My Beautiful Christmas Cracker

Here are some photos of the Christmas Cracker I received from Faye. I was very strong and did not open it until Christmas morning but I forgot to take photo of it before I opened it.

Isn't the stitching just beautiful I am so lucky I love the Asian influenced fabrics.

Such pretty braids, beads, laces and 2 silkies as well.

Here is a closeup if the silkies not a very good one I am afraid but they are just beautiful in real life.

Yesterday I put the photos of Diane's blocks on the blog but looking at them this morning I realized you cannot really see the stitching so I have uploaded photos of my work on Diane's block. I hope she likes them. I found this an extremely challenging set but a stunning idea and can't wait to see the finished product after Diane embroiders the views from the window. 

Block1: This is Portuguese Border Stitch done in pink and soft green perle 8. This is from TAST from Pintangle and is a really pretty stitch and easy to do.  

Block2: These are some of the stitches from  "A Book of Fancy Designs for Ornamenting Oriental Work" this is a gorgeous old book from the Antique stitch library. Crazy Quilting was known as Oriental work in Victorian times.

Block 3: Another set of stitches from "A Book of Fancy Designs for Ornamenting Oriental Work" . They are up and down buttonhole stitch detached chain straight stitch and fly stitch. The thread is perle 8.

 

Block 4: The base stitch is taken from the little Victorian book I have been using for this set. It is worked like a cross stitch but up and down  I then tied down each corner with a minute cross-stitch and put buttonhole wheel flowers in alternate holes.

Block 5: This is just a series of stitches out of my head. I used a variegated perle thread 5

Block 6: A little kitty staring out the window chain stitch, straight stitch in rayon thread.

Block 7: Stars reflected in the paintwork stitched in woven star and drizzle stitch with colonial knots, my favourite sort if knot. Stitched in perle 8

Block 8: Just stitched as the muse struck. Blanket half wheels and detached chain. 

Block 9: This in fact was the first block I stitched. The woven stitch daffodils were taken from an old copy of Inspirations. I thought the idea of a couple of flowers forgotten on the window sill was sweet.

Back again with a bit more on the BAS Round Robin. This has been very challenging and Diane's blocks were no exception in fact I think they were the hardest of all but in some ways the prettiest. 
Because of the constraint not to use the light green areas and maintain the integrity of the light and dark values if the window frames this really made me for one think. 
Once the blocks came to me there was not too much room on some of them. Any how here is my go at these beautiful and exciting blocks. I can't wait to see them finished after Diane puts the scenery in the background areas.

This block I added very little to just the Portuguese plaited stitch in the lower left hand.

Here I added the lower right upright panel to click on the block to get a larger view.

Lower left upright is my work here

Once again the lower right  upright.

The right upper upright is my stitching

The kitty sitting on the window sill is mine

The Stars reflected on the left upright above the other kitty. I did not do the kitty but I think she is so cute.

The stitching on the upper right upright.

The daffodils on the lower left window sill are perle 8 woven stitch.

Most of my stitching came from either TAST in www.pintangle.com or from a fantastic little booklet "A Book of Fancy Designs for Ornamenting Oriental Work" from www.antiquepatternlibrary.org. In Victorian times Crazy Quilting was called Oriental work hence the name of the booklet.
I hope you enjoy looking at these lovely blocks it was indeed a privilege working on them. For a larger view of the blocks just click on any one of them.