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Here you will find a gathering of the many wonders of crazy quilting.....the stash!
Vintage lace found at Estate sales,online,and thrift shops.
Bead soup,mother of pearl buttons,sequins,and charms. I incorporate all of these and more in my work to add interest.
7mm hand dyed silk ribbon
Velvet ribbons can also be used for seam treatments or to make flowers with such as pansies. This collection to the left is from Helen Gibb purchased at the Spring International Quilt Festival in Illinois
Silk twist, ribbon floss, Kreinik silk and metallic thread,perle cotton threads are some of the essentials for seam treatments and embroidery. Various threads add texture, shimmer, color, and detail to every project
Thin Ribbon and sequin trims can accent a seam or meander through your project.
Seed beads accent stitches.Sequins ,silk ribbon embroidery,and bugle beads add texture and design to simple embroidered seams. Below are basic examples of beads used for seams.
If you find yourself with the newer synthetic laces that do not accept dye, paint them!
(left)I made this simple bracelet by embellishing a 2" wide synthetic lace with silk ribbon,tiny shells,and beads.
The dragonfly design above was made entirely of Kreinik Iron on thread. You simply position it on your fabric and cover with a Teflon sheet and press using a mini iron or the tip of your iron. It securely adheres to the fabric. They offer many colors and widths to create a variety of accents.
Lets start with Lace....new or old, natural or synthetic, it's all good! Lace adds that vintage touch to your work. It can make any project have a feminine feel to it just by adding a few along seams or a lace applique with silk ribbon flowers. You can age or dye your lace , or leave it as is. Lace is a lovely texture which compliments any fabric.
Sequin and beaded trims are widely available and most are very affordable. Pre made trims allows you to add intricate details without the work. Many trims are imported from India or France, the later being more costly in most cases. Vintage trims can be easily salvaged from vintage clothing found at Estate sales and Antique shops. Vogue Fabrics in IL has a beautiful supply of these trims.
Below are a few hand painted lace applique's. You simply paint the dye on the lace to add detail.
You may use any fabrics you wish for crazy quilting. I prefer using the "Fancy fabrics" such as Silk Dupioni, Moire', Satin, Brocade, Velvet, Burn out velvet, and some cottons with metallic accents. This is just my preference. You may use 100% cotton or even Lame'. It is your choice. The more variety of fabrics as far as fiber content, the more texture your project will have. I think it is more enjoyable to embellish various textures in a crazy quilt project. Although fabrics can be found just about everywhere, one of my favorite sources is old clothing from tag sales,estate sales,Antique shops,and those found around the house. I mean really, are you going to wear those old bridesmaid gowns again????
The fabrics and laces in the photos above are hand dyed pieces of vintage doily's,antimacassars,and salvaged laces from old clothing. Remember when women wore slips with wide lace?
Storing your fabrics in clear drawer units help keep them dust free and saves time when searching for a specific color.
Two favorite fabric haunts are Vogue Fabrics in Evanston or Lansing IL and Lemon Creek fabrics in MI. The above left photo is the staff of Vogue Fabrics in Lansing Illinois. The right photo is the owner of Lemon Creek in Michigan.
I would suggest buying assorted fabric textures and fiber content in the same color as in the examples above. Solid and printed assortments give your projects more interest
Ribbon floss~ great for large seam treatments Perle Cotton~great for filling ,outlining,and embroidery stitches
Silk Twist solid colors Silk Twist variegated~ beautiful for embroidery stitches
Kreinik Silk Bella~ very smooth to sew with Kreinik Iron On ~ fuses to fabrics
DMC Blended metallic's
Silk ribbon is not easy to find in stores but can be found at several online stores. I hand dye all of my silk ribbon to match my projects for a better blend. I often offer my hand dyed silk ribbon in my etsy shop or Artfire shops. I blend my own colors using different processes for a unique ribbon and they are as soft as butterfly wings.
7mm Silk ribbon drying before ironing
Using two crystals or beads and a fine metallic thread, you can create a spider for good luck!
A few examples of silk ribbon embroidery to embellish a fabric image adding color and texture
I can't imagine a crazy quilt without beads. I am a bead addict and search them out wherever I go. One of my favorite shops to visit in Michigan is Tradewinds located in Watervliete. If you can't find what you need there, they don't make it.
Above photo of Tradewinds in Michigan A tiny sampling of Tradewinds offerings
Don't forget broken jewelry Vintage and new sequins
Mother of pearl buttons make delicate additions Charms of all shapes and sizes, painted or plain
Vintage bits and bobs made of glass and shell
Cigarette silks were printed images on silk fabric pieces inserted in packages of cigarettes as a Premium which Victorian women used to embellish their crazy quilt projects. They are commonly referred to as "Ciggies". They are scarce to find, so I make my own using a heat transfer method. This method leaves the ciggie 100% washable and fade proof without any residue feeling like many transfers do. I use ciggies to set a theme for every project.
The Oriental lady ciggie in the above photo set the theme for my Oriental Tote which was featured in the July/Aug 2008 issue of Belle Armoire magazine.
The Victorian hand ciggies worked well with the fan sample I made for Kreinik threads. I used metallic fine braid for the seams.
Ciggie's
Beads & Treasures
Silk Ribbon
Threads
Fabrics
Trims
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I usually start my projects with a hand transferred image which dictates the theme and color.
The fun loving Flapper image used on the orange purse to the left suggested bright orange and pink fabrics and embellishments.
The Aqua and Lilac purse to the right was made to compliment the Flapper with the purple hat tied with a large Aqua ribbon. A more romantic look with softer colors.
The two pendants to the left were made from arge wooden macrame beads. I simply covered them in a crazy quilted piece and added vintage organza appliques and a beaded tassel.
The project to the right is a covered wooden cigar box in which I layered with felting and lace, then embellished with a crocheted glove, mother of pearl buttons , a porcelain set of butterfly wings, and silk ribbon embroidery.
This purse front was made using all vintage laces. It was a challenge from the blog, Mind Wide Open.
The above pendant was made with a vintage optical lens which I filled with a tiny crazy quilt piece. I used vintage rhinestones from my mother's old jewelry to add glam!
The beautiful beaded trims above are from Flights of Fancy.
Wildflowers~ Fine cotton thread by Caron
Rachelette~sheer tube with metallic thread in center. A gorgeous fiber to enhance your work. By Caron
Pat Winter Gatherings
LACE
