next project - Crazy Quilt
 

This is a Molly Mine design.

I started out doing a test block to see if I'd like going very scrappy.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psh6kgv392.jpg

Did not care for it much - too busy and not what I was hoping for.

So I dug out my Handspray fabrics - between layer cakes, charm squares and yardage I have 20 or more different colors. I'm doing the outline satin stitch in black.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pspxmdv5nb.jpg

I like this one much better! I plan on sashing with black. The pattern has 20 blocks, and I may make some duplicates but not decided on how big I want it to end up.

Your fancy stitching shows up much better on the second sample.

I've done a lot of MollyMine designs because I love them, but you do need to be a bit mindful of the background fabrics. I use a lot of scraps and the basket never seems to empty so I've done a few blocks with busy fabrics that resulted in the lovely stitching getting lost. Have fun!!

Glad to see a picture of the work done.

Now if I can just find my curved blade scissors! I'm sure I had a small pair with red handles. I can picture them clearly . . . (but I might be imagining that too) they aren't in any of the normal places, which probably means I have them in a box somewhere with the last project I was using them on. I've not had a reason to want to use them for a couple of years.

While digging around, I did find my small pair of "crane" embroidery scissors that I'd forgotten I had. So I'm using the for the trimming until I can find the others.

On a good note, if I go through everything looking for the scissors, I might get a better handle on my UFO's. Hmmm- I didn't look out in the LA shed. They shouldn't be out there, but one never knows . . .

Your block looks so pretty.
I wondered, are you embroidering on a batting piece?
Good luck with your scissor search. I am on day 4 of my 'handy little scissors on a clip on leash' search. Did they get mixed in with the garbage? fall into a bin? I sure miss them. How do these things get so lost in one room?

coffeecozy, I am not using any batting as I'll quilt them after the top is assembled. I have an LA so it's easy to do. I'd love to use it for some trapunto work at some point in time.

Hey -that reminded me of the last time I used my curved needle scissors! I was doing trapunto work - need to find the tote that is stored in and hope they are there!

Right now I have the "help" of a couple of teenage cats - they love taking scraps of fabric and putting them in the toilet (they the fish them out and drag the wet stuff around). They also take just about anything else they fancy, so I've had to get much better at putting things away. I've had one youngster at a time in the past, and two is about five times the trouble as one!

yea! I found them!

They were not with the trapunto, but it made me more motivated to look harder. Turns out they were in one of the drawers I have thread in, but I missed them the first time as there was some paperwork laying on top at the back of the drawer, and I had not looked underneath.

I always get after my husband to look with his hands and not just his eyes (he never looks underneath anything) and if I'd followed my own advice, I'd have found them a few days ago.

here is the second block

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pssokrbbrh.jpg

and a picture of the fabric I'm using. Lots of colors to choose from!

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psyn93nkyw.jpg

Congrats on finding your scissors.
Love the fabric colours. That will make a lovely quilt.
So now I am curious, when you quilt it how will you deal with your fancy stitch lines? Will you quilt over them or just stitch in the ditch between the blocks?

I got really tired of losing my seam ripper, so I have 3, and they are all on colorful shoe lace leashes. I highly recommend this for small, easily lost essential items. We have done it with remotes, too. Excellent results.


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I had never heard of a shoelace leash!! Great idea!!

here are the blocks I've completed the last few days. It was nice having the machine working while I was arranging stuff to make room for the new machine.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psoqrrqphk.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psmykn0x3y.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psvhu7ejka.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psou24wyi8.jpg

I had to move the embroidery machine to the middle spot. I use to have it with the Juki 2010 to the front, but I had to slide the Juki forward to remove the embroidery arm. Now that I've swapped out the 2010 for a Juki 8700, moving the Juki out of the way isn't going to happen! So it's on the end now.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psw1dzdbdk.jpg

Haven't sewn on it much other than the test sewing at the dealer's shop. I bought it from the same place as my embroidery machine, serger, HQ long arm, sashiko machine and my Scan N Cut. They are my favorite toy store!

Love the blocks you have made. They keep getting prettier. It's nice to see all the machines set up and ready to go when you want. That is my goal too.

here is an update on the blocks completed the last week. I'm up to 12 so 8 more to go. After I get these done, I want to do a set using my selection of fabrics and trims I'm using on my "antique wedding" crazy quilt.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pso08nlxsw.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pstiju6ehq.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psl2e3nffp.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps8myiemuq.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ps8lhizbch.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pscgfchsqb.jpg

Some very pretty stitches; enjoy seeing your blocks, they are all so beautiful and can't wait to see them all put together.

Those are so cute. I need to check out the Molly Mine designs.

Since 2 of my nieces said I need to rest to recover faster from my sinus infection, I have time to surf the web. :). I am heading to the sewing machine soon, however.

Beautiful Blocks Macybaby. Great machine setup. Looks like it's a fun place to be!!

Very creative. I love how the solids show off the stitches (and keep it from being too busy).

Your blocks are beautiful. Almost makes me want to get out the embroidery unit for my Janome. Almost.

These blocks are going to make a beautiful quilt.

Here are teh rest of the blocks that go with this set of 20. Have not decided how I am going to assemble them into a quilt, so I don't know if I'm going to need to make more.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psfjrs5lj9.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psliajs85q.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psdyjn11ka.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psookhyyv0.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psfjpokjfy.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...pstrbehtld.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psdwqty2rn.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psyb5h1zja.jpg

I wanted to try these using my vintage lace and see how that worked.

Not decided if I like having the pastel colors, or if I'd prefer it with white/beige tones only. I think the pastels may make it look more like a baby quilt than I was hoping for.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...psoxncimrf.jpg

these are terrific blocks

Your blocks are beautiful! When you quilt it, won't the quilting compete with the fancy stitches?

not if I'm careful how I quilt. I may use invisible thread and just outline the more open areas of the design. Or possibly go just along side of the satin stitching around the fabrics. If I do sashing I'll quilt more there, and if not I'll stitch in the ditch around each block.

Love this look.

beautiful Macy. Must be something in the air, I've been playing with crazy samples. The most recent reject was with gifted selvedges :) from a member here. but I still think the idea has possibilities. Looking forward to seeing your blocks going together.

what size hoop are you using

I am using my 9.5" hoop, but bought the design for the 9" block that finishes at 8.5"

I'm working on the 8th block for the neutral set - I'm liking more as I get more blocks done. It's kind of tedious dealing with the lace though. I stitch out the applique lines, then rough cut the fabric. I do this by laying the fabric over the stitching, fold and finger press the lines, then cut about a half inch away. Then I start digging through my lace and lay that out on the cut pieces. The next step is to determine exactly where I want the lace placement and I glue it to the fabric. I am using my Pfaff embroidery machine and zigzagging the edge of the lace down, using invisible thread and stabilizer underneath. ( so I can leave the Babylock set up for embroidery) I remove the stabilizer, then start appliqueing them to the fabric in the hoop- also gluing them down to stitch. I'll put down as many pieces at one time as I can, remove the hoop and trim, and lay another set down. It usually takes 3-4 stitching to get them all down, trimmed and ready to start the embroidery part. That all takes about an hour per block.

I want to do a set with all white on white, and a wider range of beige/cream/tan thread (no pastels or lace) and see how that turns out. I've decided I'll leave the lace for the set of crazy quilt blocks I've been working on that have fancy machine stitching, but are not done in the hoop. That is a set of 100 blocks and I've got about half done. Have not worked on it in over a year though. . .

They are all beautiful! I may have to give this a try.

Love the blocks. Thank you for sharing. You have given me so many ideas on what I can do with my scraps!

Macy, they are gorgeous!!! You've done a fantastic job on them.

Great blocks Cathy. They just keep getting better and better. I like the "bit" of pastels in the neutral blocks. But, they would be beautiful in the just white and beige thread also.

I need to get back to these. I have them done and the excess stabilizer removed. Not sure how I want to put them together though. I have a set of 12.