Georgia's on my mind!!

This is Gayle's block for the Artist RR and she chose Georgia O'Keeffe as her artist.. I'll share some of my thoughts as I started on this block... First I wanted the seams mostly to add texture and didn't want them to stand out.. I put radiating lines in each seam because that symbolized desert heat to me... I know that's silly but when you're stitching it is nice sometimes to think you have a purpose even though no one else will ever notice.

Next she had that lovely little black patch in the center which I didn't want to cover.. That meant the main elements had to be off center... and of course since it was Georgia, it had to be BOLD and graphic.

I chose a poppy and used a technique we learned in Allie's class in CT. We used silk ribbon in class but I used a peach silk strip which worked just as well... I painted it with dyes, gathered it and then spritzed it with water and pressed until it was very very flat. Then I singed the edges with a candle. It is very batik looking.

The center repeats the black and is clipped threads and is 3D even though it doesn't show that way in the photo... I didn't want it to sit like a lump in the corner of the block so I used the bud and stems to bring it all out into the block... So we still see most of my radiating seams (LOL) and the little black patch.

One thing I adore are cordings, especially satin cording and even more especially gold satin cording... Whenever I can find it I buy LOTS. We went to a fabulous bead shop in CT and there was an entire shelf of cording and I really loaded up..
It is great on seams and as an element to add movement and interest... The ends were always a problem because they fray. I used to either hide them or satin stitch near the end and clip close...

But Sharon shared this SUPER technique... You start at if you were going to make an ordinary knot in the end but you wrap it 4 or 5 times through and then pull tight. You then clip right at the knot and it doesn't fray or come undone...truly magic!!!! I just love this... and will use it over and over. Cathy K. said she knew it as a quilter's knot.... whatever it's mine now.

Do you like the new header?? I've been painting ladybug buttons for several days..