UFO- Peacock Challenge Block 2010

This is the last of my UFOs slated for 2017.  I'm glad I signed up for the UFO challenge because even if I can't complete it, it has made me really prioritize what I really want to do this coming year... and this   piece is one of them and the most difficult.  This was a challenge block from 2010 and I like my concept but hate the block.  I've taken it out periodically and it is NOT working and I throw it back in the basket.  This time I've really taken a hard look at it because I was either going to fix it or scrap it entirely...

It had a moon which came and went, crystal stars which came and went, lace clouds which came and went, the fan by the silkie comes and goes, and the snow on the mountains has gone through several transformations. Plus the plan for peacock tails has changed every time I pulled it out.

 

This  was part of a 2010 challenge and had twelve VERY precise specifications it had to include.  The challenge was the brainchild of Cathy Kizarian.  I'd have to go back and check but among other things, it had to include: colors outside of our comfort zone, Asian theme, landscape, framing a silkie, curved seams, gold and glitz., layered seams, fans, paisleys, and birds etc.   Turquoise was not in my color palette at all so all this lovely turquoise fabric was sent to me by Nicki Lee.

 

After photographing it and putting in photoshop I have discovered three things that bothered me and with a good long look I could easily identify them... First and foremost is the bridge by the tree (middle left)... I put the bridge in first and added the tree and the tree looks like it is growing out of the bridge which doesn't even look like a bridge.... so with the magic of photoshop,  it 's gone and I like it better already.. Sometimes it is one thing  that paralyzes me and it takes me a while to recognize what it is...  this time it only took 7 years.  See how much better it is with it gone and maybe a bench later...or not...

 

The focal point is the maiden and the peacock..  The bridge interrupted  the flow around the block.  It will be so much better without it..and no bench

The second thing are the cherry blossoms..  Cherry blossom trees bloom profusely and mine is absolutely wimpy...  This will be an easy fix ... just time consuming but it's not like I've not done French knots before ad nauseum.

The third thing is the head of peacock by the silkie is lost against the turquoise..and again an easy French knot fix....
I want the flow of the water to echo the flow of the peacock tails...that's the plan anyway.  I have been saving jewels for the tail for years and it will be semi-steem punky...






Here it is all pinned on a board sans red bridge.

I actually joined a fan round robin with these fabrics and planned to use the fans to frame the block...


But getting rid of the lace bridge was the biggie...

We had 10" more of snow...

Another long neglected WIP

I have a limit to the number of  CQ projects I can be actively working on....  Over three and I seem to lose my direction and focus on all of them..... BUT I do like to have things "in the wings" so to speak, to mull over in the odd moments I'm needing to exercise my brain as well as my body... This piece is on the top of my WIP basket now. I was very excited about this block and can't remember why it has ended in the basket for almost three years.

This WIP was part of a 2010 challenge and had twelve VERY precise specifications it had to include..  The challenge was the brainchild of Cathy K.  I'd have to go back and check but among other things, it had to include: colors outside of our comfort zone, Asian theme, landscape, framing a silkie, layered seams, fans, paisleys, and birds etc.  The lovely turquoise fabric were sent to me by Nicki Lee as turquoise was not in my color palette at all.

I did have a rather vague plan which I see included a moon.  At one time I had something  in the sky which I took out. But I'm having to think about the rest.  I know I had visions of  ultra extravagant  peacocks tails  and it involved lots and lots of beading.  There are two peacocks bodies there...you have to look closely to see the one on the right. He will be sitting on that branch and his tail will hang down and "puddle" on the ground.   I had gotten as far as the stitched stumpwork rocks and also to the tree behind the pond which is partially completed  and then I stopped...I also remember doing a tutorial on the beaded fan by the silkie.

It is kinda fun being away from a project like this and seeing it with a fresh perspective... By NO stretch of the imagination will be this be a project to be carried about hither and yon....

Peacocks have landed

Well their bodies anyway... I finished filling in around the rocks and did surface stitching on the pond with some wonderful silk buttonhole twist that Susan Elliott sent me.

Then I decided to position peacocks before I did the foreground by the pond.. The bodies are done, appliqued to the block and stuffed slightly...

I want to start beading their tails and they will be beaded very similar to the fan by the silkie... BTW that fan is just pinned on as it needs a little repair after I rescued it from Morris... He was really pushing his luck with that maneuver.

At this point I'm starting to cut out paper to decide the size and shape of the tails.. It's going to be tough dragging beads around on my peripatetic route. You'll notice I hope, the lovely MOP button I found for the moon...

Challenge 2010 progress and Hideko's block....

First you can see that the lace clouds and the fan in the sky have disappeared. Some sort of embossed velvet moon will eventually be there.... The other just never met up with my vision... Fans were one of the monthly challenges and even though I eliminated the one in the sky there is the fan bridge, fan seams, and I have two more beaded fans waiting to go on with the peacocks...

I added more fabric to shape the pond... embroidered the rocks on felt and appliqued them to the block... Also added the lace bridge which sorta looks like the tree is growing out of it. If I had added the lace bridge first I could have moved the tree over.... too late now..but after I get more shrubbery (white Xs) it should help that problem... I have started to add greenery above the rocks... Left to do before I can start on peacocks... more blossoms on cherry tree, more greenery behind the pond and on the rocks (green Xs), koi and waterlilies in pond and some surface stitching on the pond... THEN I get to do the peacocks and foreground which I have been wanting to do since the beginning...


But for now I will stop and finish Ritva's "seams only" block so I can get that mailed out early. Hideko's block came in yesterday's mail... I had known for months what I wanted to do on this block but now that it's here I can see that it won't work.... I've decided by the piecing that she must be going to assemble these "on point" I am last and all before me have beautifully coordinated with images provided by Hideko of work from one of her favorite artists... So I have pinned it to a bulletin board and will think on it a couple days and should have something worked out by the time I finish Ritva's block....

Now I'm rockin'......

I know. I know... I'm repeating myself but if I don't someone will ask... I'm starting the rocks on felt just like I would a bird......outlined with a very tight chain stitch... but with the rocks I outlined every rock to have neat edges to catch threads into... The nice thing about having 50 years of good old cotton DMC thread is that you acquire a huge variety of colors.. I must have 20 shades of gray in my cotton thread stash..

I also got an email from Susie W. offering advice on using Edmar thread... I'm going to try it and am passing it along to you...

Susie W: "I got a beginning BE book published by Edmar. As I was reading I noted they say after you cut a length of thread you should 'twist' the ends. One end will ravel much more easily and further up the length of thread. This is the end you should knot ..... putting the other end through the needle eye. I did this (correctly once) and my stitching went great. Did it again (incorrectly) and had an awful time - the thread twisted funny and made knots - in fact I then stopped .... knotted the other end ..... and was a happy stitcher again. Don't know if this will help you, but may be worth a try." Thanks Susie I will try it as I do love the glossy look of the threads...

Challenge Block 2010 - recap - update

My absolute favorite activity on CQI are the monthly challenges which were an inspiration by Cathy K. In years past I have kept up with them monthly...and getting behind has left me disconnected from the group... I love being challenged continually so I want to get back on track.

To recap I used the colors in these fabric swatches as my focal colors and the blues and aquas are so far out of my comfort range that I did not have a single one in my stash... Every fabric in my block came from a gift package from Nicki Lee... Thank you Nicki.


I'm not all that far behind... I have touched on Curved piecing and fans (Jan), Birds (March), 5-layer stitches (April), Dimensional Embroidery (May), Frames (June) Landscape (July)...August ( Glitz), and December (gold work). Now I just need to experiment more with all of them and add the months I missed...



I framed the silkie with my gold braid and the cherry blossom branches and embroidered the peacock bodies and wings on felt... I had originally wanted one peacock near the silkie but decided to add another in a different pose in the foreground... They will be added at the very last because they would be impossible to stitch around and you'll just have to wait to see them... Their tail feathers will be very, very art deco and beaded heavily and outlined in gold...



Last night I pinned the block to a cork board and thought about it as I went to sleep...this morning I set it in the kitchen and pondered while I cleaned up from the dinner yesterday and then thought all about it while Morris and I walked in the forest... And here are some of my conclusions...


I had originally envisioned a stream in the garden but I've decided to turn the stream in a lily pond so I can add water lilies and koi. I always wanted a bridge and decided I will try to dye some lace to make the bridge and trim it in gold...

And I want rocks rocks and more rocks along the edge of the pond. I will do them all on felt as it would be too hard to embroider them on the block over seams... Some I will do singly and some in groups. I also need two boulder types... one by the bridge and one in the forefront. Some will be overlapped and some will be padded for dimension.


Since it's spring because the cherry trees are in blossom, there needs to be some smaller flowering shrubs as well.. I still have mixed feelings about the lace clouds but will see as the rest develops. I'm thinking at this point I may paint them with alcohol dyes... no decision yet tho.. And I'm not happy with silk on the mountain because it is so transparent and will probably redo that in velvet... But after all this pondering I feel really energized about getting this project going again..... and the rocks on felt should be reaaaaaaaallly cool....

Finally just in case you read one of my original posts about this challeng on 12/12/2010 http://olderrose.blogspot.com/2009/12/misc-thoughts-on-2010-challenge-block.html I did say I was going to just use Edmar threads... but I just hate Edmar rayon threads and I bought soooooooooo many last year in CO... They just lay in the drawer and taunt me.... I'm still waiting for the miracle that will make me love them...

Challenge Block 2010 - progress

Last night I tried to print the silkie and the printer kept jamming and chewing up the photo transfer sheets...five of them. I was tired and it has been a hectic day so I just gave up.... But tonight I tried again and it printed first try. It must have been all the good karma with Wil working today... I framed it with some ticky-tacky antique gold braid...the kind you see bins of after Christmas.. Tip: Always stitch down the outside edge first and then you can ease in the inner edge..



Here you see the beaded fan and one of the peacocks pinned in place...Now I can start doing the branches and the cherry blossoms... I'm glad the peacock blends in with the block and doesn't detract from the silkie...





With the magic of a paint brush in photo editing you can get an idea what it's going to look like once I get the branches and blossoms around the frame... The gold braid will show but not much.....

I got far enough on this that it is just a matter of dyeing some ribbon for the blossoms and I can work on it in bits now for awhile... I've stopped working on my BJP for a while because my hands are sore.... I really expect Cathy's Art Nouveau blocks to be in the mail either tomorrow or Tuesday and I will start right away.

There's always the steps before....

There were no blocks in yesterday's mail so it will be Monday or Tuesday before we can get to the post office again.. So I will get as much as I can done on my challenge block... I finished the bodies of the peacocks... but before I can attach them I have to add the silkie...

Frames are the challenge for June...On my plan I had the silkie framed with larger cherry blossoms and still plan to do so but there still needs to be another frame beneath the blossoms... I've chosen an antique gold braid... BUT before I can do that there needs to be snow on the mountain.. I played around with fabrics and lace and finally settled on a lovely piece of silk from Kathy K. for the snow...

I did find the original peacock sketches I did last winter... Obviously these are going to be very stylized peacocks.. I'm now leaning to having the 2nd peacock walking instead of sitting.... mostly because they have this elegant gait and long legs. For me a plan is just the first step on a path of endless alternative decisions..

Challenge Block 2010 - progress

Often I try something I really like on a RR block and then hate to send it off.. Some of my best work is resting somewhere around the world.. For the same RR that I worked the poppies I did this peacock for Cathy L.'s block doing a paisley for the wing and fancy fibers for the tail which really should have been much larger but I ran out of room. The peacock body was a good way to use that awkward little corner. I loved the paisley for the wing and always wanted to do it on a block for myself.

So now's my chance. In fact I am going to do two peacocks... one horizontal and one vertical... Last night I cut out paper peacocks and ovals in various sizes and played around with them on the block... finally decided on a larger size then I originally planned so the peacocks will be the major focus and also heavily beaded... I will do each in two sections to make them easier to work on. I drew the the upper bodies on the felt and then had to decide on thread....

In upper right corner of the block there's an intense aqua satin patch and I decided I was going to have to use glossy rayon to complement the satin. Not only rayon but Lauri B's "neon" threads... I first used them in her "out of your comfort zone" challenge and just knew I'd never use them again... Now I'm thinking I need to buy another package... Bet that'll make her grin!!!

p.s. Cathy L. posted that it was Ruthie that I did the poppies for... Thanks Cathy!!!

Back to the 2010 Challenge Block

I loved doing the CQI challenge block last year as it afforded me many new techniques to try... I started off with good intentions this year but got overloaded with too many other things.

Now I want to catch up and get back on track with this project. I started of piecing with curves which was a stretch because the piecing is not my favorite and I use the same piecing pattern for ALL of my blocks. Then I used colors I've NEVER used before... Nicki even had to send me fabric as I had none of this color palette in my stash..

I did have a rather loose plan in mind and I will have to study the block again as I can't remember all I had wanted to do by this rough sketch.

January was the piecing and fans and I did get that done...I did a beaded fan, fan seams, and a fan using mesh. I had decided to skip the velvet in February so to catch up I have to start with birds in March... I know I wanted to do a peacock so I best put on my thinking cap and do a peacock in a way I've never tried..... This yearly challenge is such great fun that I don't want to miss out...

The peacocks

While the photoshop is fun for quick design work, when I have specific shapes and elements in mind, it is back to the pencil and paper...

Such is the case for the peacocks for the 2010 challenge block. I intentially chose peacock colors for this landscape block... Peacocks will be the focal point and the success of the block depends on the them so I spent a lot of time with a pencil and even more with the eraser. But I have the designs now.. I wanted them stylized and the neck of the peacock to echo the shape of the silkie as they are close together. I wanted the tail to be fan shaped (January) rather than long and flowing. Finally I wanted the wings shaped so I could do them in a paisley design... The standing peacock will be done in sections as I use small hoops.

Since the whole purpose of the challenge block is to try new things, I look for every opportunity to try something different. I'm playing with the whole flowing art nouveau thing and also anything goldwork...

I love the way Lauri B. fills in with chain stitching and I am going to do that with the resting peacock... I will also show how I use a cut-away technique to transfer designs when I can't trace or use transfer papers...

Sky Seams and problems

I got my blogger to work so I moved this photo onto this blog.

I'm using fan seam treatments on the sky.... Both the beaded fan and the silkie are just pinned in place. I've decided the silkie needs to be just a tad larger. I'm skipping the velvet in February on this block and the next big step is birds in March and I'm planning a "knock your socks off" peacock for then.

Celestial Fan on wire

It's just the look I wanted...  elegant and transparent.. but wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.. Would I do it again? Yes, if that's the look I wanted... but am I going to do it often ...NO!

My tips if you try this...

• You'll find out immediately you need to fold edges back or tape them so your threads don't snag.
• Use cotton thread instead of nylon beading thread as it is easier to handle
• It's really only works well if you lay beads across in  rows and then only about 3 at a time.
• I then couched AND then ran another stablelizing thread through the row in addtion...
• The wire does stretch and morph in shape but I got used to that...
• Stop and knot threads often...
• See previous blog for information on wire.

I wanted a fan of stars in the night sky and I think it works... It doesn't show as well in photo but you can actually see the "sky" through the crystals...

Eye movement and a couple other thoughts!!!

In my predawn state of confusion yesterday I forgot to mention my favorite themes ...eye movement and repetition of elements....such as color, shape, line etc. As you can see here there is a regular "river" of elements carrying the eye across and up and out of the block.... The addition of the cherry branch and the peacock will STOP it ..pow! You can remember this photo and see the difference later....

Obviously the main color palette are shades of peacock but I've added the peachy/pinkish copper color as the main accent.....which will used often in smaller amounts. I want to do most of the stumpwork/dimensional embroidery (May) in the stream/pond with plants, stones, etc. I will start including gold from the beginning because I am so looking forward to the goldwork month.... The 2010 challenge list is so GREAT because it encompasses so many diverse aspects if CQ.....

As I write we were pumping water from the cellar out through the kitchen and the hose sprung a leak and flooded the kitchen.... Weeks like this I dreamed of condo living.....

Misc. thoughts on 2010 challenge block

I did get a few minutes last evening to start with the cherry tree and cherry branch.. The tree will be the measure for all else that goes into the garden and the branch will be the anchor for the silkie and peacock position. I'm really getting excited about having the landscape as the foundation and then encrusting and letting it poke in and out of the piece. These are the "bones" and need to be done before all else.

At this point I keep a note pad in the envelope with thread, etc. and jot down possibilities and firm up design elements. It is fun how one thing suggests another and soon they all weave together... I always make a long list of what I'd like to include and only a portion actually ends up in the block... I played with a lace cloud tonite and decided if I used a turquoise wash it would work... When I get to buttons I definitely want to do a cherry tree Dorset button and maybe some water lilies painted on MOP buttons (that's an if) The peacock is going to be quite stylized....still many decisions to make there...plenty of time tho as birds aren't until March.

But fans are another story...first up in January and I have some definite ideas on those as I want to try several techniques.... One will be beaded white and incorporated into the cloud. I want to try that stitchable wire mentioned on http://plays-with-needles.blogspot.com/ This challenge block is the best place to try something new and heaven knows I love trying something new. Second will be beaded peacock colors and incorporated into the silkie frame. The third will be stitched peacock feathers patterns. A couple smaller fans with mixed findings and ribbons will be tucked somewhere... Also extending the fan challenge I will be using lots of various fan seam treatments....

I've added another level to my personal challenge on this block.... Edmar thread... I listened to others rave at the retreat and then we went to a dealer's house and I bought 70 skeins at $1 each. I like the richness of it but the intensity of the color is uncomfortable and it tangles something fierce. Then to my dismay with that many skeins I didn't have the colors I needed and had to stop on the way home from the doctor's today and buy 9 more skeins at $1.50 apiece. Now I REALLY have to use it up... Does it count as retail therapy if it's something you're not to crazy about??? And good grief I get "wordy" at 4am....

2010 Challenge Block

I finished my block today to use for the 2010 challenge.. I'm trying to get as many blocks done this month as I may be having surgery on my shoulder soon. I did do some planning for this block because I wanted it to be able to to handle all challenges throughout the year. I wanted to do as Leslie suggested and choose a color that stretched my comfort zone and this jeweled aqua is it... Thank heavens Nicki sent me a bunch of it.

Then we needed to have curves so I added a lot of them because layered seams is one of the challenges.. Since landscape was another element I used a simplified landscape approach.. I don't want it to be a "landscape" block as such, but I do want aspects of the landscape to show through. It is an 11" square


This fabric swatch was my inspiration for color combinations and because of it I also chose to use an Asian theme. Fans and cherry blossoms fit beautifully. I am soooooooooo glad we are doing fans as I love doing them... I added the silkie to frame and it should be easy to work in blitz, buttons, spiders vines and goldwork etc. and for the birds I will do peacocks and swans...

This is part of a peacock with a paisley wing I did on someone's RR block and I want to explore it more on this challenge block... It'll be great with no deadline or pressure and just let this block evolve month to month....

2010 Challenge

I ran across this fabric on the left when searching for something else and I'm thinking it is a possible interesting color combination for my challenge block... The blue is definitely intense blue (shutter-shutter) but it does have pink and red which are colors I love... maybe cherry blossoms.... The blue swirly part suggested a possible use for fabric manipulation which is the challenge for one month...

I took out the building to see if I could handle that much blue... I think so! But the gold building also shows that goldwork would also work with that color combo....then lots of fans and maybe a peacock.....and it also would work for curved piecing...

I won't buy this fabric but it is a starting point visually and set my brain working... and January is just around the corner and I have only 2 six inch squares of blue in my entire stash..... I can pull lots of beads and ribbons tho!

Challenge Block Done (well almost!)

It'll be done when I find the bag of precious buttons I had been saving for it. Also in the bag is the MOP button I painted with a butterfly and beaded around.. But until that little bag reappears I consider this UFO finished...

When the 2009 Challenge list was announced last January I decided to make a sampler of the things on the challenge many of which were new to me. For instance I had always wanted to do a paisley but had never gotten around to it. The challenge spurred me to explore paisleys on this block and later on other blocks... Since October through December were Christmas and wrap up, they're not included on this block...The year before I enthusiastically tried everything but couldn't remember them all.

Jan. - Painting on fabric, buttons and charms
Feb. - Using hankies (I used 3) cording, and rickrack
March - Shisha, sequins, and paisleys
April - Trees and leaves
May - Insects (I chose butterflies
June - Using words
July - Wings
August - Layered Stitches
Sept.: Flowers (not roses) I chose violets and pansies

I know the 2010 challenge is in the works as I type and I 'm certainly going to do this again next year as it has been a great fun and truly a personal challenge.. This sampler is like a treasure hunt to see if you can find all the things I included from the challenge...

This vintage postcard was my inspiration for this block

Challenge Block Ending

On the upper left I finished the cascade of violets, rebeading the butterfly and beading the hanky edge. I wasn't happy with the beads I had put on the butterfly so I took them all off and started again... It's odd that beads look one way in the tube and entirely different beaded up.


But I am particularly pleased with the cascade of violets and will use that technique again. I had a lovely variegated silk ribbon and used it along with 4 other shades of violet ribbons. I started with actual violet shapes and then just filled in with violet ribbons to get the feel of a "bunch." Now the upper right is the spot I have saved for very last...


It was this vintage post card with its birds and pansies that have been my inspiration all along. I do so want to capture the feel of the pansies on the card There will be very little stitching time today and tomorrow which I regret because I am so close to finishing,,,

Thoughts on finishing Challenge Block

Sometimes I take a needlework book or the paper to bed to look at while I listen to my audio book. But sometimes I take an unfinished block with me just to study it. I want to get going again on my challenge block as it is near the end.... Decided what I wanted to do and what I wanted to change. This block is pretty much violets, pansies, and butterflies..

As it is now on the left... I want to move the large butterfly to upper left. Add the ribbon pansies inspired by inspiration card to upper right . I want to tuck lots and lots of ribbon violets in and around the silkie... and where the butterfly was I'l put crocheted pansies from a vintage doily and tatted butterflies....finishing it off with a button trail... I have never been all that happy with how the gold 3D leaves turned out... I may redo them with different gold cord...

We did pansies several ways at the retreat and I have new ribbon I bought on the trip for the bunches of violets. I had been waiting until Sept to do the flowers as part of the challenge but the month just whizzed by. Most of this is work I can do in the car while traveling to Seattle for the Robin's beading class....