Two more original blocks to show for my Receiver's Choice swap over at the Sparkly Chickens Yahoo Group. They're very, very late, but certainly not forgotten! The first is for Liz who's chosen theme was "Fiesta". What the heck did I know about fiestas? I got the colourful part, but some of the well known images had already been used by other participants. I toyed with the idea of the image of a crisp white cotton skirt, complete with colourful embroidery and rickrack. Then I thought of those crepe paper flowers we used to make in high school. Rejected both ideas when I couldn't get my head around them laying flat on a 9 1/2" unfinished block (in my head, the skirt required movement and the flowers needed to be 3-D). I agonized and procrastinated until that brilliant light bulb moment when I realized that the sun was an integral part of the whole fiesta experience. How could I resist? After that the block worked up quite quickly. Fused applique, combined with free motion machine stitching and hand embroidery.
Working with Cheryl's "Winter" theme was a much cooler experience (if you pardon the pun). No angst, just pure pleasure!! I live in Canada and although this winter has been unusually gentle, it's quite easy to remember the effects of the cold. Naked trees are a favourite image of mine (to stitch, draw or photograph), so if one is good, then seven of them are even better! The technique I used for the trees involved free motion embroidery, using two colours of rayon thread (royal blue and purple) in the same needle. Yes, you CAN do this! The bonus is that you get a lovely blended stitch look, with only half the time and effort. To add to the icy image, I added fused spiky triangles of purple to the top and bottom of the block. A little more free motion stitching, some hand embroidery and the block was fini!
Only one block left to go!!! I've been mulling over Candy's "Sweets" concept and I think that I'm ready to take the first stitch!! - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
8 comments:
whew, comments box has survived.
Hot and Cold is right, you've captured that well with colour and with size - bold for hot while cold is fine, almost brittle.
Beautiful work as usual with you.
I think you've interpreted both themes perfectly! Anxious to see what you do with the 'sweets' theme.
Kaite, Yes the comments box is back. That'll teach me to listen to you and try to change the format! Heh, heh....thanks for your comments on the RC blocks.
MA, Thank you and I'm working on my sweet block as we speak!! Or should I say, as I write!!
Anne Marie, I love love LOVE the winter block! fabulous work as usual!
To be continued. Nothing like a good cliff hanger to keep the interest. I will stay tuned. Love it so far.
Judy & Rachel, thanks!!! This series has been a lot of fun to make and I'm a little sad that it's almost over. I wonder what I'll get up to when that happens?
And how many gosh darned groups do you belong to?! I can see these challenges obviously inspire you.
Penny, I do belong to many groups, but only really contribute regularly to three of them. Of those three, two are for artistic support and the odd swap and the other is the bead journal project. I've had to cut way back on my swapping in the last year, but I do hope to get back started on my BJP in the near future. Of course, I also swap paper every once and a while, but that's for pure fun and doesn't really involve a huge time commitment.
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