Another Crazy Patch

OK this baby is a might behind as it was received in September as I was madly purging and then packing from my 3-floors up apartment move!!!  Needless to say nothing was worked on it till a couple of weeks ago and now my CQd patch is finished and it will be mailed on after Christmas to the next person in this round robin.

First off I saw this lovely patch and it was calling for the awesome branches covered spider web and naturally a spider too that I found in Carole Samples "Treasury of Crazy Quilt Stitches".  I have admired that example for ages but just didn't have the opportunity to try it out until Katie's block arrived.  Now my attempt is no where near the expertise of Carole's but I'm very pleased with it.

So first off I embroidered the spider web with DMC metallic in backstitch and then with DMC floss embroidered the branches.  Then was the deciding point of how to add the leaves as I did not want them all the same.  The first ones were padded with batting and variegated floss in satin stitch and anchored for the centre vein.  The next were bought leaves whipped stitched in place over their loops and last were varied sizes of chain and fly stitched DMC floss leaves. Then I found these irridescent flower-type beads and anchored them in place with a gold seed bead.  VOILA I think that's enough - now the spider!

I wanted something I've not done before so I researched Google Images for beaded spiders and after seeing many I worked my needle magic and settled on this one!  This is the first time I anchored the body beads all in one needle pass through the holes and then anchored at the head with two seed beads before anchoring downwards on the next pass through.  Yes I like this attempt lots better as there is not such a build up of threads for each bead visible.  OK I initially thought this would be it but then decided not.

It just needed some of my tatting, so I again experimented with my favorite dragonfly pattern and enlarged it slightly then anchored it in place with some beads for the body. NOW my efforts are finished and it will be mailed on soon. Hope Katie likes how her block is growing in CQing beauty!!!