CQ Crazy

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Just something else for you all to mull over!

I was on the phone to Australian Customs last week,in order to clarify what could have become a problem when some of our Round Robin blocks commenced the overseas leg
of their "back-packing" through Australia ,New Zealand,USA and UK before heading home back to Oz.
The block that sparked my concern had a beautiful little (wild-bird )feather on it,and knowing what treatment other swaps in other forums had experienced because of natural embellishments (i.e. straw,corn leaves,corn husks) I thought I'd better do a double check.

I've checked with Australian Customs:
It will leave Australia safely,but...
Customs in other countries will NOT be happy!
and........
it won't be allowed back into Oz with the feather in position

Of course,you could just NOT DECLARE the feather and take a risk of having the block confiscated or even mutilated.

So my advice to all and sundry:
Be law abiding!
These days,with Bird Flu viruslooming as a threat
we need to be more vigilant

If you particularly want to include a feather or something Customs may not like,why not take a photo of that embellishment in the position you fancy,and email that pic to the owner of the block (and if you're in the same country) mail it to the block's owner for her to add at her leisure.

So, please give your embellishments a little more thought..just in case!!
(end of sermon..back to stitching!)

Hi Maureen, here are your blackberries again - slightly clearer photo as I was supposed to be photographing the seam *rolls eyes* The seam is in oranges and is double herringbone and french knots. The colours echo those already added by becky on the other side of the berries.

I also added some blackwork acorns to your other block


The blocks will be packed up and posted to Helen in the morning.

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I chose to do the "Natural" block of Helen's. AS she is trying to get a variety of "natural" objects and threads this was a perfect chance to get some of the new DMC linen threads. I also had few of the colour range that Helen was hoping for. I used the colours of the fabrics in the block to choose the colours for the threads that I bought and then chose from those to make a small spray of Australian Natives. I embroidered a Flannel FLower in Perle cotton, used single linen for the stems and embroidery cotton for the wattle buds, embroidery cotton (Presencia Brand made in Spain) for the French knots to make a bottlebrush and Then used cup stitch to make a 3D gum blossom and embroidered a small flat one beside it also in perle and embroidery cottons.

Yesterday out in the garden I managed to find a feather to use on the seam embellishment, I stitched a feather stitch in linen (single thread) used a pinky brown to make french knots at the end of each feather and couched the pink feather down with silk embroidery thread.

I know you were hoping to use beige's to browns, so I hope this pretty rose pink to pale pinkish white does not take you too far off the original intent (I could have used a green and yellow or a blue and grey feather :D ) I think it came from a galah (my neighbour and I both conferred and came to this decision)

Hope you like it, Helen.

 
 
It's time to call a halt.......and leave room for someone else!
On both of Pinup's blocks I've tried to stay with the same theme(can you guess it?)
Three Art doll molds in air drying clay have been painted with Jacquard Lumiere paints,as has the small 'flower' of Tyvek film at the upper right hand of the pink faces;
Sari silk embroidery thread was employed for the hair-do and small beads completed the coiffure.
On the second block I've swirled a spray of SRE flowers, beads and another face across two patches.
I tried to follow Evie's suggestion of swirling across the patches and if anyone else wants to add to my spray........go for it!
I'll be mailing on to Becky ASAP. 

Becky's block is now on it's way to Sharon, at last. I finished stitching it this morning. As the section I embellished reminded me a little of tree bark, I decided to embroider some Aussie wildflowers on it. I began by sketching out a rough design on some paper. Once the placement looked okay to me, I threaded up my needle and started stitching, using what I call my 'freehand' embroidery. This almost always involves a little of what Maureen has coined 'frog stitching'(Rippit, rippit, rippit)LOL - as I don't transfer the design first.
There are some gumnuts and blossoms (eucalytus), bottlebrush (callistemon) and some wattle (acacia). FinallyI added some of our tiny stingless native bees. I stitched all of this with DMC stranded threads using straight stitches, french knots and lazy daisy stitch.
I thought I'd better not do any seam treatments as I had already taken up quite a large space.

Maureen, I hope you like blackberries :o) Fuller details on my blog

This is the block i've received from Robyn, in the Craft Forum, Mateship swap group. i love the colours Robyn has chosen and the dainty seams and embellishments. Margaret
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Here is a hint for J... This is my contribution to your block Can you guess what it is J???? Of course it is in keeping with your 'white on white' theme...

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received today 5.06.06

After an overnight pause and then viewing the block via the scanned image I decided that it needed some 'tweaking'... Firstly, I felt that the first wing 'disappeared' when compared to the second larger wing and because of the stitching lines the stitched wing made the crown also disappear - the eye followed all the lines and saw them all as the same if you can follow my drift... So to remedy both 'problems' I created another tulle wing-only smaller- the same as the larger one... I then double threaded the crown to give it more definenition... I also added some french knots in the variegated thread on the stomach to give eye interest and a 'challenge' ... I felt that the area behind the seahorse was a little empty and that the bubbles were just 'floating' without 'an anchor'... I added a single thread feather stitch seaweed trail to bring that portion of the block together... I am still unsure whether to add another starfish to the top of the block so that the eye is 'caught' on the colour and 'observes' and moves around the block rather than just gliding down the seaweed to the seahorse...

I made the choice not to add a seam treatment as I didn't want to separate the seahorse section from the rest of the block... I felt that if any of the other stitchers involved wanted to continue on with the scene then it would give some sort of continuation... Perhaps even roaming over the seam line would keep it all together - but of course it is up to each individual to make their own choices and stitch their bits... I only hope that the rest of the stitchers have as much fun as I have had... :-))) And of course I hope Helen likes it!!!!!!

Helen - here is your underwater block... I hope you like its new resident... I had lots of fun doing this and I would like to explore this theme on a big piece featuring this little fellow... I guess this is not quite crazy quilting more like textile art so I do hope that you are happy with it and like my interpretation of your theme... It decided that it would span two parts of the block - just moved right on in so to speak... LOL the fabric I made the seahorse out of was material I bought to make a shirt with about 20 years ago - I am so glad that I finally found a use for it...

Hope- This will be in the mail tomorrow by express post... I apologise for the time delay...

Now for a completely different theme - Jam_mam's 'white on white'...

I thought I would follow Jo's lead and post a general comment. I have just spent a very enjoyable time catching up on all the work going on in the rr. Things are looking lovely, i really like how my block is turning out so far and seeing everyone elses is great too LOL very inspiring. Still waiting for my second block to arrive so don't worry if it's taking a while to hear from me. I thought I had better ask if anyone doesn't want blackwork please do tell me, i wont be offended. I am not planning to do it on all the blocks, by the way, just in case you were worried ROFLM.

Looking forward to more lovely piccies, keep it coming girls. :o)

Here is the work I have done on lynettes block, the grass is cast on stitch-long ones, and the flowers are also cast on stitch- round ones. the only difference is where you bring you needle out of the fabric, close to where it went in (circles) or further away (lines) There is a small yellow french knot for some zing in the centre of the flowers. Lynette requested a garden theme for her blocks. I had much grander plans...but it's not my block and I was worried I would muck it up.
Still not sure if the stems need leaves??

 

......is rectangular in shape,and on this I've also used a back stitched 'vine' to which have been added some Japanese Violets.These were worked using Edmar Iris threads and bullion wraps varying in number between 37 and 45.
Originally I had stitched some other flowers here,but they looked a bit blah!(I mentioned I'd be doing some frog-stitch...On comparison with the pic of a week I think the added dimension of the bullions give more oomph to the block.I hope Joma is satisfied with the outcome.
Oh! the buds are acrylic beads for yet more texture. 

 
.....is ready to start its travels again to Backy in California.
I worked on the pale patch on the left hand side:it's a back stitched vine with vareigated silk ribbon flowers in soft lavendar,and a double Cretan stitch over the seam.