Deb's Block - My Two Cents!!!

I love Deb... not only because she does extraordinary needlework but also because she follows this blog and comments often... (and we all love comments!) Recently I visited her blog  and she had posted this block and asked for suggestions...  You know me I ALWAYS have a suggestion and I will tell you about it but first let's block talk about what is so great about this block..

The thing that I felt most compelling was the repetitive elements in the stitching..... a long loopy cadence... This ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! throughout the block actually gives the block rhythm..  Can you feel it...? I'm sure she didn't set out to do this intentionally but it happens in some stitchers' work and it is a mark of their style. The stitches are different but the unifying characteristic is the length..  I also mentioned this recently in someone else's block.   If you are aware of it you can almost feel the beat..

The next thing I want you to notice are the fans... same shape - completely different.. That arc element is even echoed (repeated) in the top of the heart.  As I say often it is this echoing of shape, color, or other elements that bring harmony to a block...  This IS something that you can do intentionally as you work on a project..  It can be subtle but should be there in your work and something to strive for...

I know I sound like a broken record but the one thing I learned from teaching primary grades is that if you repeat an idea often enough it starts to sink in...

Finally there is this patch with the all-over treatment which I refer to as "surface texture"  It has an entirely different purpose than a motif.  A motif is a focal point and draws your eye...  It says "look at me!"  Surface texture not only enhances the "encrusted" quality of a work, it give the eye a place to rest...  It fills a space quietly and elegantly. I love the way she let the pattern ease over to the adjoining patches... a very nice touch.

Here are three other examples..  The top one was done by Manya of Romania and if you do not follow her blog,   you should because she is an extremely talented needle person. 

The next one is by Lisa Boni whose work I praise often.  This is from a work she is finishing up now and has been long in the works..

And it doesn't always have to be monochromatic.. The bottom is from a small corner of a block I worked on..  This block had some pretty dramatic things going on as focal points and this bit of needlework quietly filled this corner.  Usually, but not always, surface texture is vine-like in nature because it is easy to fill space this way.  I'm collecting examples as I go along and will devote an entire post one day to surface texture...  You can watch for it and send me examples when you see them...

Now remember the picture of Deb's block at the beginning...  When I looked at it I felt the poor little butterfly far right was lost and lonely...  I would have liked to have seen more to the left of the heart in that space left.  The heart touches two other seams and leaves that space.... a perfect place to add a few butterflies for some "action"    I also felt that seam by the butterfly could be extended to balance the one of the left of the heart. 

So with the magic of photoshop I sent this to her.... On the whole these suggestions were very minor and quite irrelevant....

but she did add to the seam on the right and added another butterfly and a darling little beetle to appease me..

Thanks Deb for letting me use your block on "Block Talk" and that's

You can thank Cheryl.....

  At the Adventure in CT in April Cheryl A. brought this green block to show me.. It is from a tone-on-tone RR and was made by Cathy L. 
She wanted to know what I would do with this all green block... It would 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 but I kept thinking about it.... That night at dinner Cathy K, Diane M and I began discussing green plants, animals, etc. to use as a focal point...  and we thought of alligators, frogs, turtles, lizards and various bugs....I even suggested 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.  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!

To further these steps I'd add the largest leaves using heavier threads, ribbons and textured threads and 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 only greens have been used but have added variety and interest with contrasts in dimension, size, and texture... 

Solutions like this are like puzzles for me and force me to think outside my comfort area...  my blog Olderrose is like a personal journal about my needlework and life on the farm and I thought wouldn't it be fun to have a blog where I can talk about other stitcher's blocks and solutions.... hence...  Block Talk with Gerry.... Thanks to Cheryl who by the way found a fantastic solution to her block with a green man!!

Do you see what I see!!!

Now that I've gone on and on about focal points and framing I want to switch gears...  Overall balanced stitching is another approach  seen in CQ blocks.  The needlework actually works like a texture on the block as a whole..  This is such a block.. Your eye is not drawn to any one area and all the seam stitching is similar in size, pattern and color.

This block goes back several years in the CQNovice group and belonged to Susan...  It was worked on by Emmy, Ruthie, Cathy and Beryl.
There are a lot of fun details going on in this block and I want to be sure you see them all... many have to do with seam treatments or NO seam treatments

1. The first is my favorite... it's this motif that goes across two patches and creates a bridge  that carries your eye right across the patch... probably the most important element on the block... (If it were my block coming home I would add a little something above the pink patch to balance the seam treatment above the green patch)

2.This little spray of flowers again envelopes the seam and fills the area and brings your eye to the little bridge.

3.  Wisely the stitchers chose to ignore the two busy patches with the yellow daisies and anything that would make an impact on them would be too much...  If they were to have anything done it should   be very simple like beads in center of the  daisies...  But the lower right patch is another story.  Even though it is a busy fabric, its blooms are large enough and close enough to create  a background for the butterfly.

 4. The seam treatment on these two seams are different but very similar and it's carried over into the block.. simple, delicate, effective and works great with the butterfly.

5. The butterflies are very close in size and spaced nicely around the block...  The overall stitching on the blue patch is very similar in shape, color and size of the butterflies..  It is a very subtle and elegant addition.

Finally this brings me to one of my favorite subjects... treatments of worrisome little corner patches and this one is so clever..  Something on the seams would have emphasized how small it is... but by adding the visual "faux" seam with a stem stitch the patch is extended... If you keep a scrapbook of techniques, you should definitely include this one and I certainly am...

All in all this is a great block and an example of exemplary teamwork.  EVERYONE paid attention to the block and also paid attention to  each other's additions.