My First Crazy Quilt Block!

Isn't it pretty? It is fairly large, 9"x14". I decided to create the Crazy Quilt Journal cover first and the journal I decided to cover has a spiral binding. Of course, I could have created my own but why re-invent the wheel? The object is to learn crazy quilting not practice my bookbinding skills, LOL! I originally cut my muslin 10"x15" onto which I laid out my fabric as I worked; then, proceeded to turn an tuck adding a very thin border before trimming the back side. Once this piece is embellished, the left side will cover the backside of the journal while the right side will cover the front. I will have to create some satin insert panels and sew them on to the reverse side for the journal to slide into.

I will say that creating this piece was a challenge! Not so much in assembling the crazy quilting, but fighting with my sewing machine. My thread kept breaking, I fiddled with the tension, my stitches were to short and had to be lengthened, two broken needles and various setting adjustments later, I finally got it sewing correctly when I was about 6-8 seams from having this piece completed.... Go figure!

I made a couple of mistakes along the way. Okay, maybe not really mistakes as they both can be dealt with.... Let's call them "lessons learned", that is a much better term and a bit more truthful. Can you find them?

The first is with the first piece of fabric that I stitched, just to the left of the photo transfer. I didn't leave enough fabric so when I folded it over to make my second seam, I fell just a bit short. No biggie, embroidery and embellishments will easily cover it.

The second mistake, see the pink thread? That is the thread that was on my sewing machine when I began and it kept breaking. After a few breaks and adjustments, I put on an ecru cotton quilting thread; it seemed to work a bit better. Of course, I could have used the seam ripper and ripped them out; but I liked the way the pink provides a nice contrast, especially against the deep purple satin. It is my little reminder to use something vibrant here --- hmmm, maybe some bright green? Anyways, I'm loving it and am hopeful that I can do this justice with my feeble embroidery attempts, LOL! Ahhhh... well, there's only one way to learn and that is by jumping in and attempting it. I suppose it is like anything else that I've ever taught myself to do, the more you do it, the better you get at it! Wish me luck!