Stitching Time!

It is still snowing here in Istanbul, everywhere is under the white blanket, I love to read other blogs, still Christmas and New Year messages are posted, I enjoy to read them....

To sit in our warm homes when our furry friends watching us or sleeping near by, isn't it so lovely to stitch, create wonderful things?

 This image  is an adorable  for me with so much wonderful details, who doesn't want them in their own studio?

 Yes, it is really stitching time in these cold and snowy days.  But, I already have same old story, right hand tendonitis problem came back once again!!! I did overwhelmed in the past months, travels, carrying trolleys and some other hard works are the main causes.... I'm in a special  medicine cure again. I believe that stitching is a wonderful way to lose ourselves, even for a brief time and soothe our souls. I hope I'll be able to stitch soon and share them with you all.

Greetings from snowy Istanbul, wishing you a pleasant weekend, stay well&warm!!!

Last RR job done!

I've started Downton Abbey, DYD RR with great excitement. But, so sad that many incoming and outgoing mail problem ruined RR, it caused a disappointment for us.

I'm also so sad that  one of my partner's block got lost on the way. She made another one and I just completed my work on it. After having lots of stress related with the postage problems, I decided not to join any RRs. 

Theresa's block is my last work on a RR block. I hope she likes what I did on her block.

I tried to pay a special attention on her lovely block, which is all my favorite colors. As I always do, I tried to create something special...Especially this block was with Downton Abbey theme, should look rich!!!...My followers know me well, I love heavily embellished blocks.

 I started from the longest patch, added one of my beaded oya lace long the seam. In this block I used symmetrical  trios, oya flowers, laces, seam treatments etc. I used them all three pieces.

I used various types of beads on the seam treatments, I stitched chain stitches to cover seam assembly lines. I did them with  metallic Kreinik threads.

My right hand tendon problem still exist, therefor I'm unable to make SRE work, however, I did lots of beading on Theresa's block. I'm so glad that I found so many neat color beads, pearls in my stash, I used them in a harmony.

This photo shows final of the block, I enjoyed so much to work on Theesa's block. Now, it is ready to start its long way to WA, USA. 

This winter I'll not join any other RRs, just I'll try to complete some UFPs and start new projects. 

Wishing all the best, happy stitching....

2016 Crazy Quilt Calendar just released

It is still so hot but it is already September, only four months for the New Year!

Pamela Kellogg's 2016 Calendar just released, I'm looking forward to get my own copy to review it.

By the way, I'm so excited for being "May page" of that lovely project. I did a special block according to project format. My  friends, followers know it well that I keep some items for the special  projects, I used lots of them to create my "May block".Pam sent me a lovely blue bird photo, I printed and decided to create a block  mostly with blue+pink colors. 

I just used a dark blue color lace trim and golden color ric-rac and a beaded lace, I did all other seam treatments myself. 

There were some dark blue+blue+white combo little oya flowers, I put them on to pink patch, my little bird now looking them:)) The fabric of that mentioned patch specially hand dyed from our southern part. I love to use those fabrics for the quilts that I make according to paper piecing method,  their performance is great, no comparison with the standard cotton fabrics.

As I mostly do, I used a Chevron stitch as a base, kept stitching, added lots of beads, with some contrast colors. I especially made some long patches to create long seam treatments.

 I added some other stiff type oya flowers on the dark blue patch, they really popped up. I did spider rose flowers with variegated silk ribbon. It is our locally produced silk ribbon. I really like their natural color scheme. I also used same type of ribbons to create leaves and other SRE works, as well.

As I told before, I used many special items. My vintage Czech  buttons the most important ones. Their story is interesting for me. I was going to Ankara frequently during my daughter's college years. One day, I went to an old store that was selling elegant accessories in my youth, as being a naval family, we located in different places, one of them was Ankara, our capitol city. My mother's choice was always haute couture and she was getting real special things from that shop for her tailor made dresses. After all those years that little shop's goodies were still so exclusive. I selected lovely trims and I noticed a small button but it was on their little showcase. He told me if I've interested in with buttons he could bring me some boxes from storage. I waited a few minutes, he came back with two boxes which were full of Czech buttons. He said, these are only samples, most of them discontinued products, I bought them long time ago, nobody interested in with them, just select as you wish just pay a symbolic money. You can imagine what I felt that moment, I bought lots of wonderful buttons. But, I still blame myself, why I didn't buy those two boxes with all those buttons!!! In those days I was a Newbie, I didn't know the value of  them.

I tried to catch color harmony as much as I can, colors of my block are so soft, I tried to take photos in day light however, I believe that they don't justice real colors but I'm happy with outcome, I  really enjoyed so much to create something for the coming year. 

It is a great honor to take part in that project among all those well talented&experienced Ladies:))

So, I tried my best to create a special block using special items from my stash. I hope you like my "May page" and entire calendar. Wishing you all the best....

My treasure gift by Vickie Brown

My dear friend Vickie Brown created a wonderful thing for me, when I saw a photo of this project I fall in love. I impatiently waited its arrival...By the way, our customs did a special application as they do always!!!!...I had to wait one week its custom clearance even though the carrier was UPS.  

She knows my denim jacket love. This denim jacket's new style  with a wonderful Victorian image and vintage laces&beads is an extraordinary work. I must admit that I haven't received a big handmade item  like this up to know.

 

This close-up photo shows more details

More important point is this label at the inside, this is Vic's elegance and delicacy to prepare very special thing for this special gift. It makes it totally personal, exclusive!

I wanted to thank Vickie once again for taking time to prepare a special gift for me. As I always say so, I met with amazing people in the CQ world, our passionate interest created amazing friendships...

Downton Abbey-DYB RR, my work on Freda's block

This is a lovely RR, indeed. Lovely pieced blocks are so nice, it is great joy to play with them. When I saw Freda's lovely blocks, I couldn't decide to chose one, because all of them were so nice. I was together with my mother, she is a lilac color lover, she suggested me to pick up this lovely one.

 I think, it was a really good decision because I found so many neat items from my stash and started to work.

 My chronic hand problem still exist. I tried to make a fargo roses but I couldn't pull-out the needle with my weak right hand fingers, it was painful try for me, indeed... Some kind of muslin fabrics  are so tight unfortunately I'm unable to do SRE  on fabric+muslin together. But,  as I decided to make a spray on the left side.  I did spider roses with hand dyed silk ribbons.

There was a long patch on the top, I did a long seam treatment. I must admit that I've spent hours to make it:)) I used mostly main colors of the block, I did contrasts with those colors.

 That lovely dyed lace was on the block, sewn by Freda. I added soft lilac tone pearls on it. And added vintage charms at the bottom.

This photo shows my work on the block, I liked its colors so much and worked easily. I hope Freda likes what I did.

Downton Abbey-DYB RR, my work on Ola's block

Some of my followers should remember I've had some struggles to work on a buddy's block last year, she had "Downton Abbey" concept on her RR block. It was totally unknown issue for me, after my trials I learned that it is a famous TV show and I tried to do my best on that mentioned RR block. 

When I recognized a new RR with "Downton Abbey" theme, I decided to join without hesitation. All those lovely blocks with fancy fabrics should turn to a real beauty with "Downton Abbey" theme.

 So, I received first block from my RR partner Ola, her naked block was so pretty with nice fancy fabrics. I decided to work on the main colors, black&beige. I collected all neat items from my stash and started to work. At first, I added a lace at the right side. I made Chevron stitch with variegated black thread at top, added lots of things, sequins, bugles, metallic seed beads.

My partner should like to have some oyas but, unfortunately I don't have any neat color flowers I just added a nice handmade beaded lace. I preferred to create rich seam treatments with contrast colors.

Some SRE with black silk ribbons and help of metallic golden color thread looked pretty at the beige patch, addition of the golden color leaves made that side nice, isn't it???

As I always love to make chain stitches with metallic threads, I did them on the black velvet patch. Added some little charms, too.  On the middle beige patch, I added a big size "Life tree" charm that I've found it recently in a forgotten box.
So, my first work on this interesting theme RR finished and it started its long journey to reach Brenda...Now, I'm waiting another block to play with...I wish I could live in the past eras:))  I love all those elegant, fancy things of the past eras....

Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2015

My first block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2015 is ready.
It is going to a nice beginning for this year...
In this group we all share our individual experiences, new trials...It is a wonderful sharing platform in our endless CQ learning journey....
I would like to embellish my block this time differently,  I want to use lots of laces to have a more classical block...Let me see what it is going to be.....

ROUND THE WORLD BLOG HOP

I  have been nominated by  Jenny Clouston,   www.sewsocrazy.blogspot.com   to participate in The Round the World Blog Hop. She is very talented quilter from Australia, I would like to thank her.

There are a few questions that we have to answer so people can find out a more about us.

1. What Quilting/Sewing things am I working on?

I do like sane quilting but crazy quilting is my passionate interest, I love to create different blocks heavily embellished with pearls, beads, sequins, charms... I like to join Round Robins with my favorite themes such as Victorian, Vintage, Winter, etc. I really forgot how many RR or different activities  such as charity projects I’ve joined  since 2004.  

To win a contest with my first big project was a great motivation, the influence of the Victorian style and Victorian colors are so obvious on my quilts.

2. How does my work differ from those of it's genre?

I believe that every crazy quilt is unique and has special reflections of its creator. In a decade,  I did so many projects, some of them were  heavily embellished  memory quilts with  the 40x40” dimension,  charity blocks etc....I must admit that I have just a purse and a few small things for myself at the moment.

To join RRs keeps me busy, in addition to review different blocks is always a learning period for the endless journey of the crazy quilting.
My weak point was to create CQ blocks...however, I improved in the past years, I assemble pieces more easily now a days:))...I think, my painting experience helps a lot to play with colors to make nice combos.

I love to use fancy solid fabrics to create blocks that they show  crazy seam treatments more apparently. I rarely use trims, I love to create my own seam treatments using lots of beads, sequins, bugles, charms and of course oyas! Oyas are our traditional Turkish needle art samples. It has a long story for me how I've introduced them to the CQ world. Some stitcher friends calls me as "Queen of the Oyas" and they can recognize my work among the others easily.

 Crazy Quilt Gatherings is a wonderful quarterly magazine of the CQ world, it was a great honor for me to take  a place on its cover of  2012 spring issue. I spent long time to create it, but I enjoyed so much.

I always love to collect small charms, objects to use on my blocks, I’m a real keeper and my extensive travels helps me to find interesting items...But, I must admit that they are mostly for the important, future projects, like this one!!! I hope those important future projects will be realized soon to use some of all those collected goodies.

To play with all those beads, lovely threads, laces, buttons....covering all those assemble lines gives me a great joy, I may work for long hours...

3. Why do I create what I do?

Crazy quilting is a special love of mine, the answer to many interests. What other handcraft combines embroidery, sewing, beading, applique, laces, ribbons, buttons, painting, color designs, self expression so many things?  To top it off, its a little self indulgent with no function at all, other than to be beautiful and a little intriguing!

I love the outcome of a heavily embellished block with a theme...I love to create memory blocks to give presents and love to join RRs.

4. How does my creating process work?

To be honest, I mostly work on charity works and RRs....I must also admit that if I like a RR block at first sight I really don’t know where to stop, I keep continue to fill my part crazily...

In my CQ journey I’ve met lovely Ladies that they share same passionate interest,  so many wonderful friendships established from all over the world, their inspiring work influenced me to create my own style. I  love to share lovely ideas,  trading goodies from all over the world.  It is another wonderful part of the CQ’ing is different swaps. I joined so many different swaps, they helped me to build my extensive stash.

I try to see my projects’s final stage in my brain before the  beginning.  I mostly work on the different project in the same time. I spend long time my at my studio. 

But what I love most to do is to teach, share my experiences. There are so many CQ'er Ladies that  I have met over the years and the work they create is truly inspiring.

I think I told a lot about myself now I would like to introduce my nominatees;

Barbara Nicki Seavey, http://cqnickilee.blogspot.com.tr/ She has incredible imagination to create wonderful blocks, and she uses amazing laces dyed by herself. 

Wilma van Wagensveld, http://www.wilmagoescrazy.blogspot.com.tr/ She is talented quilter from the Netherlands, I like her style so much.

I would like to thank Jenny once again for her kind invitation:)

Diva's Elegance DYB RR - My work on Gerry's block

 I'm glad that joined another RR with another talented ladies. Our group name is "Diva's Elegance", it is going to be a lovely RR with some old friends. 

It was pretty hard to make a selection among Gerry's wonderful blocks. I've picked this block with lovely red wine tones and pinkies.  Recently, I've seen a lovely seam treatment at somewhere, most probably it was at Pinterest, I did it with some additions with variegated ribbons I've found in my stash, and found another beaded lace trim as well, its border totally matched with the fabric, cream and olive green color flowers looked good. I kept sewing with my chain stitches  on some patches with metallic threads. 

Gerry is going to make a wall hanger with these RR blocks.. Its main piece is ready, it is mainly cream color, therefor I tried to have some cream color objects, one of them is an old vintage lace, I added small triangles on top and bottom with silk thread and put pearls.

 

 I added some SRE. I used sequins, seeds beads, charms. It was really nice to work on her block with silk fabrics...I mostly prefer fancy, solid fabrics to work for but this block was nice to play with nice fabrics and bright colors.

It will start its long trip to the US tomorrow morning, I hope Gerry likes what I've done on her block. 

Now, I'm waiting another block to play in these hottest days of the summer.

Vintage Victorian DYB RR - My work on Darlene's block

These blocks were so interesting for me. Because all those lovely blocks had been based for the characters of  the PBS show Downton Abbey which I didn't have any idea about it! Glad that there were nice details related with character in the RR booklet. 

I just used gray, black and white color threads for the seam treatments. I used bugles, sequins, small silver charms and various types of pearls on the seam treatments. I thought to make a white rose spray on the black patch but it has tiny mini sequins on itself, therefor I left it as itself, I worked more on the top and bottom sides. 

As I always say so, I like to make chain stitches on the small blocks like this one. I believe that chain sttiches shows seam treatments better.

 I've added a small parasol and silver handbag charm. In this RR we stitched our names, as well. 

I tried to catch an elegant look with contrasts with same colors....Silver embellishments looked nice to me with all those base colors. As I told at the begining, I've start with no idea with her PBS show concept, I tried to create an elegant, rich apperance with beads, pearls, etc.. I hope Darlene likes what I did...