Heart Update

Good morning all! I remembered to grab my memory card this morning so I have lots of pictures. As you know I am making about 15 quilted cq hearts for Valentine's Day. I have already pieced them all together. Then I embroider about 3 or 4. After that I add beads and other embellishments. After all 15 are complete I will add a backing and a ribbon for it to hang from.

Here are a bunch of hearts all ready pieced together just waiting to be embellished.

This heart is ready for beads and buttonns. The stitch is pink chain stitch. I braided a gold thread through it.

This is chevron stitch. I found the repeating pattern in Sharon B's Stitch Files. I thought it kinda looked like lattice. The joinings of the rows of stitch are tied with pink thread though it's hard to tell in this pic.

This is my favorite so far. It will be for my sister-in-law. In the center are two black ribbon flowers. One is supposed to be transparent but they still kind of blend together. I am hoping placing something in the center of each flower will help seperate them to the eye. The vines are chain stitch.

Here is a closeup. The flower cluster is made of cast-on stitches. The pink buds are made of 10-12 stitches. Originally I wanted to do the black buds in a french knot because the thread was so much thicker. however the knots were too small. Instead I did cast-on stitches with 8 stitches instead. I plan on adding gold seed beads to the clusters.

This heart is fairly simple. First I must note how crafting always makes me feel so generous. My step-son (who is really just mine =) asked if he could make one for his mom. He was helping me out the first night. How could I say know to that cute 4 year old face. So anyway that ramble is my feeble excuse for not having much inspiration for this heart. Really I was deflated.

This heart is finished for embellishments. The vine is in feather stitch and the stems of the flowers are backstitch. The flowers are detached chain stitch. The flower to the left is pale pink which is why you can't really see it. Wished I had used a darker thread.

This heart is also finished as far as embellishments go. The hearts were stitched in back stitch. I added a few beads down the centers. The vines are chainstich though now looking at it they look bare. I may add some leaves. For the flower I tried a new stitch. I started with a buttonhole wheel cup. Then I stitched the petals using detached chain stitch. I then decided to sew seed beads into the center of the buttonhole wheel cup.

Well thats what I've got today. 3/15 complete, 3/15 ready for beads, 7/15 yet to be started and 5 days until Valentine's day. I was actually toying with the idea of making 5 more. I must be crazy. We will see if I have to work this weekend or not. Stitch and be happy!