CQJP 2012 - March - Contrast

All the blocks I'll make for the crazy quilt journal project (CQJP 2012) are for me training blocks.

I want to get more used to stitching and have something like a social dead line / pressure to work on this :)

This time I wondered how a lot of different stitches would look like if I used just one colour and a very colourful background.

February block

My block for februar in the crazy quilt journal project 2012.

More than a little bit late but I try to get everything in order again. Still a lot emails to look through and answer...

This serves as an experimental playground for me to try stitches and what kind of effect I can create with them.

Circles, knots...

...ornaments...

...leaves...

I still love to stitch. But I think I prefer the simple ones and the knots :) Even if I like how the leaves look... they take too much time and patience for me to make. 

My challenge for 2012 - stop being my own worst enemy!

This is one part of my challenge. A challenge which takes part at my social life, at work, but especially regarding to creating stuff! It was and is easier for me to make things for other people. Somehow I need some kind of social pressure and deadlines. Otherwise sleep is sometimes more tempting or duties more demanding... 

But I want to make things for myself. That keeps me sane, that makes me smile and yes, there is something special to have and to use the things made by the own hands. I also love the things which were made for me! It is hard to describe because no, because one of parts why I love to create is that keeping the things in my hand I don't only see the present but every moment which went into its creation. Starting just from the idea in my head...

They don't need to be perfect. I love to challenge myself, to learn more and new things... There is nothing like the feeling of mastering new methods and techniques, nothing more cool than overcoming own fears (like how to use a electric jig saw!) and even more, nothing like the moment when you jump in your own abilities! Take crochet: Going from charts to freeform... Take polymer clay: From simple forms to creating deep textures... 

As I already wrote some time ago: I tried to set myself some limits for getting new stuff. I allowed myself only to take things if I have an idea what to make out of them at that moment. You know what? Nothing trains the brain and also the creativity more. No, didn't worked out for reducing or limiting my stash but did wonders to my own imagination!

This year I want to make a lot things for myself. All the things I already planned, already have the materials for, already dream to have... but always put to the side. 

One of the things I wanted to do was to enhance my stichting abilities. I am so into all kinds of garnish and decoration! 

Also... a big pile of small fabric pieces lying around helps...

So I take part in the crazy quilt journal project 2012. It works for me like a social deadline... Yes, I try to trick myself and even knowing it is a trick, hey, it works for me! ;)

Therefor I started sewing crazy patchwork blocks out of my stash... so I have already a good basic for starting to stich. 

The heart fabric was painted by my little sister Lachafa years ago.. when she really was still a little one! ^^ I never had a use for it but I kept it all the time. You see the single heart I stiched? :)

(and yes.. I'll make some better pics with better light. But still the dark season here...)

I played with dyeing some fabrics. This white fabric with roses was my test object. And now the pieces came into use...

A little fabric piece where I started to learn bubbles with fabric paints... also kept in my stash for years... 

The january block before...

...and after. Still having a lot of errors but every one helped me :)

And some of the blocks for the next months...

Some with stamped fabric like the violett pieces...

And no... all not ironed ^^

As you may see at the colours: All made late at night. Too late for ironing!

All the blocks are about 30 x 30 cm...

...this stripe of fabric pieces in the middle was a leftover from a quilt I made... five?... years ago ;)

The wrinkles are not so bad like they look on this pic!

And in the end the blocks will be joined :) 

That's why I won't use beads for the embroidery. 

As lovely as they are, cuddling with them is not the best idea...

A blue little fox...

Another little fox I made with the pattern from Kirie :) 

Mh... I think I need a lot more white, grey and blue shades... maybe a little violett...? Although it will take some time until I make the next fox ^^ To make the same piece several times is not my strengh. I still don't know what to make with them... maybe I'll buy her other fox pattern and make a little quilt or something like that. But like I said... now I need to make something different (I need few minutes projects inbetween! And patchwork / paper piecing / pattern sewing / things like that still took me some time :) ).

I could add some fabrics with some animal tracks... Some time ago I made a lot of stamps out of foamed rubber for different animal tracks... mh...

• the first ones
• mounted on wood
• first testing on fabric

A little fox!

This fox was made with a pattern which was made by Kirie. She was so nice to let me try it out! I love all her fox patterns! They are so cute :)

Take a look at her blog shape moth where she shows a lot of beautiful as well as cut and / or cool things. All done with fabric and yarn... I stumbled over her blog per accident (like most blogs are found nai? :) ) and followed her since. Especially her sewn moth is... mh... okay I am tempted to use the word cute again... but it would be a little bit too often? Also I know that not everybody shares my view of cuteness to insects (or cephalopodae for example ^^). But beside the "restricted word count" it is also beautiful :)

Ah... and please don't get it wrong: In her pattern the eyes are even! It is just not the best thing to phone and sew at the same time! I though about starting over again. It wouldn't cost too much time because the head is the first thing you start with according to her pattern. But after lloking at the different eyes I was going to like it. Just a little, little odd touch nai?

I used several light fabrics. Can you see the two different white shades next to the light fabric with the paisley pattern? I used the only two shades of white I had so I mixed cotton with some stronger linen... mh.. with the tiny fabric parts it was not the best ideas I ever had to use two different kind of fabrics. But I think I would have done it even knowing the problem.... just because I wanted a white fox! ;)

So... what know to make with it?

Lachafas World!

...yes, there is a missing part but she ran out of paper. Tomorrow she'll get more paper and finish her world map ^^

The only thing we need now is somebody who makes a patchwork out of fabric to go with the paper patchwork!

(No, I still can't. Foot ist better now but not good enough to use my sewing machine... a cold turkey for me!)

Inspirations: Structures (Airports)

Once starting to look for new inspirations, structures, colours and designs... and waiting for hours at the airport without anything else to do ^^ ... I found unexpected things! I mean, only look at the following picture! Isn't it great to be a pattern for patchwork and quilting? I would like it only in black and white but image the possibilities by using a lot of colours. One could create a great range of effects, let it be more technical, a little bit being like a flower, a sun, just using rainbow colours...

But I also like this simple structures which could work as backgrounds for papers, cards, fabrics...

It looks like the surface of the moon, no?! :)

Just using different options of my digi which area to zoom etc etc... also gives a lot more of possibilities!

Okay, I had to take this photo! It was just so weird.... and a little bit frightening, this... head... ^^

The effect is quite cool of the lights and the stuff on the ceiling.

More patchwork patterns ^^