Updates & Fixes

You will probably recognize these two blocks from the last few weeks.  I think I have fixed the problem spots.

Finished

Before

 

 

The first is my CQJP April block.  My son thought the boots and hat needed to be filled in, and he was right.  But we can just let that be our little secret.










Remember the problem with the Dia de los Muertos blocks?  It just needed more something.  I played around with lace roses and other ideas.  Then I stared at pictures of altars for Day of the Dead and decided on a candle.  This is the result:

I found a Sacred Heart picture and designed and printed a candle on printer fabric, then appliqued the glow of the flame and embroidered the flame itself.

Before

Day of the Dead

 

I have finished the first of the four Dia de los Muertos blocks.  I am using white embroidery for the seam work because I think it shows up better.  There is a lot of color and pattern going on in this block as far as fabrics, so finding a balance has been difficult.  The black lace is from my stash (I think it may have been taken off of a lampshade a while back).  I am trying to stay away from white lace on this one because of all the white embroidery. 

 The maracas are my own design and satin stitched.

 The sugar skull is from Urban Threads, with my own artistic license.  I left some stuff out and used hand dyed lace daisies for the eyes.  Now it looks just right.  Each of the four blocks will have a sugar skull of some kind in the middle.

The orange skulls keep calling to me.  I dyed red lace roses, but they didn't stand out against the orange.  What do you think of white roses?  Or nothing?  Or what??  Help!!!

Fourth Block

The fourth block in the CQJP challenge is finished, kind of.  I think it still needs something, but since I'm not sure what quite yet, it will do for now.  Please ignore all of the blue lines and such.  They will come off later.  I've been under the weather (again) and didn't even think about removing the lines before I took the photographs. 

This is my husband's grandfather and aunt.  There is an adult picture of her on the finished crazy quilt.  I tatted the frame using a beautiful variegated green.  The silk ribbon I hand dyed.  I am especially proud of the gold and silver on the scissors and thimble.  They add a nice sparkle in person.  

This is one of those beautiful pieces of lace I got last month and couldn't cut into pieces.  It was kind of boring stuck in the middle of the block, so I picked out some of the motifs with silk ribbon and tatting.  I think it's simple, but still eye catching.  The seam treatment above is the buttonhole herringbone from Sharon Boggon's Pin Tangle.  I really enjoy visiting her site.

Last but not least are my hat and boots (an old Aunt Martha Transfer I had) and a little toy sailboat.  I am trying to include things that invoke "family" in each block.  So we have something religious, something for children, something for Dad, and something for Mama.  

The hat and boots were just outlines, but my son told me they needed to be filled in.  I will do the boots when I get another darker shade of brown in the mail.  I think I've mentioned that I live in the middle of no where.