Wandering Rose Memorial

 

I have a bit of bad news.  My dear sweet friend of 15 years passed away from cancer on Oct. 12th.  I don't know how many readers I still have that also knew her but Wendy aka Wandering Rose also did Crazy Quilting and Embroidery.  I remember when I first taught her CQ and she created her first block and also started a blog.  I was her friend when she met her wonderful husband and in her wedding.  She created a beautiful Wedding Pillow for an Anniversary Gift for me which I treasure very much!  She did beautiful thread painting, and created quilts for her children (that I also got to help her with).  She always amazed me in all that she accomplished and did!  She was a beautiful person and I got to be her friend.  She was there for me when I needed her, always gave the best hugs and made you feel valuable just because you were YOU.  We laughed together and we cried together!  We had bad times and wonderful good times!  If you need a laugh read this story she shared that cracked me up so bad and still gives me a giggle.  It's really hard to write this but I know I need to as part of my grieving process.

The wonderful thing about Needle Artists is that many of us share a common thread of having very romantic hearts.  There's a saying that is very popular in Crazy Quilting that makes an appearance on many quilts and that is this:  "When This You See Remember Me"
I will never forget her, she will forever reside in my heart as the dearest of friends.  I recently saw a quote on Pinterest that I thought was perfectly fitting of Wendy as well as what she would want each and every person to know about themselves as well:

"Always remember you're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and twice as beautiful as you'd ever imagine."

I was thinking over what I wanted to do and I thought of a Memorial Crazy Quilt Block to honor her but I had no idea how I would start it when I looked over and saw an old block that has been unfinished for years.  It's from the time before cancer and Wendy touched it and she loved it and the theme is ROSES, roses, roses and the colors are the exact colors I think of when I think of her.  Bright, bold and beautiful.  It's the perfect block to finish into a Wandering Rose Memorial.  I seem to do my best work when it has love and meaning behind it, and that's probably why that block sat for so long it never had a purpose.  But now it will and in my mind I can envision such a beautiful work filled with roses because that was her favorite flower of all time!

So yes I am still here and I do still love Crazy Quilting and Embroidery and everything!  A lot has happened in the last year or so since I've last blogged here.  But now I will be working on this project and blogging it.  Wendy deserves nothing short of the best eye candy I can create!  LOL  She would love that!  And that is what I will do!

Wendy I will always love you!

Wendy Lynn Blake
May 14, 1976 - October 12, 2014

 

Was Harvest Challenge UFO will now be Roses'n'Lace

After starting this block as the Harvest Challenge Block , I ended up letting it become a UFO (UnFinished Object) for a long list of reasons. Since the challenge is now over, you can see the results HERE, I'm now going to resurrect this block as the Roses'n'Lace Block. I'm now excited to work on it again and I'm taking it in a new direction. I think one of the reasons I couldn't work on it any more was it just wasn't feeling "right" to me, it's hard to explain it, kind of like it wasn't being true to me in a way. As I've been browsing antique stores and enjoying rose tea cups and beautiful lace and linens it's given me a desire to put that down in "art" form. I've been thinking about it a lot so I got it out and some of my new doilies and love the effect so that is the direction I'm going to take now. I wish it was easier to explain but instead of trying to do what I think I should do with this block, instead I want to be true to myself and do what I want to do. Part of what makes my work unique to me is putting what I love on my blocks, and everyone's likes/dislikes is what makes each ladies work unique and special to them too. I enjoy pushing myself to try new things at times but sometimes it's best to stick with what you love and that's okay.
I guess in a way I had forgotten that, I think everyone does from time to time. So the lesson for myself is to just do what I love to do, this is my art expression, not anyone elses. God has given me a wonderful gift that I enjoy and so I want to do just that and give praise back to the One who made me who I am through my work.

Harvest Challenge: Q-Snap and a bit of Work

Since this block is so huge I didn't know how I was going to hold onto it during embellishment so I went ahead and bought the 17x17 inch Q-Snap and I sure am glad I did!!! It's perfect! Holds my block tight for me, makes it holdable so I can work on it, and it's square so no pinched corners like with a round hoop! I'm thrilled and started sewing on my block right away!

A few hours later, this is what I have on my block! You can click on any of the photos to see them closer.

I used some of my size 15 seed beads for the pink beads in the center of the hollyhocks, and I used some of the seed beads in the Challenge Packet for the centers of the roses!

I also used some of the Empress Silk and some bugle beads from the Challenge Packet to embellish the vintage lace.
I also used some green, red, and pink size 15 seed beads on the vintage lace.

Harvest Challenge: Dyeing Lace

Well I started going through my lace stash to try and find some lace to add to my block and found some great pieces! A few I needed to dye though so I got out my lace dyes from Ribbonsmyth and got to work. I think this is my first time dyeing the lace when I feel that I have a handle on how to do it! The large rose applique I had been given in a swap and the small rose lace I bought at EveningStarDesigns.

I also hand dyed this Cluny lace I got at EveningStarDesigns! I wanted a nice light color to it.

Then I also added some un-dyed lace using some vintage lace given to me in a swap in the center with some of my tatting below it. Also I added some of the vintage wedding lace that I've been cutting out appliques from. I just love that lace!
I haven't sewn anything down yet but just setting it in place as I hold tryouts for embellishments and think about the overall block.

Harvest Challenge: Pieced Block

Here is my pieced block for the challenge! 22 pieces of fabric in a 15 inch block!!! You can click on the photos to see them closer. I used the center rose print as my inspiration for the block and added some green gold and pink fabrics from my stash. In the lower right is a vintage hankie with a crochet trim.

In this photo I put a quarter on the block so you can kind of see the scale of the block it is HUGE for me! I usually only go a max of 10 inches for a block.

In this photo I numbered the challenge fabrics, the requirement was to use at least 6 of the fabrics. I also had to use the Trim that was included...now I wouldn't choose this trim especially for the look I'm going for in this block but I had to use a piece of it and felt that the place I put it would be the best place for it. The challenge will be making it work in this block.
Now I'm ready to start embellishment. I'm going to be trying to use a balance of my tried and true techniques and also new ones I've not tried before. My inspiration for this block is my garden, since we live in a mild climate the normal "harvest" season for us is actually the time our garden is the most lush and full with all the vines everywhere at their peak and the roses giving a final glorious push before winter. We don't get a normal "Fall" and kinda just go from late Summer to Winter! We love that, so that is what I'll be doing on this block, creating a full blast at it's peak garden.

Harvest Challenge: Sneak Peek

Here's a little sneak peek of my mess while I'm working on my block!!! I've just finished the piecing after 4 straight and tiring hours yesterday and 2 this morning, now I just need to put in the basting on the edges of my block and I'll be all set to embellish!
Since this is the biggest block I've ever made at 15 inches square (contest requirement) it truly was a challenge for me!!! Piecing a block isn't a cake walk!!! LOL It takes a lot of thinking things through and pre-planning and readjusting as you piece (at least for me anyway), I also had to fit in at least 6 of the 10 challenge fabrics and use some of the trim that was included!

If you click on this photo you can see a little sneak peek of the block. I'll photo and blog the whole block after I finish basting.

Harvest Challenge: The Beginning

I signed up to do the Harvest Challenge that Carolyn Cibik is holding at EveningStarDesigns and my package arrived!!! Lookie, lookie at all the goodies!!! I'm so excited because I love the colors it looks SO "garden" to me! I'll be using my garden as my inspiration for this block! I'm going to look over the rules closer and start dreaming up ideas and then I'll start pulling fabrics from my stash to add to these and get to embellishing! The thing is that when I enter a contest I want to WIN!!! I'll be a good sport of coarse if I do not win, but I'm going to do my best to have the best block entered!!! LOL The prize for winning is a $75 gift certificate for EveningStarDesigns!!! The deadline will be October 6th 2008! I'm sure I will need all the time alloted to get this baby done since the size will need to be at least 200 square inches!