My Stumpwork Beetle

Well if you have ever wanted to make my Stumpwork beetles, here is your chance. 

For a short time you can download the tutorial in my Etsy shop for a very special price of $5.95 (AU).

There are other tutorials available from my shop also. More will be added over the coming weeks, so keep a watch out.

Arlene

Gold Beetle Class

A few weeks ago the Burdekin Sewing hosted the Bi-Annual Show and Tell and whilst them Gloria asked me if I would come and do a lesson on 'My Beetle', the gold one. Well of course I said yes, she's been asking for sometime, but we just never got around to setting a date.  Well pushed by the thought that I'm leaving north Queensland early next year, we finally set a date.

Well I spent a lovely few days for some lovely like minded people, teaching and creating my Gold Beetles.  The results were fabulous, 6 pretty specky beetles were created. We had the class at my Southern Cross Crazies buddy Alison. Lovely large cool airy home, with plenty of yummy food for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea.

Here are all but two of the finished Beetles:

  Flo's beautiful pink one.

These three pictures shows Gloria's Green, yellow, brown and blue beetle from different angles.

 This stunner belonged to Jill.

This one is Robyn's. I think she did an amazing job with the blue beads.

 And Roslyn made this beauty.

I also made one as a class example, actually I made two. First this one: to go on a Pansy CQ block to become the top of a box which was Wednesday's lesson.  The block is one of six I have stashed in a draw that I was going to make into curtains for my craft room double sliding door, but since were now moving house, I thought I would use it as it was the right size for the lid. 

The second one is for a CQ Gardens and Flowers block for Candji. (He will be in another post when I finish him off).

and the finished box:

This is Flo's beetle finished and placed on the top of her newly made box.  Just stunning in true life as her fabric choice was very striking and shimmered in the light.

I am very proud of my students work, it was a very relaxed workshop and even though we chatted (a lot) we still managed to make the beetles in two days. The box was done in a morning, it was very easy to do. Thanks Ali for the instructions.

Just a reminder too, my last Beetle class with Joggles begins next Tuesday (my birthday), so if you want to learn how to do the other one, just jump on over and sign up.

Arlene

App update and stitching catchup

Re the App.... Watch this space over the next two or three days, something exciting is about to happen....

In the mean time I have been catching up on some stitching...

DYOB Stumpwork: Susan's blocks
Can't remember what her theme was, but I gave the block a very "Australian' theme with the idea of the Kookaburra sit's in the ole gum tree.......

 One of my fibre friends gave me this Kookaburra button, and he was just perfect for the block.

Some more close-ups:

  

We have the Townsville Stitches and Craft Show up here last weekend, and whilst I was there manning our exhibits I got to finishing my block 4 of the Twelve days of Christmas. This first picture show's with the removable ornament, (which all blocks will have). 

 

 This is the Ornament removed from the block. A 3D 'Cally' Bird landing on a branch.

 Here is the block without the orny.

 Most of the braids, beads and embellishments came from one of the shops at the show, Zenozam.  They had so much stuff, just so cool. Make sure you visit their shop.  These lovely blue flowers were on their stand, they sold out of them.

 The flower beads above the bird was from their shop too.  Here is a close up of the 'Cally' Bird.

I have also finished a couple of our Fibres challenge pieces. Here is my iPad cover which was made from two 6 x 4 inch pieces of fabric.

This will eventually be one of the new projects in the first update of the app.
There were a few other items, but I forgot to take pictures of them.

Come back in a couple of days and there will be very exciting news and a giveaway, so click on the side to receive an email when I post.....

Arlene

On the 2nd day of Christmas......

My true love gave to me, two Turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree.../
Welcome Block 2.

 The block elements are two stitched seams, one gold creten, and the other a combination of gold chevron, and detached buttonhole stitch with straight stitch beside each detached buttonhole, enhanced by gold beads. Stumpwork holly, with needle-lace leaves, wrapped branch and wrapped holly berries.  Goldwork '2' with thread padding, gold kid leather number, and bordered by no 1 gold pearl purl. Two lovely shank buttons, one poinsettia flower and the other the two turtle doves which are stitched through kid leather for extra strength to hold the orny when attached. Lastly two gold braids, and a cluster of gold beads to finish off. The Christmas ornament is ceramic, and is pink and gold on the reverse side. A items I purchased from a Fibers and Fabric's lady at our Christmas fair last year.

 And without the Orny.....

Stumpwork Holly

 And two turtle doves, this is a shank button I picked up at a wonderful craft shop on Norfolk Island.

Had a wonderful time stitching this block, now that's two down ten to go.....

Arlene

Christmas Tree skirt - construction part 1

I took my 10 blocks and the black skirt fabric to Fibers today.  I don't own a table big enough for me to spread it out on, and I'm not going to crawl on the floor (I'd never get up again).

So after an hour of trimming the fans, pinning them into place, reposioning, re pinning, pinning the gold braid into place, we then stood back to admire the hard work.  (It's hot here now, got up to 30C today).
So here are the results.
The four photo's show it from different angles.  Now remember this is just pinned in place and may not be my final layout.  I do want to add a 1/2 inch border on the base of the fans, this will be done in a deep red colour and finish the hem of with a single gold row of stitching.  I also bought some red fabric as the backing fabric for under the skirt.  My friend Carol has the batting for the sandwich of the black and the red.

 The bundle of gold braid is left over, I actually have 12 meters there, and only about 3/4 of one left.

 Each alternate fan will have a large loop and the other alternates will have a small loop.

 At the base each will have a small loop to link them all together.

The gold braid is continuous with not joins anywhere. OK, so now what do you think of it so far, I still don't know what I'm going to do for the border yet, but I still have time for that, maybe a 1 inch strip of deep red material?  Does anyone have any suggestions for it?
Arlene

Dragonflies and Butterflies RR update

Well I've finally finished my work on this block. I had asked Candji to send me some of the butterfly fabric so I could maker her a 3D butterfly. I think he turned out OK.

Here's the full block:

This butterfly took me about 6 hours to make, I added the yellow double creten seam above the butterfly, the orange and yellow herringbone to right with the butterfly buttons, and the pink chain and pink flowers. I also added the orange butterfly and the green chevron seam. Above that there's the blue butterfly charm and silver dragonflies. lastly I added the green feather stitch and flower beads on above the butterfly. Candji I hope you like it, thanks for the fabric, I used some on Lorries too, as she had a similar combination in her 'All about sewing RR' which I'm an angel for.  Here's a close up of the Butterfly and another angle.

Arlene

Fools Gold 2 - Kerry's completed block

G'day,

What a response to my beetle on Kerry's block. Thank you everyone who visited and promoted it, thank you just doesn't seem to say enough.

Well drum roll please.......... here is the completed block. 

I didn't want the beetle to take all the attention, the eye still needs to move around the block, and I hope I have achieved that, and keeping with the 'Gold' theme.

The eye is still drawn to the beetle, but now it can travel around anticlockwise to the bead, button and ribbon motif, continue down to the gilt pearl bullion roses seam, with the ruched bow at the bottom left.  Move your eye to the center for Kerry's 'K', it's made of no 1 Purl Pearl, with woven blue silk with colonial knots, aqua beads (same as the beetles eyes) and gold leaves.  Next is a golden spider and her gold thread web for good luck, with flowers dropping from the sky.  Last of all, two seam treatments of gold silk thread, double chevron and buttonhole stitch.

And as usual here are close ups of the elements. First of all the button, bead and ribbon motif.  This motif consists of gold chiffon gathered ribbon, with gold beads and drop beads. A thin gold ribbon caught by a gold and diamante shanked button.

Next is Kerry's 'K', gold No 1 purl pearl, with aqua blue silk thread threaded between the spirals of the purl pearl.  Couched into place with the same aqua blue silk thread and colonial knots scattered around with gold leaves near the knots.  To the left you can see the gold gilt bullion roses with intervals of gold leaves.

To the left of this we have another bow. This is made of the same ribbon as in the top motif.  Here you can also see the full row of four bullion roses.

Next to the right we have the gold lady spider and her gold web. Also seen is the buttonhole seam treatment.

Last of all of coarse is our now famous beetle. He is surrounded by falling flowers of gold and aqua blue beads.

I really enjoyed working on this block of Kerry's.  It will be packed up very carefully as he has to go through three more sets of hands, and goodness knows how many postman's hands before they get home to Kerry.

Arlene

Crazy Quilting Round Robin update

I've been busy trying to get these finished so I can get onto other projects, so here are three that I have finished and will post off tomorrow.
First up is Cathy's Luscious lace, I've added the four motifs at each of the corners, and the tatted butterfly. Herringbone stitch along the two bottom seams and highlighted the flower in the center.

 The next one is Gayle's Luscious lace, the lace band was already there, it's now enhanced with fargo ribbon roses, and a beaded seam across the top of it. Bullion flower and a seam of creten and bullions above. The base has a cluster of woven ribbon and more fargo ribbon roses. The last element is a hand painted fan (by me) at the top left corner.

 This last block is actually about 14 inches square, so the photo doesn't project it's size very well. I have given Candji a beetle as I had promised her, and added a meandering ribbon trail with beaded flowers along it. Last was the large lace motif at the top right corner, with a small enhancement of beads.

 close up of my beetle.

TTFN

Arlene