For The Birds - and Janet

I’ve been participating in a bird-themed round robin at Crazy Quilting International called “For the Birds”.  I took Janet P’s block along to the Adventure in Crazy Quilting in Connecticut to work on in Sharon’s stitching workshop and class.  I worked on other things, too, but this is the only one I finished.

I loved - and I mean LOVED - Janet’s blocks.  Such happy colors!!  This was such a pleasure to work on.  I carried the flower motifs into their neighboring spaces, using gimp for the stems and silk ribbon to give the leaves a 3-D effect.  The seams are rather basic, but I did try a few new things that I learned from Sharon Boggon’s workshop.  The first was the aforementioned gimp.

Secondly, we learned about sequin waste, and I used it on the seam below the bird.  I had no plan at first, but my stitches began looking butterfly-like, so I went with it.  :-)

We also learned a flower called “Margaret’s Cup”.  The finished version looks like a daffodil, but I did mine without the cup, then used it for the center of a dyed lace flower.  I enjoyed this flower and will make more - I’ll even try one with the cup!

I also love how Sharon often uses clusters of beads around buttons and on lace.  Why use just one when several make a showier impact?  I want to experiment with that some more, too.

Tomorrow I’ve got more CQ Adventure pictures of my classes. the goodies I received from the Motif Swap, and other goodies given to us by the teachers and Maureen.  See you then!