Adventure with Sharon Boggon

In case I haven't mentioned it often enough I've just returned from CQ Adventure in CT. Start saving your pennies now in case they have it again next year... The first three days were spent with Sharon Boggon from Australia. She feels contrast is the most important key to a great block that really works... We spent a good deal of the first morning discussing all aspects of contrast and she referred to it again and again during the course... Cheryl A. brought this green block to show me.. It is from a tone-on-tone RR and was made by Cathy L. It will be a great exercise in using contrast without depending on color. After she showed it to me we weren't able to connect again to discuss it so here goes... That night at dinner Cathy K, Diane M and I began discussing green plants, animals, etc. to use as a focal point... Sharon had had a fantastic Brazilian grasshopper which would be great and we thought of alligators, frogs, turtles, lizards and various bugs....maybe even a John Deere tractor.

But if it were me doing a the block I immediately think of birds and a parrot or parakeets would be at the top of my list. When I start looking at images to do a bird I am especially looking for birds that are "doing" something or in an interesting position such as both of these photos..The bird eating is a photo from the archives at this site.. a fantastic site for anyone loving birds...do visit it... I'd probably do the bird in embroidery on a hoop or it could be printed and appliqued on... but another great option is a method Alison Aller is using a lot and would work here beautifully. She would print the parrot on fabric, add fusible interfacing, cut it out, and iron it on the block. So now we have added our first contrast... size! The parrot immediately changes the perspective of the piece... Then I would begin finishing the seams in as many ways I could think of using stitches of vines and leaves wandering here and there on the block... starting to work on another contrast...texture! Then I'd add branches using a heavy perle such as a 3....bringing the parrot to the foreground... Another contrast... dimension!

To further these steps I'd add the largest leaves using heavier threads, ribbons and textured threads such as valour with maybe even weaving some leaves attached only at the branch. As the final steps why not including a dragonfly with green organza wings and a jeweled body...and maybe a hide a lovely tree frog and even a salamander...

So to sum it up we have used all greens but have added variety and interest with contrasts in dimension, size, and texture... This is why I LOVE rounds robins... They are like puzzles and force me to think outside my comfort area...

My next post will cover a couple other aspects of contrast with the block I did in the workshop....