Hydrangeas in May

I enjoy working with the Sulky Heat-Away and have used this product to make the fence pictured here. It is my understanding they have discontinued the fiber and will only produce the film.

I enjoy using the woven fiber since it works beautifully in a hoop and have not tried the film.

I love the look of the hydrangea growing along the fence line. I was told the soil determines the color of the blossom and all those colors could not grow in the same place. I have chosen to ignore this basic fact and allow my "artistic license" to have free reign. I've used this motif on my May block of the month.

I was introduced to the Sulky Heat-Away product by Valerie Hearder. I had the pleasure of interviewing her and doing a book review in CQMagOnline.com She has an amazing talent and I was so pleased to learn this lovely technique.

Creating with Kreinik Silk Serica

I've been experimenting today with a new flower for my November block of the month. Kreinik has some beautiful silk threads and I chose one of them for this particular flower.

It was an all day project but I'm really pleased with the completed flowers. I've done three in this motif with each one measuring 1 1/4" in diameter.

The leaves are made with 4mm silk ribbon and the fly stitch.

The Joy of Creating

I love to create beginning with an almost blank slate. In this particular case it was three pieces of white silk in various patterns, weights and textures. The goal I had in mind was a free-form poinsettia for my December block of the month.

Most importantly in the process was dyeing these silks in those perfect colors I love and enjoy working with. Ozecraft dyes are one of my favorites and I've recently found a great online site for ordering. To achieve the exact color, I'll pull in several different products, however, including Rit dye.

Perhaps the more challenging part is taking that poinsettia you've drawn on paper and pulling apart each individual piece and creating a puzzle with the silk pieces. And of course, the absolute joy and satisfaction that's found in putting it all back together again.

The silks are dyed, the puzzle pieces are cut and it's just waiting for me to stitch it in place. In fact, this poinsettia is just another "almost blank slate" waiting to be stitched down with the perfect threads. The beauty of the poinsettia will come alive on fabric with the completion of the stamen. Of course, the final step is finding the perfect beads and threads to accomplish this.

I've not strictly adhered to the "rules" of crazy quilting or silk ribbon embroidery for that matter. All twelve of my blocks were meant to be a challenge to me in addition to a canvas of all the many things I've learned over the past eleven years I've crazy quilted.