Crazy quilted tree skirt

Here are some photos of a tree skirt I made quite a few years ago.  It was one of the first crazy quilted items I ever made (maybe the 3rd or 4th project). I used a pattern that had the basic shape and adjusted the basic panels to be crazy quilted. First is the over all tree skirt

Here are some close up of the panels

 Detail of the spider....I love putting spiders in a crazy quilt. I read some where that they are suppose to bring good luck.

A few more...

A few more close ups.....

And here it is under the tree

Here is my doggie wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas!!!!

Next I have a Christmas crazy quilted wall hanging which I also made quite a few years ago. I will be posting it in a day or two....in the mean time...have a wonderful day......   :)

December CQJP

Well here is the last crazy quilt block for the year. Where did the year go? I want to say how much I have enjoyed this group of wonderfully talented people. I have had so much fun and this group has kept me on task! I have also enjoyed seeing everyone's work. I am actually going to do a 16 block crazy quilt for this project but here is the last of the 12 submitted blocks from the CQJP 2012. I only have 2 more blocks to finish for my full project and they are very close to being done but not quite there yet. Stay tuned for those but for now here is December's block:

Here are some close ups of the blocks.

The tatted snowflake I found at a senior thrift store and hand dyed and just embelleshed with beads and small pearls. The ferns are done using 3 different color teals (YLI 4 mm). All beads are sewn through twice and I usually take a small stitch in the back of the quilt to secure the bead. I will also  do a couple of knots to secure the beads so IF, by chance, they were to come lose someday the whole bunch will not fall off. But on a side note. I have never (yet) had any beads come off the surface of any of my crazy quilts. I use Nymo thread to sew the beads on. I use mostly black and white Nymo thread. But sometime use different color beading thread. Be careful thou because some of these colored threads will bleed if you get them wet.

Not sure if I will be able to finish this quilt like I was hoping for by the end of the year but that's OK....sometimes you just have to let things go and just except it. I will finish it soon just not before the end of the year. 

 

I also have a Christmas crazy quilt and stocking that as soon as I dig them out for the holidays I will post some pictures of. In the mean time have a wonderful week :)

Men's Silk Ties

Today I purchased some new silk ties from Goodwill. I just love men's silk ties. It's usually the first place I head for in a thrift store is the men's tie rack. I have collected quite a few of them over the years and often receive many of them as Christmas present from my family. Mainly cuz I always ask for them each year. I just want to share a few of the pictures of my stash.....

 

Here is a few more pictures of a little more of them...There is actually a small plastic container still full of ties under what you can see at the first picture.

Here is one of the quilts I have created with some of my ties. The quilt is a Dresden plate quilt. Each petal on the plates are made with ties and all of the leaves around the border are silk ties. I am still working on this quilt but only have a few more of the leaves yet left to applique. I hope to finish the top of this quilt very soon. I'm not sure if I want to hand quilt this quilt when the top is finished or machine quilt it. Hand quilting would require so much more time (even thou I would do something simple). Machine quilting I could just get the quilt finished. I have been working on it for a very, very long time, 5+ years and would really just like to see it finished.

 

 

 

The next quilt I plan to make with these ties will probably be a crazy quilt. But I am open for suggestion on how to use my remaining stash since I really have so many beautiful men's ties to still use up.....any thoughts?  Hope you enjoy the pictures....

Oct BJP

Well...I hope everyone had a wonderful Thankgiving! I just want to give thanks for all of you that follow and visiting my blog. I have meet so many kind and talented people thru the internet and my blog. I just really want to thank you for visiting here.

 

So, here is my beaded rock for Oct....yes still a little behind but catching up slowly. It naws at me to be behind. So now all I'll have is this month's rock (Nov) and Dec. I can't believe the year has gone by so quickly. I have already registered for next years BJP (also CQJP) but I haven't really decided what I'm going to do but I'm pretty sure it will be something completely different. That is what is so fun about beading. There are sooooo.... many wonderfully different things one can do with beads!

 

This month's rock has a little lizard hiding on a leaf like they would in their natural habitat. I've always liked reptiles. When I was a little younger I actually had a lizard with very similar colors as this guy on the rock. He was mostly green with a bright blue tail. Well, here are a few pictures:

 

 

And here are some pictures of my doggie just cuz she's pretty and I love her:

 

 

Hope you enjoy  :) And everyone have a wonderfully creative week  :)

Beaded rock

BJP September

 

Here is my beaded rock for Sept. I know that I'm a little behind, but this month I am going to play catch up. Just finished my bee rock. I decided on a honey bee this time because of the plight that the honey bee faces in this country recently. Honey bees are facing a serious crisis in our country right now and disappearing at an alarming rate and scientist are not really sure why. I think any of us that are gardeners knows how important this little fella is when it comes to pollination. Many of us have heard a little about the problem but we truly don't realize how serious it is. One of the suspects are the new hybrid plants that they are producing that have the insecticide right in the plants as it grows. I am a strong proponent of organic foods and eat organic when ever they are available. Here is just one more reason to support organic growers. Educate yourself about the food you put in your body. Eat organic and support Non GMO foods.

 

 

 Hope you enjoy my little bee and next I'm working on a little lizard. He's about half finished so stay tuned.....Have a great day  :)

Nov CQJP block

Here is the block that I have submitted for the Novenber CQJP. I had posted pictures of this earlier (May, I think). I tried to put a tree branch in this block so the spider web would have a place to set. I also made the large flower towards the bottom of the block by cutting out silk ribbon and burning the edges. It turned out ok but next time I will make it a little smaller. I really like how the brown leaves turned out by the flower. There is also a tutorial on how to do the spider web if anyone is interested. Again, I think it is listed under one of the May headings.

As I said earlier, I have been working on other things lately and have set the crazy quilting aside. Well it's time to pick it up again with only a month left. Yikes, where did the year go? We had our first snow yesterday. Only about an inch or so but I know more will be coming soon. Hope you enjoy this months block