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. 

A long time - a lot of stiches... and more...

Yes, it is too long ago that I blogged anything. My time is quite dedicated at the moment as are my nerves ^^ I am learning and preparing to defend my thesis (oh yes, more nerves than anything else!), working, trying to get some sleep and somehow stumbled into a relationship. The free time I find I am using mostly to create / make stuff rather than writing and blogging about this. So yes, there are some things I can show you... and hopefully will over the next days. 

Also (this is the sniffing little child inside of me) it seems that I catch every pathogen available! Just yesterday a night without sleep and without the content of my stomach but with a lot of shivering and pain. Bah. Next time please without me!  

One of the things I made was some stitching and sewing resulting into a pillow. I just saw some pictures about traditional indian stitching (don't ask me where, I lost the site... sorry...) and I just loved the structures which were created! 

I just took my embroidery threads randomly and stitched line for line... Yes, I could have marked the lines or ironed them... but I love nothing more than the dynamic created through the process stitching non-perfect. There is an organic feeling to it (you should touch the surface! can't stop touching it!)...

...and while the lines are uneven...

...the stitches are all in different sizes...

There is a whole picture in the end.

Oh.... I would love to have a whole quilt like that...

...but one should stay honest to oneself: Not with my lack of patience! ^^

I choose cream rather than white as background because I didn't want a too sharp contrast, rather something like a harmony with all the random colours :)

Strange as it is, I would never have thought that I would start to love stitching that much. But there is something inside of it that speaks to me: To create structures and surfaces! I don't believe I'll ever be into more traditional stitching but the possibilities with stitching are just so alluring! With patchwork, with fabric paints, with stitches... no end to go into all directions.

And now: Just catching some food, cooking, sleeping. Just too tired at the moment :)

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...