Beaded Fan One

This fan started off as a simple gold charm which I glued in place using Gem Bond. When it was dry, I stitched a row of purple glass Bugle beads along the edge, followed by a row of transparent gold glass seed beads and then an outer row of tiny red pearlised seed beads. I used 2mm red ribbon to cover the metal loop which I had attached to the fabric with gold thread by tying a bow, stitching it in place then twisting the tails of the bow along both sides of the fan.

Linda's DYB6 Fan Block

Yesterday was hot, really hot, a scorcher in fact. The official temperature was 42 degrees celsius which is approximately 107 degrees farenheit but out here in the Swan Valley in Western Australia, you can always add on a couple of degrees. So, the dog and I spent the entire day in front of the air-conditioner which was a wonderful opportunity to do nothing else but sew on Linda's block. I had added the lace fan, braid around the top of the pieced fan and beads on the left hand side on Monday so yesterday I could just embroider away to my hearts content. I started at 9am and apart for meals, I finished at 9.30pm. I'm happy with it, I hope Linda is when she sees it.

Copper ATC experiment

While I have been waiting for Linda's DYB6 blocks to arrive this week I have been having a play with copper coloured threads, buttons and other doo-dads. I wanted to make one of those 3 1/2 inch x 2 1/2 inch Artist Trading Cards but not for swapping, just to see how it would work out. I included some of the blue and green colours of copper tarnish as well, then buttonhole stitched the edge using a fine copper wire. It was a lot of fun to do as I didn't start out with any sort of a plan, just jumped in and started stitching and adding doo-dads. Now I am hooked and will have to make some more. These little crazy quilt versions make a great starting point for something bigger in the future.

Using Bugle beads in crazy quilting

Today I sketched a few ideas for using Bugle beads as part of seam embellishments in Crazy Quilting. I have heaps of bugle beads in a tin, all colours and sizes and I thought they'd be good to include as part of a design. I used the candle idea on my Christmas Ornaments and that worked so the others probably will too. Feel free to use these ideas yourself, I'm sure there are hundreds more ways to use these beads.

Close-up of Ginny's Collar

Embroidered collar for 1950s Vogue Ginny

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Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

Ginny is only about 7 inches tall so the embroidery on this collar is really tiny. I used one strand of art silk for the Bullion roses, leaves and French knot flowers. This is the size I use for the embroidery in the middle of a crazy quilt patch whereas if I were covering a seam I would use two strands. The little dress was in cotton micro-check gingham with matching knickers and a white petticoat.

My first Christmas Ornie Swap

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Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

These are the first Christmas Ornies I have made using crazy quilting. They were for the Southern Cross crazies' 2004 Christmas Ornie swap and when I first made them I thought they were OK but now I'd like to get them all back and add, add, add!! I'd use a lot more colours than red, green, gold and cream if I did them again. Next year I think I will use all the brilliant and vivid oriental colours of the Three Wise Men.

Red embroidered and beaded outfit for Barbie

I made this dark red taffeta outfit to fit a Barbie doll just so I could add the embroidery and beading. The complete outfit consisted of a pencil thin skirt, a separate bodice, a full pleated overskirt which opened down the front with back-flaps on either side, a short bolero-style jacket and a tiny matching clutch purse. The bodice, overskirt and jacket all had twining stems and leaves embroidered in a combination of one strand of Rajmahal art silk thread combined with one strand of Kreinik blending filament. This is my favourite combination for embroidering the seams of crazy quilting as well. The beads were dark red pearls. I had a lot of fun with this outfit although I don't think I'd ever make another one.


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Chloe's Place

I've been looking at "Chloesplace" and finding a lot of very interesting information there. It's a great place to visit, thanks Chloe, you are doing a wonderful job. I'll be back to visit again, that's for sure!

in a minute ago

Having just been to check out "In a Minute Ago" once again, I have discovered that it contains even more mind-boggling information on history, textiles, other arts and crafts than the last time I visited and there's a fantastic pic of Sharon celebrating her birthday. Now I know what you look like Sharon........thanks for the great baggie last year!!

Fan Stitch Combinations

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Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

This is another page from my Visual Journal where I have drawn original ideas for stitch combinations representing fans. This is to give me ideas for Linda's DYB6 fan block when it arrives. The three fans at the bottom of the page are from Dorothy Bond's fabulous book of stitches, however all the other ones are my own ideas.

Underwater Reef stitches

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Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

This is a page from my Visual diary featuring sketches of various stitch combinations which I used to represent seaweed, fish and shells. It was a starting point for my Ningaloo Reef crazy quilted picture which is yet to be finished.

Smocked nightgown and hat for Baby Born size doll.

Smocked nightgown and hat for Baby Born size doll.
Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

My grand-daughter has a Zapf Baby Born doll which is really life-like in shape to a new born baby. This little nightie and hat was made from stretch knit fabric trimmed with narrow lace and embroidered with white smocking and pink bullion roses.

Smocked dress for vintage Ginny size doll.

Smocked dress for vintage Ginny size doll.
Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

I love dressing this 1950s Vogue Ginny Doll in tradional little dresses from that era. Ginny has a well-proportioned little girl's body shape which makes her a pleasure to sew for. Also I love hand-making her matching accessories like the hat and basket. Underneath her dress, she wears bloomers and a full skirted petticoat.

Beaded Bridal dress for Barbie size doll.

Beaded Bridal dress for Barbie size doll.
Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

This is one of my favourite Bridal outfits I have made for a Barbie doll. The whole bodice was beaded, back and front, the headpiece was beaded and sequined, the fabric was ivory silk with a huge frilled skirt. This was my first attempt at making custom jewellery and long gloves.

The Bilby I designed for a Media Company.

The Bilby I designed for a Media Company.
Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

This was a challenge! My nephew has a Media company and wanted to tender for an adverting job but he needed a movable animatable Bilby character who would be an environmentally friendly gardener. He needed a fat tummy and he needed to be dressed in jeans, checked shirt and corduroy jacket. He is made from wire, clay, wadding, covered in grey stretch velvet and all his joints move.

My first completed crazy quilt block.

My first completed crazy quilt block.
Originally uploaded by Crazydolldresser.

I hope that by doing one block at a time (watching TV, as a passenger in the car although I've been known to pick up my stitching and get a few stitches in while waiting at traffic lights and under the patio), I'll eventually get this quilt finished. I love the 28cm sew-as-you-go size square and find it very relaxing. Don't know how I'll feel after I've done another 27 of them.

Visual Journal

I have been adding photos to my visual journal. I started it on January 1 in a hard covered art-paper book from the local art shop. I'm using it to record new ideas, to stick pictures and photos of inspirational content, whether it be colour, stitchery or ribbon embroidery and to sketch my own stitch ideas for crazy quilting. So far, I've included photos of each of the 5 UFOs I've finished so far this year, patterns for small tatting motifs both scanned and downloaded, photos of my blank blocks which have been sent interstate in a DYB swap (one per page so I've got room to put a photo of each block once it comes back completed), instructions and templates for healing heart blocks, actual experimental samples of embroidery, tatting, smocking, dyeing lace motifs and velvet embossing. I love my visual diary because it keeps me thinking creatively (you have to be creative to find something new EVERY day) and on top of things. I bought a book that was an inch thick with 100 pages and I'm already 1/3rd the way through it after only six weeks. In a year I'll have filled approximately 400 pages with pictures, sketches, photos, actual samples of work and notes on new ideas if I keep going at this rate.......and in ten years........???

Introducing Me

At last I have my own blog so I can record the ups and downs of my creative side. My normal side is totally sane and conservative which is how my parents always wanted me to be but my creative side? Well, that's a different thing altogether! I love crazy quilting because it encompasses all my other favourite crafts such as embroidery, smocking and patchwork. I can incorporate my love of genealogy by including photos of my family which have been printed on fabric and also I can add beads, buttons, charms and bits of wire and other 3D doo-dads.
I love antique textiles, especially lace and lace motifs and like to include them when I can into my crazy quilting and also into embroidery projects.
Fortunately, my husband is obsessed by railways - both real steam and modelling - always London and North East Railways though, so he understands my obsession with textiles and crazy quilts.