Symbiotic relationship between shape and needlework

Sharon Boggon spent a good deal of time the first day explaining the differences (historically and now) between Australian and American crazy quilting. I am so sorry I didn't take better notes..but it was very evident that it affects her approach to crazy quilting..

She had 3 large pieces there (along with numerous smaller pieces) but I was immediately enamoured with the all-over floral areas which were different in that they defined a shape of an entire patch and in turn, the patch defined the shape of the floral area.. I know this sounds obtuse but there were so many examples that it took me a while to put my finger on why I noticed them... They were definitely not motifs or floral work as we use here. In this first one please note all the contrasts in color and materials.. I especially love the little pinwheel flowers.. they are so unexpected and delightful.

This is another example combining SRE and beads...lots of beads... Notice that it's the little burgundy roses that carry your eye across....

So much of our SRE and floral work here in the states (myself included) is roses, roses , and more roses. Seeing her pieces made me excited about expanding the types of flowers I include and how I use them.. Again this needlework is clearly defined by the shape of the patch and the shape of the patch is enhanced by the texture of the needlework.. This was on her tumbling-block quilt where shapes of the blocks was critical to the overall piece.

This is another example that was on her long sampler and the photo was taken by Susan Elliott.. the same symbiotic relationship between shape and needlework.. There was a lot of cast-on work and bullion stitches in this patch..

I was absolutely AMAZED when I saw Sharon do her bullion rose...her finger moved so fast it was whizzing thread around that needle like an electric mixer. I was in total awe. Notice how it is the little purple centers that carry the eye across.

She brought her unbelievable 75-foot sampler band with her ... Susan Elliott did a whole post on it so I won't repeat it. Sharon is doing sections of it on her site (which is in my side bar) but to see it all laid out in one piece was amazing

This is favorite photo of Sharon as I unintentionally got her bare feet into the picture.. Her shoes went off first thing in the morning... In a few days I'll do a summary post on this workshop and how I think it will affect my work...