Work begins on Arlene's stumpwork block....post #690

This is Arlene's block as I received it from Cobi... I'm the last to work on it so I can pretty much do whatever and not worry about using more my share of space . Cobi added the red flower upper left and the delightful colorful garland lower right....both adding much needed color to this very blue and white block...... As I was studying it yesterday I will share some of my thoughts with you...


First the single polka dot upper right has to go so will add lace to repeat the lace that Cobi added and some interest there as well.


Secondly there are two large motifs, Diane's calla lilies and Karrin's pansies, and both are about the same weight visually.. and both are in the lower portion of the block which makes it bottom heavy. Since things should be done in odd numbers, a third motif of the same weight is called for and I will put it in the odd space left to be on the upper left (see circle) which will balance out the block.

Finally the block needs color, color, color.... and Cobi's additions are wonderful. I will pick up where she left off and use colors from from Diane's Edmar seam and Karrin's pansies. And how you say am I going to do that....? Well this is my summer of birds.. I have this and two other blocks before I quit RRs until January and I want to do a bird on each.... A bluebird would be an obvious but I wanted more color and I've done so many bluebirds lately...


So I went in search of colorful birds, specifically colorful birds in Australia where Arlene lives... Much to my delight I found the perfect bird.... a Scarlet-chested Parakeet... I will have to change it's sitting position so it fits that space and I want it to relate to Cobi's stumpwork flower and also be a directional element moving the eye around the block.... Follow along as the fun begins on Arlene's block