Twelve Months and a Puzzle!

Here is my Bead Journal Project from 2007-2008.  I am really pleased with the way it looks all together.  I am  happy with the leaves that I made for each month.  Each month is labeled with the name of the month on a photo of a real leaf printed on fabric the same way I printed the flowers.  All the photos were my own images and printed on fabric treated to accept the ink from my inkjet printer.  The images are really finely focused, and give good definition.  The fabric comes pre-adhered to paper to help it run through the printer smoothly and easily. I left the paper on the fabric so that it would be stabilized as we usually do for bead embroidery.  

I had decided to use 12 puzzle pieces for next year's BJP. I kept thinking about it and wondering about how that would work.... how much did I need to cut away to have the picot edge fit? So, I decided to try out the project by doing a little puzzle with only four pieces. Here is the fabric just adhered to the Timtex and ready to trim and bead. It has been enlightening and fun!  The picot edge worked out ok, but I found that I had overestimated and cut away too

much. I also was using  Timtex for the first time for my backing. It is interesting, but I'm not sure it's a "fit" for me. So, I have almost finished my 4 piece puzzle. I think I am "done" with puzzle pieces. Now I have to think of something else for next year.... hoping that "something" will come to me by September.

Here is my nearly finished puzzle. It's been fun to try out different stitches.... mostly using Robin's new book for inspiration and guidance.  I had so much fun planning each flower on the batik.  The one that most people find irresistible to touch is the periwinkle blue half shell petals.  It was fun to do, but the gold one was great to do with the herringbone "weave".  

Finishing up the "Quilt" for BJP

I have stitched together my "quilt" of blocks in four rows of three, using strips of fabric. I chose a very dark green pant-weight fabric. I made the fabric into tubes, and turned them so there are no raw edges on the lattice fabric and it is double for strength. I will add a wider piece on the outside edges using the same formula. This I will put over a painter's canvas already stretched onto a wooden frame. I am thinking at this point that I will pad it with a layer of batting to soften the look, then stitch through at strategic places stretching it as I go, and finally stapling the borders to the wood on the back. That is my short term solution, but I think that I will finally use an actual frame on it. That remains to be seen, both in terms of finances and artistry. I may like it just fine with a wider border of the green, and not need it framed.... I am, after all, firstly a quilter! LOL!