WIPW - Scaling Down for the Holidays

 Work In Progress Wednesday.

I have completed two projects and will be scaling down my workload for the holidays.

Tvistsöm Cushion

The Tvistsöm Cushion is now backed with red cotton and has an inner cushion stuffed with wadding. It is resting on the day bed together with three other wool cushions. 

The one on the left is also Tvistsöm (aka Long Armed Cross Stitch), in the middle is a cushion in Tent Stitch and the one on the right is made in Rya Stitch. Those three are all old, but have worn very well and still look good.

Crazy for Crazy

The teal and gold block is completed, after I added some more beads.

I will start making a new block next year after the holidays.

Log Cabin Challenge

Only five new blocks were made. The total is now 320 blocks. I will try to trudge on making blocks during the Christmas and New Year Holiday. 

WIPW - Two Projects Almost Finished

 Work In Progress Wednesday.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I completed the stitching with a border of five red rows. 

There is a subtle variation in the red as I worked towards using up my stash.

I damp stretched the canvas and pressed in the hem. The back looks quite interesting - abstract mess!

Next step is to stitch on a backing of red wool and fill the cushion. 

Until then here is a picture of its size and shape. 

Crazy for Crazy

Here is another project that is almost finished, a few more beads are needed.

I attached the Shirtwaist Button, previously made, added a few details in metallic thread and worked a Whipped Half Wheel. 

Log Cabin Challenge

December is a busy month and I only had time to make five new blocks. Total number is now 315.

WIPW - Beads

 It is a wet and chilly Wednesday in Tokyo. Time to brighten up life with a few shiny beads on the Work In Progress Wednesday report of the 

Crazy for Crazy

project.

Whipped Buttonhole half circles, Straight Stitch and then sequins and beads.

Log Cabin Challenge

There was only time to make 5 new blocks for the quilt. The total is therefore 310.

Tvistsöm Cushion

Still trudging along on the red border. Can you see the subtle change of shade in the red. I am using up my stash and changing colour as I finish each bit of red that I have.

I didn't do anything too exciting this week, so no need to comment.

WIPW - A Golden Matt and A Red Border

 Work In Progress Wednesday today will show you 

Crazy for Crazy

where I used the arabesque swirls in Running Stitch to build Knotted Running Stitch floral stems.

Leaves in long and narrow Lazy Daisy Stitch were added.

I also made a simple line of Cretan Stitch to cover one seam.

Next week I will take out the beads and pearls, and add the David Star Shirtwaist Button.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I have completed the inner area of teal and green with specs of gold and colour.

Two rows of metallic thread all around the stitching made a nice matt (mount).

Work has started on a red border.

Log Cabin Challenge

The completion of 10 more blocks brings the total number to 305.

I can no longer close the lid of the box; I will have to find a larger box for storage.

WIPW - Back On Track

 Now having put my back injury behind me, I am back on track with the Work In Progress Wednesday projects.

Crazy For Crazy

Two Indian stitches - Indian Edging Stitch (marked in red), and Chemanthy, simple version (green), and a set of arabesque lines worked in Running Stitch (purple). The latter is a base for something, Whipped, Laced, Interlaced, Looped, Knotted... I have not decided yet.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I have worked seven rows and now have 79. I will soon begin on the frame which will be in a contrast set of colours.

Log Cabin Challenge

I am steadily adding blocks to my collection for the quilt. Ten more were made this week so the total is now 295. 

I wonder how many more blocks I will want/need to make. My intention is to use up what fabric I have in my stash of teal/greenish blue/blueish green/turquoise/aqua/emerald...

WIPW - Nearing the End

 It is time for another Work In Progress Wednesday report.

Freeform Embroidery

This project is nearing its end, I started it in July last year, so it has been brewing for 15 months. 

Most of the areas are now filled in. What's left will be a few stitches here and there, then there is the stretching and finishing with a border.

During the last week I added these stitches: Knotted Sheaf, God's Eye, German Knotted Braid, Tvistsöm and Woven Circle.

Log Cabin Challenge

I made another ten blocks. Totally I now have 280 blocks.

However, I am running out of the metallic fabric I am using for the centre piece. From my stash of fancy dressmaking fabric I pulled out another type of metallic, in the colours of the rainbow. The gold can be used for the this Log Cabin Challenge, there is yellow gold and cool silvery gold.

Here you can compare them: Copper (the one I am running out of) on the left, gold (what I started out with) in the middle, and gold (the new one). This one is more structured - its a roaring fire in the hearth!

Crazy for Crazy

Other pieces I pulled out from the stash were these in teal that I will be using for the next Crazy Quilt Octagon block. 

I have not selected ornaments or lace/ribbon yet, but I will try my hand at making a shirtwaist button, and I have plenty of gold pearls and beads.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I made another few rows...

WIPW - Cushion and CQ Block Completed

 Welcome to my Work In Progress Wednesday progress report.

Freeform Embroidery

I added the following stitches: Anundsjö, Norwich, Holbein, Chinese Cross and Puffy Couching.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I am working on the 67th row.

Crazy for Crazy

To spiff up the black, gray and silver of this block I added a little bit of red. 

Although this block is not as overloaded with decorations, stitches and 'bling' as some of the others, I consider it finished.

Maybe that is good or it might be bad. Well, I can always add more if need be once all the blocks have been made and I can see them together.

Next week I will have started on the next block, teal and gold.

Log Cabin Challenge

Ten more blocks were made for the quilt, total count is 270 blocks.

I assembled the flimsy to make a cushion. After having searched high and low in my stash I found a nice pice of fabric in the right shade. I did not however have a zipper at home, so instead of adding this kind of opening/closing I decided on the overlapping slit method.

Furthermore I made an inner cushion but had no wadding to stuff it with, so temporarily I folded some fat towels. These will serve as filling until I have bought the wadding.

Anyway here is the embroidered log cabin cushion taking a nap on the bed.

I am very pleased with it and the fact that I was able to use so many different stitches. A true sampler!

WIPW - Flimsy Finish

Work In Progress Wednesday can report on a finish - yes, the cushion flimsy of the

Log Cabin Challenge

is finished. Every seam has been covered with fancy stitching.

240 seams, almost 240 stitch types (a few of the centre pieces share the same seams, like here:

Before I can turn this into a cushion, I need to get hold of fabric for the back, a zipper and make the inner cushion. It will take some time before I can visit a shop, so the flimsy will be shelved.

I stitched five more blocks for the quilt, so the total is now 260.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I stitched two more rows so have 64.

Freeform Embroidery

Six types of stitches were added to the lower left corner:

Crown, Mennonite Tacks, Buttonhole Fly, Tied Windmill, Methodist Knot and Corded Bar.

Crazy for Crazy

It was time to add beads and pearls.

WIPW - Double Amount, No Not Really

 As I was unable to post a WIPW report last week one would think I have the double amount of progress to report on today. Alas, I have worked hard on some projects and less so on others.

Tvistsöm Cushion

I am now stitching row 62. Normal progress.

Freeform Embroidery

Crossed Feather, Straight Sided Feather and Triangular Buttonhole Stitch in the lower left corner.

Half progress compared to normal.

Crazy for Crazy

Reversed Buttonhole Bar along one seam and a sprinkling of Buttonhole Bars in metallic thread on the gray silk fabric.

Normal progress? I could have made more.

Log Cabin Challenge

I only managed 11 new blocks. Half progress. Total block count now stands at: 255.

However, I embellished 29 seams, marked in yellow, and now have only six left, marked in white.

Triple progress.

I have worked hard to avoid using the same stitch twice, so in total there ought to be 239 different ones. Good to have all those TAST and Sunday Stitch School stitches to chose from, wouldn't you say?

The back proves there is heavy, and messy, stitching.