Preparing for 2012 Challenges

A few days ago I was opening fabric boxes in the walk-up attic that I haven't opened in awhile. What struck me is that I have alot of fabric in certain colors. In a few colors, I am really stocked. I also have a few of what I considered to be very attractive designer samples from when I was in an interior design program in the 1990s. These were pieces I picked up because they just appealed to me; that was their primary reason for coming home with me. When I pulled out those samples and really looked at them, all of them had a very similiar color range and it matched the dominant colors in my fabric collection. What was even more interesting to me is that I still loved the samples and the colors.

I've been a little restless lately to find some handwork. I love machine work but occasionally I need to slow down the pace and do handwork. I really don't enjoy a steady diet of either; although, truth be told, I like machine work more.

I didn't do any challenges this year and while I enjoyed my studio time, I missed the comraderie a challenge offers with like-minded stitchers. I've decided to participate in 2 organized challenges and 1 self created challenge for 2012. In order to be ready to start the stitching for 2012, I have prep work to do now.

As I was thinking about some possible projects, I decided to go ahead and let the designer samples lead me in a direction. I am refusing to get hung up on any part of the process. I've made a decision that I am fine with the level of creativity at which I work, with the methods and with the materials. I'm not interested in blazing new frontiers. I'm interested in pleasing myself. I'm going to trust my instincts and rely on what I know works.

So, in light of the recent thinking, I schlepped a bunch of supplies downstairs to the dining room table (my 2nd studio!) and spent entirely too much time on the Embroidery Library website choosing designs for the next big (fairly formal and traditional) crazy quilt.

I tend to spend the weekdays on service projects and the weekends on my own projects and this weekend was no exception. I hope to get this large crazy quilt pieced and ready for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project - 2012 .  I'm going to follow along with Take a Stitch Tuesday on Sharon's blog so I have an outline of new stitches to explore.  I started this challenge a few years ago and it really is a good way to expand one's understanding of hand embroidery stitches.  It's one of those challenges that is fairly self-directed and open-ended in possibilites.  I figure it will give me an opportunity to slow down and enjoy some handwork.

Here's the scene in my dining room this morning!  Wes and I are eating Thanksgiving at the country club so I don't have to clean up the room or the house.  (Yea!)

I'm working with a basic color scheme of red, blue and yellow--softened to more of the country tones.  I'm using alot of "one of" fabric samples so I am being cautious and thinking carefully about what I am doing.  I don't always have 2 alternatives if I mess up on one of the patches.

Yesterday I was able to get 3 of the 4 corners done.  I am using a delft blue embroidery design for the corners: 3 birds and a flower urn.  For the central medallion I am using an Art Nouveau inspired pair of birds: a hummingbird and a peacock. 

I can do all the planning in the world but nothing compares to having the final stitchout in front of me!  Until the embroideries are done & I have the actual sizes, I am waiting to sew the crazy quilt blocks. They will encircle the medallion and then form 2 borders around the outsides.  I am anticipating a large wallhanging to replace the tropical wallhanging in my living room.

This is a lower corner--100% wool with a silk oval.  I used the back of the silk-it was much more graceful than the red and black front.

An upper corner--the damask background has pretty beige leaves against a creme background.  (I'll have to take better pics for this project, I can see.)

The top ovals have a yellow green coarse linen as the background for the birds.  I've had this linen since the early 90s when I thought I could use it for hand cross stitching.  I snagged it on the JoAnns clearance table along with some other linens.  I'm happy to press it into service now.  It really adds a nice textural background for the birds.

Here's a general mock-up of the central medallion.  Creams, glods, whites, country blues and reds--all colors in my house and apparently colors I have loved over the years as evidenced by the boxes of fabrics in those colors.  Maybe this project will help unload some of the pieces.

I hope you will join me as I stitch.  If you are reading this in Google Reader, let me know, willya?  I almost gave up blogging until I realized there really were people reading just not commenting.

Join in the Discussion! I would love to know what you think.
Have a Creative Day, Y'All!