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....

Home Again!!!

The new lamb is fat and frisky and a little camera shy... She is getting a supplemental bottle for a while and I really believe DH enjoyed feeding the little darling and Morris is totally in love with her.

Nothing was blooming when I left but what a difference 11 days make.

The violets are blooming by the big greenhouse.

The daffs are blooming EVERYWHERE.

The hybrid hellebore are glorious,... I have them in all shades of blues, purples and pinks besides the usual green... The hybrids are outrageously expensive so I only add one a year but they are such early color AND THE DEER (or gophers or rabbits) DON'T EAT THEM...

The rhubarb is up and DH is thinking pies

And we walked in the forest after chores... We were only going to do a mile but ended up doing three... It felt soooooooo good... All the hours of sitting just destroyed my back... first on the planes and then hour after hour stitching. I grabbed every opportunity to stretch out on the bed to relieve the pain..

Finally reality... Two blizzards, a strong wind storm and Randy Andy's last rampage destroyed the double sheep shelter... Since it is time to get the ewes and lambs out into the pastures this needs to be at the top of the critical list and will call Wil today...

The conference was fabulous and I have so much to share... Rather than just a lot of random pictures (although I will tuck some in) I want to use blocks to share some of the stuff we covered and I think you will find it helpful.. I figure it will take some time....and will start tomorrow... so much!! I still have to unpack and tackle the house. I left it in a terrible state as I painted buttons nonstop the last weeks... I did sell a lot of buttons and got lots of commissions and now I need to paint more

Copyright "carte blanche" & watch the long seams

If you are visiting while I am out of town I hope you take the time to browse a bit and look through the tutorials above... And if you type tutorials in the search box to the right, about 6 pages of mini tuts appear.

Also my blog is copyright "carte blanche". If you see something you would like to use or adapt...feel free... No need to ask for permission... When I was young and worked as a graphic artist I did feel proprietorial about things I created but now that I'm old I take the greatest joy in sharing...

One last bit about long lines or seams... You can see below that the long seam drew the eye right off the page... Above you can see the little touches I added to break up that long line.. a blue butterfly, the pink ribbon and the button at the bottom.

Happy Spring!

Finally............

I'm all packed for the big CQ adventure and hopefully I will have all I need but certainly I can get by with what I have....and still have enough to share with others ... I'm going out this morning to pick up a couple items at a drugstore, get cash at the bank and to get a PEDICURE..(a rare treat for me).. My carry-on is filled with my painted buttons and important blocks and my suitcase has more stash than clothes... I deactivated all items on Etsy but be sure and watch for new listings around the middle of the month... Unlike Sharon Boggon I do not have posts done ahead so you'll just have to remember to come back when I start posting again mid month. I've been so excited for so long about this trip and can hardly wait to have Cathy Kizerian join me on the plane in Salt Lake for the last 2 legs of the journey... I will be seeing dear friends I haven't seen in a couple years, making new friends, and finally seeing in person longtime online friends. It's like going off to camp when you were a kid!!! The anticipation is delicious... The only down side is we have to leave the house at 4:30 am.....

Options for Combining Two Blocks

I had stitched these two blocks for a cover for my Singer featherweight... One was the front and one was the back so obviously they were never meant to be viewed side by side... but things change and I decided to take them to CT as my "show & tell." as one piece... I did have options.. First I could insert a wide band the width of the border and visually treat them as two pieces...

Second I could use the narrow gimp that I'm using on the inner border. With this option they will read more as one piece.

My third option is to butt them together with no division at all. But even though they are the same theme, fabric etc. there is a definite line and shouts that's they are two separate pieces

Since I mentioned on Viv's piece how little it takes to fool the eye, with the magic of Photoshop I will show how I could make that visual division disappear..

By fiddling with the lace at the top of the seam line first... I know I have more or could easily replace what's there. Then I could extend branches and leaves from one block to the other... Finally I could find another medium sized heart to put on the seam at the bottom... Just three things..and the line would disappear. Ruby asked: "Am I correct in understanding that it is important to select which block has the most elements to travel over? To ONLY bring elements from one direction. Or with some blocks the extensions could come from both sides?" It really doesn't matter where you bring the elements from ...(you can even add new elements) ...the important thing is interrupting the line...The straight seam "before" on the left and after 3 simple additions on the right... The two blocks would now "read" as one.

All three of these options are perfectly viable with none being really better than another...it's a matter of personal choice.

You're certainly welcome to comment here with opinions on these options... Since I already made my choice and finished this morning it is a moot questionfor me but you can guess which I chose...

While stitching early this morning I saw a tiny mouse scurry out from under the china cabinet and scurry right back... I put a piece of cheese on an old-fashioned mouse trap and slipped it under there... Morris KNOWS there is food under there just out of his reach and it is driving him crazy...