Another Retreat Challenge Block I Stitched On

I thought I would share another of the blocks from the Retreat Challenge Round Robin that I worked on. These were some of the things I was working on the last few months that I could not share until after the retreat. This particular block was a large fan so it gave me lots of opportunity to play with seam treatments. The first one I did was very standard - a Chevron Stitch with trios of Detached Chain Stitch added.

The second seam treatment, done in Gloriana Princess Petite Perle silk thread, was a simple zigzag of straight stitches with french knots, detached chain stitch, and more straight stitches added. I finished it off with sequins attached with beads.

The third seam treatment, again in Gloriana threads, was two rows of box shapes built using chain stitch. More detached chain stitches in the center of each box.

I found some wonderful vintage sew on jewels in the thrift store and had to find a way to use them so this is how the next seam treatment came to be.

I made a row of buttonhole stitch ovals and then used one of the sew on jewels in the center of each oval. This was gone in good old DMC floss.

I have to share this even though I hate it and sincerely hope it has since been removed from the block. I was inspired by Carole Samples' Daddy's Ties book (this concoction is in no way a reflection of Carole's book!) Somehow or other this is what I came up with on my own and I hope the block owner has taken it out and found a nice piece of lace or something to cover the spot! It was stem stitch, detached chain, and french knots.

Anyway, this is the block when it left me and went on to the next stitcher. The fabric at the base of the fan was the challenge fabric and I think whoever pieced this block did a wonderful job working with it and using all the colours. It was a great block to work on!

Comments

Lauri said…

Love your stitching!!
I just wanted to pass on something Martha told me at the retreat.
She knows Carole Samples personally and was trying some of Carole's seams. Martha told Carole something to the effect that she loved Carole's seams but the were so hard to do
Carole told her "Honey I don't actually do all those seams, I just draw them"
LOL

October 11, 2011 at 8:10 AM

gocrazywithme said…

Hi Kerry, I pieced that block for Rebecca Davis. Thanks for the compliment; when I saw that large floral print, it was all I could think to do with it, and I love fans with all the straight seams on the blades to embellish. Had to laugh when I got the next block in the rotation that Rebecca had pieced; it also had a fan shape!

October 11, 2011 at 3:40 PM

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