Making Button Clusters - Tutorial

Everyone has their own "technique" for building clusters. Here's mine...and I just adapt this general guide to whatever type of block I'm working on.   First...I like to have texture if possible to put my cluster on. A doily, or scrap of lace is my favorite...a place for the cluster to rest. This adds more interest to a cluster...because the rough texture of a crochet doily or a piece of lace makes a great contrast to the smooth surface of the flat buttons used in the base.

 Second...the bottom layer is a group of flat buttons. These are placed in whatever shape I'm wanting to mimic on the block. A long trailing line of buttons...or a circle...an oblong...a triangle. This is where I start to work the general shape of the finished cluster. All of the buttons are stitched down at least three times...more if there is room for the threads...and then on the fourth (or last) pass of the thread...I like to add tiny seed beads. These add more contrast...and interest...AND, have the added benefit of hiding those ugly little holes and thread stitching.

 Third...the next layer goes above the flat buttons...and is a selection of shank buttons. They sit by the sides of the flat buttons...and the flat buttons serve to raise them up...and hold them in place. Again, they are stitched at least three times...more if possible. Each button is knotted off at the back...whether or now I travel the thread. Each button is securely attached...so, no wobbling!

  Fourth...a layer of surprises. This can be beads, sequins, crystals, ribbon roses, plastic flowers, etc. Something to add a bit of whimsy or just a little glitz is great. But, just a little "surprise" is fine too. Clusters don't have to always be buttons...they can be acrylic flowers, silk flowers, charms, etc...just remember...more texture is good...more contrast is interesting...and keeping to a general theme will unite the grouping. Can you spot the layers in these clusters?

 Doily...Flat leaves...Textured Ribbon Flowers...Beads and Charms

 Snippit of lace...Acrylic Flowers...smaller flowers to fill-in...beads and crystals

Doily and lace snippits...Silk petal flowers...ribbon roses...cat charm

Lace motif...flat buttons and flat sequin leaves...shank buttons...cabochon and jewelry pieces...and a pig charm because the owner collects pigs! (Hugs, Thearica!)

Tatted doily and lace snippets...flat buttons...shank buttons...porcelain roses and jewelry pieces...charms, beads, and crystals. Added a little turtle charm for fun! I hope that seeing my "technique" will help you if you have problems creating clusters that you like...or will just inspire you to stitch. Hugs...and hope all of the USA followers have a great Thanksgiving tomorrow! I'll be taking a mini blog vacation...and eating too much...and hopefully taking a nap! The favorite past-times for the USA on Thanksgiving! (Oh, and football of course!)

CQJP 2012 - November

Buttons, buttons, buttons! Looking through my box of "white stash" for inspiration on the November white block...it dawned on me that there were no buttons in my box! So, I went hunting through my button boxes for white...and found quite a few.

So, November is dedicated to buttons!

 Large and small clusters...single buttons...and a big fat stacked grouping too!

 

CQJP2012 - October

For the Crazy Quilt Journal Project 2012 block for October...my all white has a tall flower of ruched ribbon...I love this technique.  You see it a lot in Baltimore Album style applique quilts.

 I think it is really nice done in ribbon.

Echoing the same seam treatment on both sides of a piece of lace trim, and using some of my friend Arlene's pearls down the center...reminds me of the front of a ladies blouse. Does it you?

Susan's Easy and Fabulous Cake!

Last week, while at retreat...Susan (TX~Wildflower) brought a Bundt cake for us...and it was heavenly. (I ate three pieces....sssshhhhh). She was kind enough to let me have the recipe...and said that I can share it. Today, I baked it...and although I still think Susan is a better cook than I...it did turn out wonderfully! I'll be repeating this next week for Thanksgiving too!

 The ingredients are simple...   Pecan Praline Cake   1 pkg butterpecan cake mix 1 container coconut pecan frosting 4 eggs 3/4 cup oil (veg or cannola) 1 cup water 1 cup pecans (chopped)   Place everything into a large bowl and mix for about 3 minutes. Pour batter into bundt cake pan, and bake at 350 degrees for about 55 minutes.
Here are photos of my creating the cake...for all you "non-bakers" out there...

 Preheat oven to 350. Spray bundt pan with nonstick spray, put a few of the chopped pecans in the bottom...and set aside.

  Crack the eggs...one at a time into a bowl (to make sure you don't get any bits of shells), then pour all four of them into a large mixing bowl.

Add water and oil to the mixing bowl with the eggs. Mix on medium a few seconds.

Next, add the cake mix to the same bowl...and mix a couple of more seconds.

Lastly, spoon the icing into the same mixing bowl...and mix for a couple of minutes.

Here is the cake all mixed up. It even looks good just like this!

Pour the cake batter into the bundt pan...then place in the oven on the lowest or next to lowest rack...and set your timer for 55 minutes. 

 When the timer goes off...pull out the cake pan and test the cake to see if it is done by poking it with a toothpick or fork. If there is no batter on the toothpick...then it is done (see my toothpick). If there is batter clinging to the toothpick, then let the cake cook for another five minutes...and test the doneness again. For my oven, the 55 minutes was just enough baking time.

Remove the cake pan from the oven, and let it sit and rest for about 15 minutes (at least). You will see that the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Then, wrap a hand-towel around the pan and give it a gentle shake...this will let you know if the cake will come out of the pan easily or is "stuck" somewhere. Mine was hanging on to the center tube...and I slid a butter knife down between the pan and the cake in the center area to loosen it some. Another little shake...and I could see the cake "jumping" up around the center and the sides.

Place a plate on top of the cake pan, and a dish towel folded long-ways...so you won't burn your fingers (or just wait until the cake is all the way cool....but, I have no patience). Turn the plate and pan over at the same time. Lift the cake plate off...and you have your finished cake (see top photo).

Here, I've cut it into to parts...one for me...and one for Mother...and a "test" slice for the cook! Ha! Thanks Susan for such a great recipe!!!  

FFT #22 Block Completed for Lee

Worked some more last night to finish up the crazy patch block for Lee, in the FFT #22 round robin at CQI. Lee's block was "detained" by the postal system by a couple of weeks...causing the group some distress. Thankfully, it finally arrived...and I've been stitching away to try and get it caught up in the timeline so that Lee did not have to wait too long for her block to come home.

 The ladies before me did a wonderful job of filling up the block, not leaving a lot of work for me! I added a couple of seams and some charms...but, must have been really tired last night, because all of the photos of the seams close up are so blurred...the only really decent photo is of the silk ribbon and embroidery area that I added to the block.  So, hopefully, when the block arrives home...Lee will add more photos to her group album! It will go to the post office...with tracking!!...some time this afternoon or tomorrow morning.

CQJP 2012 Continues..

Finally...I have gotten a few hours to work on my CQJP2012 blocks again! I'm still terribly bored with all this white....and surprised that I do not have more "white stuff" in my stash! But, it has caused me to get creative...and that's a good thing of itself I suppose.

White is also so hard to photograph! I'll not be doing this type of block style again, anytime soon...regardless of what my muse thinks! And, she ALWAYS thinks she is right!

 The little critters...like this butterfly...

 ...and this spider...are just really hard to see when the block is white...and so are they! Today, I'm heading out to shop a little with my friend Pam (who just called and asked me)...so, who know what else might get accomplished today...probably not much! Ha! But, we'll have fun anyhow!

Christening Gown Embroidery is Done!

The only stitching I worked on at the retreat was Ely's skirt of her christening gown. 

  The night before we were to leave coming back home...I just stayed up all night so that I could "hopefully" get it completed. At 7 a.m. the next morning...the last French Knot was stitched. 

  After we drove home (no I didn't do the driving...thank you Sara!)....I unpacked...and went to bed at 2 o'clock in the afternoon...didn't get up until 7:30 this morning!

  But...it was worth it! Now, I'm off to start putting this little gown together...and create her slip too!

Retreat Fun!

 

  Isn't this tree glorious! It is a maple, sitting right outside one of the quilt shops we visited during the Odenville Retreat. Twice a year, some of the ladies off of the HGTV Message Board "Quilting and Needlework" meet near Birmingham Alabama for a little mini-retreat. Annually, all of the member try to meet somewhere nationally..but smaller portions of the membership will also get together locally. Ours is not really "much" locally..since we have folks that travel down from as far as Maine to join in...because we have so much fun! This is the view from my corner seat next to the windows...far right back.

  Isn't this a lovely group of ladies to be stitching with! I think so!

  See y'all again soon.....in April! Hugs!