can easily line them up along your seams for crazy quilt blocks...or even use them to mark hand embroidery on other projects!

If you have taken one of my free crazy quilt classes, or purchased any of my books...you have already gotten a short lesson on how to use this type of template. But, if you have not done either of these...here's a little recap for you:

USING TEMPLATES TO MARK CQ SEAMS:

1) Determine what embroidery template you would like to use and then place it on top of your finished fabric crazy quilt block...along a seam.
For the photo above, I'm using the #4 Herringbone Stitch base template and aligning the short "X" stitches top along the sewn seam line (see the arrow).

2) Use your pencil to place a "dot" in each of the holes. (I do this by placing the tip of the pencil into a hole...then "push down & twist"...but can't show that and hold the camera and push the shutter button with only two hands).
It is important to remember to hold the template steady...and push down hard enough to leave a dot. I like to lay my block on the table (or other hard surface) to mark my seams...then hoop the block to do the stitching.

3) The result is a series of little "dots" marking where the needle up/down placements are for this specific stitch (herringbone in this example).

Now, you do need to still know how to create a herringbone stitch...but the template also includes the photo of the actual finished stitching...so that can help guide you....


as you actually create the seam.

Continue to embroider the base seam following the little dots...until the entire seam is finished.

If your seam is longer than the template, just mark...then slide the template along the seam (aligning with the previous marked "dots"), and continue until you reach the end of the seam.

This completes the basic seam.

However, you can also continue using the "motif" templates to add even more stitching to a BASE SEAM.

4) Just align a motif template (here we're using the 5-prong template) wherever you might want that embroidery object to appear. For this example, we'll add several of these 5-prongs to one side of the seam...spacing them along the seam design.

The template shows the straight stitches for the 5-prong...(see arrow, hard to see in this photo).

These are marked in the same way...with "dots" in the little holes of the template.

Then, embroider as the design shows (usually using simple Straight Stitches) to create the motifs. In this example, I've added a series of these 5-prongs down one side of the base herringbone seam.

The seam is fine as is...and would be great on a traditional style crazy quilt or even as an adornment on the border of a traditional quilt.

BUT, we can keep adding "layers" of embellishment to make it more modern.

This photo shows the addition of small seed beads to the 5-prong motif elements; and round beads to some of the herringbone base stitches, plus glass flower spacer beads with seed bead centers to the base of the 5-prong elements.

This photo shows more layers...a trio of Fargo Roses in silk ribbon, with Detached Chain Stitch leaves on the opposite side of the seam from the 5-prong elements.

Lastly, the finished seam now includes some crystal montee slides between the Fargo Roses.

So, I hope you can appreciate that a complex looking seam...is really just a simple BASE SEAM with layers of other embellishing. That base seam...is neat, straight, and uniformly space because we marked the needle-up/down positions of the embroidery using a template.

Templates are available at my Etsy Shoppe and at Janet's Creative Impressions site (as soon as she can get the photo loaded). She also has other crafting, scrapbooking, and embellishing supplies...so I hope you will check her site out EVEN if you choose to get the templates from my Etsy Shoppe.

Hugs (as always)...Kathy

















Thursday, June 14, 2018

Round Robins Stitching

My stitching lately has been dedicated to seams for the Facebook Group, "Modern Crazy Quilt Seams" and two CQI Round Robins...thought you might like to see some of the round robin photos:













The little mama deer is a machine embroidery patch. These are really "time savers" if you can find realistic ones to sew in place, then surround with plants, etc.

Friday, April 13, 2018

American Patchwork & Quilting Podcast with Pat Sloan

If you have some time on Monday, around 4:00 Eastern time, listen in on Pat Sloan's pod cast...and you'll hear my voice. :)

You can listen to the podcast on your computer or tablet if you subscribe to iTunes (search American Patchwork & Quilting), or download to a player!



Monday, February 26, 2018

ATC and Spring Flowers


What a great day...beginning on some long overdue Artist Trading Cards and enjoying the flowers of Spring.

Headed to Dollar General to pick up a few things, and got this little sign for my porch (great buy at $3.50). It put me really in the Spring mood...so took the camera outside so I could get a few photos of the new flowers popping up all over the yard.





Of course, these also mean that my sinusitis is driving me crazy...but who cares!?! I'll gladly deal with that to give up the dreary cold weather. :)

Hope you have some blooms to admire as well in your yard!

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Monday, December 18, 2017

Sunday, December 17, 2017

Saturday, December 16, 2017

Thursday, December 14, 2017

Lace Motif Set #2

The lace motifs I posted about a few days ago have almost sold out...only one set is left. So, I decided to add a different grouping to the Etsy Shop today. There are four pieces of lace in this new set.

Lace #1:



This is a four-inch wide rayon that I special ordered for my niece's wedding gown. It is gorgeous, high quality and off white. Not pure white, but when is not next to another white...it does appear to be white it is so light.

Lace #2, #3 and #4:



These next three pieces are truly white, and are also a great quality...and also rayon. So, every piece in this collection would be great for dying any color in the rainbow. Lace #2 could be cut into small motifs or used as a seam lace since it is 1.5" wide. The second lace is a great seam lace being it is only 1/5 inch tall. The bottom lace is the widest of all at 5 1/2 inches and could easily be cut into 3 different widths (separate between swag/bottom rose AND bottom rose/other rose leaves). Or, cut totally apart into individual swag, rose, leave motifs for multiple crazy quilt projects.

There are about 8 sets I think...well see as I unwind to measure out. I started the site with quantity of five just to be sure I had the amount listing. :)

Trim sets are also getting low...so check those out when you visit the site. Hugs!


Monday, December 11, 2017

Buttercream Candies

Still working on candies...after talking to my cyber stitching pal Mary Anne Richardson. Here is the link to the original recipe she used from Averiecooks. These are "traditional" butter mints...but since mine are not all mint flavored...I'm changing the name to Buttercream Candies.



I adjusted the process/recipe just a bit because I had gotten Wilton's "Treatology" set of pure extracts for Christmas baking this year...and wanted to try more flavors than just the traditional peppermint (which of course I also made). The results were great...ingredients are few..and I had everything on hand already...so win win!

RECIPE (My way)

1/4 cup softened butter (salted)
2 cup sifted confectioner's sugar
1 cup sifted confectioner's sugar (halfed)
4 Tablespoons sifted confectioner's sugar (halfed) 
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
Extract (see recipe instructions)
food coloring 

I used the paddle attachment on my mixer for the entire process (rather than switching to the dough hook). Instead of doing her entire recipe...I did part of it, then halfed that..and continued. Here are the instructions:

1) Place 1/4 cup softened butter and 1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk into mixer bowl. Add the 2 cups of sifted confectioner's sugar (1/2 cup at a time...mixing between to combine). This creates the "base" mixture. The consistency is about like good buttercream frosting at this point.


2) Half the base mixture...so you now have two parts to add flavor/coloring to. Place one half into a separate bowl but you can leave the first half in the mixer bowl.



3) For each "base" mixture...add 1/2 cup confectioner sugar and continue beating on medium speed until incorporated.



4) Add your food coloring (optional) and your extract. I used pure extracts so my amount was 1/4 teaspoon for each base mixture. Begin with that, taste...and add more if you want. Incorporate with the mixture, or with a flat wooden spoon.



This will create a "pea size" type of mixture...similar to pie dough before it becomes actual dough).


5) Remove the mixer paddle. Scrap the bowl down. Add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar and knead it into the mixture. You should now have a dough that feels about like children's PlayDough. Form into a ball or log and wrap in plastic wrap. Set aside. (you can refrigerate...if you are going to have to walk away for a while). (NOTE: This is too thick to go through a Cookie Press...as you can see above, I tried...so don't waste your time if you had that idea. :) Hugs!)



6) For each of the flavors made...divide into 4 parts. Each will be about a large as a golf ball at this point. Roll each part into a cigar shape/size. Cut into individual candies with a pastry cutter, knife, or pizza cutter (if you are that talented). I cut mine to about 1/4 inch thick pieces. Place on cookie sheets and let "air dry" for about an hour before placing into airtight containers.


The "airing out" helped the candies get a little crust on the outside which I think will help them to keep from sticking together.



If you are really motivated...you can roll this out like sugar cookies...and cut into shapes. I tried that...but it is entirely too much work IMHO. Perhaps for a wedding or special event...or if you have "helpers" in the kitchen.


One recipe makes two base batches...so you can have two flavors. I repeated the recipe/process and had four flavors: Lemon, Peppermint, Apricot/Champagne, and MochaLatte/Caramel. All are wonderful...so I will be doing this recipe again for sure! THANKS again MaryAnne!


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