Lace and Crazy Quilt: Ornaments!

This is a shape that has been presented on earlier posts - but it's so versatile, I'm using it again for a crazy quilt ornament with lace. There are two, exactly the same size, but one with only straight seams, and one with curves. 5 1/2" high x 3 1/2" wide on 18 mesh canvas.

The illustrated hexagonal ornament has no lace, but you can see what might be done with it! This is actually a "copy" (or an adaptation) of a quilt block I saw on one of Allie Aller's quilts a while back - and was my inspiration to get the "look" in needlepoint. The flower was made with simple "ribbon stitch" in orange 4mm silk ribbon. The tiny buds are made with pearl cotton #5 in French knots.

There was also the challenge of the "zig-zag" chain stitch for seam treatment - and as I remember, the one at the top of the curve is a "closed herringbone" with beads at the points. The silk ribbon flower is very simple, and the lower patch was stitched with Caron's Watercolours in Nobuko - as it looks like Batik fabric.

And now the lace! I used pastels, as this was to be an egg, and I was still in my "white cotton crocheted lace" phase, but have now begun using metallics, overdyed cottons, whatever looks right - very exciting, it can be! The "lace" is worked with Smyrna crosses where the little squares are 2 x 2 stitches, and what I call a "modified" bump stitch over 3 x 3 stitches.

Here are more images to inspire you - this is why I look at the art quilters' blogs regularly - great images and inspiration! The challenge on these two was the wavy lines of chain stitch and the effect of the ric-rac, which on the quilt block, was a wide one with a narrow piece sewed on top.


Again, I used the Caron Watercolours to resemble Batik - this time in T-stitch. It needs to be horizontal, as trying to do basketweave with overdyed threads results in diagonal stripes. The colors on the hexagonal piece were the original ones, and the heart on the left has my chosen scheme. The seam treatment on the heart in purple has big, loose French Knots worked with Thread Gatherer overdyed silk ribbon.

To draw the hexagons onto canvas, you can either count the dots or just measure. Also, for future use, they may be easily lengthened, widened, narrowed, or whatever else you might want to do for decorating.

For use as they are, after you print them out, ink over the pattern lines, and trace them onto your canvas. I use a straight edge for this (except for the curved seam) so they won't have ugly wobbles. Draw the lace just as you see it - just make the little squares. Very easy - anyone who has worked counted X-stitch can do this! Just a tiny bit of counting - mostly visual.

I had not stitched the two ornaments with lace, as they are from my e-booklet on Diagonal Laces and Trims, (Elegant Whimsies) and intended as an exercise in creating "fabric" backgrounds for crazy quilt and embellishing with diagonal lace as a seam treatment.


Be sure to check the other blog (Possibilities, etc.), as I'm going to do another post this evening on color and silk ribbon embroidery.