Crazy Quilt Spider Web

Our quilt group, Northeast Quilting Friends, has decided to start the year off with some embroidery.  Several of the ladies will be demonstrating stitches to use on a crazy quilt.  I'm first up and this is my demonstration.  Well, it's not that great, but, there are many, many great demonstrations of stitches on the web (no pun intended) at YouTube and just Google hand embroidery and you'll see lots of information.  

Anyway, I like to use Craft Weight fusible interfacing on the back of my crazy quilts.  I feel it gives all the buttons and babbles a way to "stand up" and show them off better.  Plus, the backing makes the fabric and colors brighter, like giving an undercoat in painting.  You will not need a hoop or anything to stretch the material so your stitches lay flat, the interfacing does that for you.  

This is the woven spider web stitch.  The only piercing of the fabric is done on the 5 skeletons for weaving over and under until your circle is complete.  Again, check better pictures at the website under Useful Information for Quilters-to the right on my blog.  

The crazy quilt spider web I like to make it a little more dramatic than most webs.  You use the back stitch to make the web and on the arcs, you can anchor the thread in place.  It's really about looking at your piece and deciding where the embellishment is needed.  Just like placing the buttons or beads in the right place.  

Hope this has given some inspiration for your next crazy quilt.  

Quilter's Day Out House Block Challenge

All quilters in America should know that we have a national day, recognized in the quilting community as Quilter's Day Out. We always hold a "Gathering of the Guilds", where we get to meet old friends and make some new ones, while we enjoy the hobby we love.  The day for Louisville, is the 3rd Saturday of March, this year being March 21st.  I'm not sure if that's the National day or not, but, that's when we all come together.  This year we are having a quilt challenge-Home.  So it's anything to do with a house quilt or whatever home means to you.  This is my block, so far.  It's from the Rosebud Lane quilt blocks.  The pattern asks you to buy their panel for the quilt and quilt show signs on it, but, I couldn't find the panel at any stores, so I'm embroidering them myself, using silk ribbon and silk thread button hole twist thread from YLI.  If you haven't tried it and you like to crazy quilt, you might treat yourself.  

Northeast Quilting Friends, the guild I belong to, is choosing not to participate.  In the past, we have taken on some pretty big jobs, and I guess we needed a break.  Don't we all from time to time.  A sabbatical sounds like a nice word to call it...maybe next year...smile.