Snowflake Diaries Stitch along and CQJP 2016 - August.

I haven't been regularly posting in this space I know but it's been quite a roller coaster ride since I posted last.

The year is drawing to a close and I've still got a couple Sep to Dec to complete in the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2016 and the Snowflake Diaries Stitch Along.

I'll leave you with the pages i created for August. 

Stitch along and Crazy quilt block for July.

 These are the pages for July. Flamingos we don't have or get to see in the Nilgiris but I have memories of seeing flamingos in Tanzania.

The Crazy quilt block for July. The fabric with red and gold on the right is from my wedding saree. A beautiful red kanjivaram saree my mother bought for me because she knows I love red.The purple fabric with the embroidered floral motif is a from of traditional Indian embroidery called Kasuti.

Time is racing ahead. The year is coming to an end. This year has been a year in transition - transition between living in an urban area and moving to a rural place, transitioning and using up most of my stock of materials and thread which I acquired while living in Bangalore and looking to my natural surroundings for the materials for my work going forward.
This fabric book will be one which has elements from both worlds. The cross stitch motifs most months with the exception of flamingos are from the world I currently inhabit. We have bears, our pet cat Pepper,our doggie Blackie. it's uncanny how much like their colouring the motifs in the pattern are. I didn't change the colours so that they resemble our pets.
 The crazy quilt blocks are made with fabrics and embellishments from my stash which I acquired while living in Bangalore.
Miles to go before this year ends.

Crazy Quilting and Cross stitching

It's almost a month since I posted on this blog.

A month of cross stitching and crazy quilting. Below are the fruits of my labour.

 CQ block for May.

Crazy quilt block for June.

That's the CQ block and cross stitch pattern for June as they would appear, side by side in the final book.

April - Joyful World Stitch along

 It's almost the end of August and I've just completed the pattern for April.

Here's the crazy quilt block and the stitch along pattern for April.

Two weeks and no signs of Socks.
My next project is to start drawing the flowers, birds and insects which I see on a daily basis here in the Nilgiris. I'm hoping to create a colouring book.

March and April CQ blocks

 I visited my mum and dad in July and came back with all manner of bits and pieces of fabric, saree borders , bits of embroidery from a peasant top which my mum made for my sister and me as kids.
 All perfect for the  Crazy Quilt blocks I was making for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2016.

This is the March CQ block which is beside this cross stitch piece for the Joyful World Stitch along.

The pink and gold zari brocade piece is part of the border of one of my mum's sarees. It's falling apart but I've added some embroidery in blue chain stitch tohold the piece together.

The blue fabric is cotton dyed with indigo.   

This is the CQ block for April.
Since acquiring all these precious bits of fabric I've begun to put together the CQ blocks in no time at all. So instead of stitching the pattern for the month from the Joyful World stitch along first and then agonising over the CQ block, things have gotten so much easier. I hope I'll be able to catch up, it's almost August and I've only completed the pages until March.
Have a good week. Hope you catch up with whatever needs catching up with.  

CQ block and primitive calender page for February

Here's the Crazy Quilt block for February. A small swatch with hearts from Julie. Appropriate for he month of February I thought. A small bit of rust dyed fabric to keep with the primitive theme.

I've tried a bit of Kutch embroidery along one seam. Had to redo it a couple of times so the blue thread could be interlaced. The block itself measures 4" x 6"

That's the page for February - CQ block on the left and the cross-stitch pattern for the stitch along on the right.

Have a good weekend.
I'm trying to identify constellations in the night sky. Can identify Orion, The Hunter. Need to figure out what else is visible in the night sky over Coonoor.

January - Crazy Quilt Journal Project - 2016

The crazy quilt block for January. First block for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2016.

My mother helped me pick the fabrics for this block from my stash which includes scraps of pashmina, noil silk and shweshwe fabric sent by a blogger friend from South Africa.
The block is 6 inches x 4.5 inches.

On to February now, must keep up otherwise it gets tough to catch up.
What projects are you involved in?
Here's a peek at the highlights of my week. have a good weekend.

The beginnings of a new fiber book

 I'm participating in a Stitch along and the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2016 this year. I've decided to combine the output of these two challenges in the form of a fiber journal of 2016.

January for the stitch along is done. The little fox reminds me of my pet Brownie which a leopard snatched away last Saturday. Heartbroken but hoping he's in a better place with no predators.  

And here's the layout for the fiber book. The crazy quilt block has been put together, just need to get the embellishing done.

For all those celebrating Chinese New Year - Kong Hei Fatt Choy.
 It's the year of the monkey.    

A primitive calendar stitch along.

 I came across the stitch along on Pinterest and decided to join.

The Joyful World stitch along is going to compliment a crazy quilt block which I'll be making for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2016. I'm planning on making a fabric journal.

January has just past but you can join the stitch along, it won't be difficult to catch up unless of course you have the likes of Pepper and Socks who favour my laptop for a nap or one of their wrestling matches.
Have a good week.

Christmas ornaments

Every year I plan to make an ornament every month and finally in 2016 I've got around to it.

It gets more challenging because I plan to make about fifteen by the middle of April when my classmates from school plan a small three day reunion and I wanted to give each one a little something for the tree or home when Christmas rolls around.

Where I live finding gifts to buy is not easy so one has to develop the skills to make them.

This cute little reindeer is a freebie I found on Pinterest. 

I'm happy to say little Brownie has recovered from the wild boar attack, his wounds have healed and he's a happy puppy once more.

I've yet to start on the crazy quilt block for January for the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2016. My mum helped me pick out the fabrics now I have to get started.

Lots of reports of  heavy snow, snow storms and extremely cold weather in various parts of the world. Wishing you a warm and safe place if you happen to be some place experiencing severe winter weather.