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Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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Goldwork on a Crazy Quilt Square: Several Photos

 

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Today, I was going to tell you about embroidery scissors. Good embroidery scissors. (Did I ever tell you how much I love embroidery scissors?) But I’ll save that for tomorrow. Today, you get Pictures!! Actually, I was flipping through some of my photos from the goldwork / quilt square project, and I started thinking I may as well show some with “real” seam treatments.

I’ve gotten a bunch of e-mails – thank you! – from crazy quilters who have said not to worry about not crossing over all the seams, and that often, only one half of a seam is treated, when lace or ribbon is used, etc. Thanks for your encouragement! As one pro crazy quilter commented, “Crossing the seams is not what typifies crazy quilting anymore. Unique and beautiful embellishment is!” Well, the truth is, I wasn’t really kicking myself too much over it! I did cross some seams…

Goldwork on a Crazy Quilt Square

Here’s a herringbone stitch worked in green Trebizond over the seam. Over the herringbone stitch, I stitched long pieces of check purl (in the manner of bugle beads) in a “V” design, alternating with the herringbone. I topped the tip of the “V” in French knots with dark green silk ribbon. In retrospect, I should have used a contrast there – but I didn’t want to use red, as it would look to Christmassy, and I didn’t want to use blue, as it would look too “preppy,” (I don’t know why those colors of green and blue always make me think “preppy” – but they do!). So I stuck with the green. Anyway, I topped the tips of the herringbone with spangles held on with off-white, pearly-colored beads, some of which had shifted about. Remember: always check your beads before you take the photos!

Goldwork on a Crazy Quilt Square

Oh, dear. This one doesn’t go over the seam. But it’s one of my favorite shots, because I like the red flower thing (which I’ve already shown you) and I like the ribbon in the foreground. And the blue and gold seam that stretches up the piece from here is actually my favorite seam…

Goldwork on a Crazy Quilt Square

This is tiny fly stitch over the edge of a seam. I had to work in some Gilt Sylke Twist! And the seam was just a small stretch that ran into two already heavy-looking seams. So I went with something… well, tiny. The GST is such a fine little thread, but it’s so very pretty!

Goldwork on a Crazy Quilt Square

Now, this seam is a bit heavy! It’s worked with pearl purl in scallops, with the red spokes worked in long straight stitches, and then little sprays of check purl, and a bead and spangle treatment.

Goldwork on a Crazy Quilt Square

And here’s another seam that crosses over. It’s made up of half buttonhole wheels worked in red buttonhole twist, between which are worked three daisy stitches out of purl situated around a very large spangle attached with a bead.

You can find more detailed explanations of each seam treatment, along with how-to’s and so forth, in my CQMag Online article, Goldwork and Crazy Quilting.

Tomorrow – scissor talk! I’ll tell you a bit about scissors and show you some comparative photos….

I’m finishing up a school term this week and getting ready for the next one – so if I slip out unnoticed, it’s only to do a little “real world” work!

Enjoy your Tuesday!

 
 

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(9) Comments

  1. The goldwork on the rich fabric of the crazy quilt compliment each other wonderfully. I am eargerly waiting for the article to see the whole piece.
    This would look lovely as a Christmas Stocking and the more I look at your pictures the more I think I have to add it to my To do list.
    Thank you for sharing them with us.

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  2. Your gold work is fantastic.I have been following your progress over the months and would like to know if this work is the result of a quilting course, and if so which, or something you have done yourself? All in all your work is great. Do you do any on-line courses?

    Keep up the good work.

    Gillian Gonzalez

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  3. Hi, Gillian –

    Thanks for your kind comment and your questions…

    No, the quilt square is not the result of a course or anything. Actually… it’s the first crazy quilt square I ever made. All my needlework skills are self-taught, through books, (lots of books!), research, and trial-and-error (lots of that, too!).

    I don’t presently have any online courses as such. Pretty much, I just pass along tips and tricks that I’ve learned over the years, with a few specific tutorials along the way. I’ve got my video library of embroidery stitches here, which people seem to like pretty well….

    Thanks for following along with my work!

    Best regards,
    Mary

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  4. This is STUNNING. Gorgeous, elegant, yet very contemporary looking. I've never tried goldwork, but I really want to after seeing your beautiful work!! I'm enthralled – thank you!

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  5. Oooo Mary, that is so lovely. I looked at your CQMag Online article and want to jump straight in, the goldwork and colour choice gives the block such impact. I agree with Ginger, a new trend definitely. Fantastic.

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  6. My first email from Mary Corbett’s site.

    Wow. The photos are so dazzlingly clear and this is the most remarkable thing imaginable to me, born when even air conditioning was non-existent to most people! Let alone computers, even battery-operated radios or anything but a portable or big office typewriter!

    Truly wonderful and remarkable. We live in the most fortunate of times….in most respects.

    Thanks to everyone who makes this situation work!

    Especially to Mary Corbett!

    Nancy Morse

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