Best Quilting tool ever!!!!

These came in the mail yesterday....

Sew Red glasses are the best tool for helping you see contrast. Contrast is what makes your quilts interesting. Have you ever seen a quilt that had lovely fabrics and an interesting pattern but it was all muddled together so nothing stood out? The fabric and pattern was lost in a sea of sameness.
Now that I have these Sew Red glasses I won't have to squint to see contrast, squinting doesn't always work so well anyway. You can find them here .
I'm still working on my crazy quilt sewing kit and I've added trims, Sharon B's mini challenge but today I am experimenting with my Sew Red glasses.

Victorian Christmas Strawberry Ornaments....

Christmas in July, I like the braid trim on this strawberry.

Close-up, can you see the lady bug?

 I finished these two ornaments over the weekend. It is never too soon to plan for Christmas you know. The small strawberries on the top are so cute. The leaves are felted wool. The red button is vintage reproduction. I used the pattern, Vintage Strawberry Pincushion by Crabapplehill Studio , lovely.  I added the braid hanger and the velvet ribbon hanger. These are for sale in my etsy shop, crazyvictoriana.etsy.com

Velvet brocade, velvet ribbon, felted wool leaves....

Crazy Quilt silks, taffetas, venice lace, new batch...

Pinks with Venice Lace, what delicious possibility!

Neutrals add contrast and blending.

I just ordered a new bunch of crazy quilt fabric and Venice lace for my crazy quilt sewing kit habit. I just have to have something to work on and fret over and delight in!! Not to mention embellish. I ordered from, Cathy's Crazy by Design . Cathy's shop is so fun, with high quality, unique crazy quilt supplies. I need something to start planning for as I'm half way done with my "Prairie" series sewing kits. I like to have a theme, hmmm, what next?

Crazy Quilt "Prairie" #2 sewing kit progress....

             I've added hand embroidery and beading.                   

I had time for a little work on this "Prairie" sewing kit. I check into, Sharon B's hussif challenge WIP Wednesday  to see what everybody else has got done this week so far. It's fun to see everyone's projects and inspiring.

Close-up of closed feather stitch and detached chain stitch with beads.

Art Quilt pieced Santa Clara series...

This is #4 in a series, Santa Clara art quilts, my design.

Close-up. The colors are clear and bright.

 Santa Clara, Ca is a beautiful place. It is in a valley so the light seems to come at an angle making colors seem a little more clear and bright. We lived there for several years and I had to try to catch the colors in a series of quilts. One is never enough of course. This quilt is made of two blocks, multi stripe and single stripe, 8"x 5" ea.
Most of the beautiful  fabrics come from, Shabby Fabrics .

View right side up. I just got this pieced this week.

Crazy Quilt "Prairie" sewing kit #2 progress.....

I've hand sewn lace trim here and there.

Venice lace pinned on waiting for me to get it sewn down.

 Hand sewing lace down can take a little time. I can't devote all my time to this so I plan and arrange  in my mind while I get other things done, a balancing act.
I'm looking forward to embellishing and hand embroidery next. My last "Prairie" sewing kit was a bit plain. I plan to really load this one with embellishment. As always, Sharon B's WIP is a real inspiration to get things done!

I'm "interviewing" embroidery thread colors & embellishments.

New Art Quilt blocks in Santa Clara series

I worked on these blocks over the weekend,

Closer view, I'm playing with the arrangement,

This is a design in my Santa Clara
series, #4. I've used some beautiful
fabric from Iron Orchid and an interesting batik, with some Kona solids. I will get it sewn together in the next few days. I get a lot of my fabric from, Shabby Fabrics.