Rengin "blazes a gothic trail!"

Rengin's work on Hideko's block has me so excited. Again this block is from the new RR "Victorian Ladies".

One of the things I feel strongly about is teamwork in RRs and just because this is a DYOB (do your own block) in my mind that does not translate to "do your own thing". There is a theme and the blocks are sent out as a unit and when finished should still work as a unified body of work.

So being first and setting a path for others in the RR to follow is especially  important...  Well Rengin has not only just set a path she has "blazed a dramatic trail"  If I were following this block, at this moment I would have every black piece of lace I owned spread out on the table.

Hideko chose all black and white images for her Victorian ladies and requested a "gothic" look...  The black laces Rengin chose are so reminiscent of the black iron fences, railings and balconies of that era and are the perfect mood setter for Hideko's block...

Hideko's blocks had not only black and white images, the other patches were of a very neutral hue except for one very delicate subdued print... Rengin handled this print with great finesse and did not overwhelm it with heavy pink roses...  The tiny pink flower beads repeat the small flowers in the prints and pick up the colored patch to the right and carry it across the block...  Rengin carried the black from her laces into every seam... The image is framed beautifully with the black laces and the tiny Victorian charms are a perfect addition.

Since I talked about balance yesterday I want you to notice how Rengin put the fan lower left... This patch needed something to balance the block but not overpower the delicate patch..  This neutral fan does it nicely.

I love how bold and dramatic the black lace is juxtaposed  with the delicate stitching and print ..A job well done and these blocks have the potential of being a spectacular set when  all are finished...

Framing with Pam Kellogg

I've started embellishing the frames I put around the images on my suffrage quilt.. will post about it on my other blog.  Any time you have an image on a piece of crazy quilting, it's a golden opportunity to add real pizazz and drama to your piece...  A good example is this lovely block by Pam Kellogg. When you see black patches in a block it is usually with a darker palette or jewel tones..  It is very seldom you see it with pastels as Pam has done here...  What makes the black work here???  The hat of course...  not only the color of the hat but the irregular shape of it...   Remember..."parts relating to parts and to the whole."

This is a wonderful piece of lace and Pam has used it to give a real WOW factor to this block...  It draws and holds your eye to the image  and practically caresses the photo... I love the flowers along her bosom and cascading into the block... You can see in this photo that using either all lace or all flowers would have overwhelmed the image.

When I started this blog I did a whole series of posts on framing images.... If you missed them you might want to give them a look.... http://blocktalkwithgerry.blogspot.com/search/label/frames

Sorry I've neglected this blog of late but it seems like I've barely touched the ground since Wichita and the next 3 weeks don't look much better... Plus doing the photo shop examples are very time consuming... But I will be back mid-January...  Happy Holidays everyone!

My two cents worth for Sandi

Hi Gerry 
It's my turn to work on this block.  If you have time, what do you think I might do?  I thought perhaps an African Tree in the right corner over the lion?  Not much color in the block.  Maybe some large and bright bead work? It's a large block...16x16"

This poor block has been in circulation for over a year due to various reasons. It's owner has been ill  and I would like to have her block go home to her all decked out.  There is one more stop  before the block goes home.    Thank you!   Sandi M.    

Well I had some fun with this one as I've never done an African theme... The lion print is gorgeous and if you look closely, a previous stitcher has put stitching and beads on the foliage which is great...  Next to it is a fine spider web...

16"x16" is a very large block and this one is pretty much open for Sandi..So I decided we needed to think big and bold to fill it..  If it were my block to work on I'd use masks, lots of texture, lots of black, and geometric or linear seams ...lots of seam works in oranges, rusts and black... seams such as the ones on the left...

Look for trims with a linen or rustic look, some linen DMC thread, and not only glass beads but wood or clay ones as well.....and a few little bells.

Then get on Google images and type in "African masks" and they are so awesome and an endless source of inspiration...  My first thought was to stitch them on black felt and cut them out, but the more I thought about it, I decided I would paint them on a smooth black fabric such as poplin (backed with fusible interfacing before painting) and then cut them out, applique them on the block and embellish them.... And then add texture to them as hair, beads or as a neck ruff.   I especially loved the mask with bells...  I have a love affair with little bells . I have used them on many blocks.

I really liked Sandi's idea of the flat top tree you see silhouetted in so many photos.  I would start it right behind the lion and use it as a frame... What would be really fun is to layer black venice lace for the foliage.  How cool is that..?.

Just another very  little touch that I would like is to use the beige linen thread to highlight the grass by the lion and extend the grass into the next block..

Then once the masks are on,  the fun of embellishing them...  I chose the most colorful one to be the largest and the focal one and on it I would add layers and layers of bright beads as hair.  The other masks would have more subdued trim...

As you can see there is now a very strong path for the eye to travel.. and doesn't the leg and haunch of the lion make a wonderful directional element. I chose the position of the primary mask so it is in a direct line of sight of the lion... he knows they're out there...  Even though the black tree is a quiet area, it's heavily textured and there's a nice quiet area between the mask and the lion... and there is the spiderweb and stitching a the shrub there.. 
I did not add anything lower right as Sandi has to pass this block on... I would have probably added spears and a shield there... If you use lace for the tree top and paint the masks, it should all move along pretty quickly....



Now if you want even more eye candy and inspiration go over to Cathy Kizerian's blog as she has done an entire African quilt and has blogged about each block...  My favorite is the giraffe nibbling on leaves...

Now I am really taking a break to get ready and packed for Wichita.....and that's

A Frame to Make You Smile

Sometimes I run across some crazy quilting that's so delightful that it leaves me smiling all day...  This block is so delightful and creative it has had me grinning all week whenever I think of it.  It's the work of Cathy LaBath and she confided to me that she was sipping a little homemade wine while she was working on it...

I did several posts on "framing" an image but this will be my all-time favorite.. Look at everything she has used to create her rainbow frame... embroidery, beads, buttons, ribbon work and all in such a delightful and varied ways...  I urge you to take a minute to really look at it closely..

I can certainly see how I could adapt this to other CQ....everybody needs a rainbow now and then...

At one time I was paralysed by having to work on such strong color but was cured by Laurie B... Even still it's a challenge to work with...  I bought DMC's neon colors for just such blocks because most of the threads and ribbons in my stash are just washed out next to it.  The blocks were done by Misty.  Now I find strong intense colors joyful and applaud people who use them....

Anyway I love Cathy's solution and where can I get some of that wine?

Subtle repetition.

I have a dear friend whose home's interior is modern/shaker/primitive... She's extremely adept at mixing the very old with the very modern...  I love to visit and just sit in her house..  It is so healing and relaxing...  That is how I feel about visiting Lisa's blog and about her work... Her photography, her home, her garden, her sketch book and her philosophy are all reflected in her work...  It's all is very healing and relaxing for me. Even among her list of favorite words are peaceful, serenity and contentment..

This is a small DYB block ...only 6" but how lovely it is. Lisa does the most beautiful ribbon flower, especially pansies but for a different reason I am posting this particular block...

Sometimes repetition in the smallest and most subtle ways can unify a block.  And in this block it is the little flowers with the bead pedals and the similar shaped beads repeated in almost all the seams.. When you look closely you see it throughout the block  And notice the button with the beads filling the little worrisome corner lower left...

In addition the most elaborate of the seams form a strong triangle which captures your eye and hold it in the block..  So in essence even though the pansy is the showstopper, it is the seam work that is pulling the load.  Enjoy!!

As a contrast my favorite word pairs on my blog include handy man, hired help and thrift store... Hmmmmm maybe I had better rethink my word philosophy....

Hair today and a little more.....

 It is often said certain hair styles "frame" the face...  Well here is an example of hair not only framing the face but hiding all the rough edges of an image printed on silk...  This is in its rough cut state before applying it to a block...

 Not only does using the hair frame the face it   is also used to integrate the image with the block.  Of course the headdress completes the frame.

 This is one of my all-time favorite blocks and was the inspiration for my block above.  This was done by Debbie Q. and she was first in the rotation and started the "hair" thing which we all followed.  So you have two things going on here...  The white patch is acting as a frame for the face as well as the hair...

 Here is a close up of that absolutely fabulous, incredible hair treatment.  I could have added a few more superlatives but I think you get the idea I loved it...

These are two more in that same series and were done using the same face which Diane provided.. The one on the left was done by Nicki Lee and the one on the right by Rose Anne.  If you follow along with me at all you will hear me talk about teamwork and working in harmony in RRs and here's a perfect example...  They had the same face to work with and both chose different but compatible treatments... not exactly hair but a headdress instead.

 

Here's another  example of beautifully framing the face with both hair and headdress.  This stunning work was done by Leslie

This is  an alternative that might not at first be considered framing...  The face of this Jack-in-the-box is indeed framed by his hat and his ruffled collar.

But look what happens when you enlarge the frame and having him juggling stars.....

So what is the purpose of all this talk about "framing"???  Well if you put a motif or something special on your block and want it to be the focal point then think about ways to frame it...to make it stand out.  It can be as simple as a regular frame, subtle as a simple circle, or even hair or stars. And if you might have trouble doing it on your work, start by looking for it on work by others...  Does something stand out and catch your eye?  Could it be because of a frame?  Maybe so!

I will post more examples as I run across them...

Next I will post a few before and after of great blocks  along with some blocks going out.....

Utilizing the shape of the patch to frame...

Using the shape of the patch to frame or define  a focal point is a good technique and here is an excellent example.  The needlework is done by Gayle S.  By using a simple geometric seam treatment on the white block she completed the frame with it and the branch for her cardinal..  This little corner of the block stands alone.....

But even on the block as a whole it is dramatic and everyone who followed her did a wonderful job... If I could alter anything it would be the button cluster which could be larger and carry across like northern lights.. maybe with some rhinestones and more silver.  If it were my block coming home to me I would definitely add more buttons... I often add and change A LOT on blocks after they come home... more later on that subject.

This needlework is by Janet P. and the little vignette is defined on one side by the shape of the block while the lace and button trail  framed the other two sides and just like Alice's work the other day, it wanders out and enhances the block as a whole...  So the message here is that you often don't need to completely surround something with needlework for it to be framed....

Sometimes as I'm gathering examples I have trouble identifying either the stitcher or the owner... I know this is Sherry's block but not sure who did the stitching..  (if you know, write me so I can give credit)   The image is framed by lace, embroidery, and ruching but the whole thing is defined by the shape of the block.. It is truly lovely and CQ at its finest.

Finally  it is the shape of the patch that frames and defines this little scene I did on Lindy's block in a spider RR even though the sign and flowers extend into the rest of the block... I created the scene to fit the patch..

I have accumulated a wealth of gorgeous work to share on this blog so if I have contacted you for permission and you have not seen it yet.... I am working as fast as I can and keep checking...

Also don't forget to become a follower as it is nice for me to know whom I'm working for... of course comments are always welcomed... AND I also hope you are oooohing and ahhhhing along with me.

And next on framing....."Hair Today"

More Framing Options

 On the left is how the image on one of my blocks left home with a simple lace and cording treatment...  But Jo N. ran a climbing rose up one side and pearls down the other... The contrast between the two added more interest to this frame..  Also notice the satin cording around the inside of the frame...  It is just super for securing images and looks pretty also... I bought yards and yards of this cording in all colors in CT.

This little vignette was on Lindy's block in a spider RR and was stitched by Marya.  She also used cording in addition to the glass leaves to make a delightful frame for the kitty and the spider... By "framing" this little scene your eye goes right to the action... I love little vignettes, scenes, stories and use them a LOT...

This clever composite frame actually captures the spirit of this wild child.... It was stitched by Laurie B.who must have looked like that child when she was little... This is a GREAT button trail..  It's a wonderful combination of beads, charms, and buttons of all kinds. sizes and colors.  The blue and lavender buttons echo the color in the silkie... The button trail also varies in directions and width with the heaviest portion anchoring the lower left corner... If the buttons had gone all the way around the image they would have overwhelmed it... The lighter stitching on the other two sides is a nice contrast..
And there's that word again.... contrast.

This is my work in a really old Roses RR and I included it because I wanted you to notice all the beading around the inside of the frame...  It does look pretty but its main purpose is to really secure the silkie in place and anchor it..

So framing is far more than just a box around something..  It should be in harmony with what it frames and also add interest to the block.

The next post will include the patch as part of the "frame."

Frames and Project Rescue

Opposite from opulent and encrusted is this delicate light approach to framing an image..  This is quite recent and is by Alice T. for Aida.  Especially notice how the fly stitches and beads integrate the image right out into the block.. The defined edges of the image are softened...  I'm partial to any treatment (like this one and like Pam's in the previous post) that merges an image into the block itself..

And a tiny thing that pleased me... Alice used the beads in chain stitch around the image but look closely at the upper right...  She echoed that by using knots in chain stitches on the seam... Those little echos whether technique, color, shape, etc. help bring a block together...  Thank you Alice.

Now an explanation on what blocks I'm using and why...  For the most part at the beginning of this new blog I'll be using images from older RRs...  Not that they are any better than current work being done but because they are being lost.  The sheer number of ongoing RRs and the limited storage available on Yahoo dictates the older RR files disappear..  So I am trying to rescue examples of my favorite stitching  before it is gone and also add newer stitching besides...  Likewise I'll use a lot of my own work on RRs just because I still have all the photos easily accessible on my computer...   I spend a good deal of time searching in vain  for some of my favorite blocks.  So bear with me and thanks to all who have generously allowed me to "block talk" about their work....

Framing Options - noun or verb???

–noun 

 a border or case  enclosing a picture,  etc.

 

  –verb 

 to form or make, as by fitting and uniting parts together .

 

I have been following Pam Kellogg's progress with her Marie Antoinette quilt for some months.. She has all her blocks done now and they are just dripping with elegance and opulence. And that is just how she chose to enclose or "frame" all her pictures of Marie Antoinette. 

 

Any conventional frame would have been completely out of character with the theme of the project... You will notice that her treatment fits the verb definition of the word "frame".... fitting and uniting parts together.  With the colors in the gowns as her guide Pam has used bits and pieces to completely enclose the images.  Over the next few posts I will be sharing lots of options for "framing"..especially frames that suit the block or image. 

 

To see all nine of the blocks go to Pam's blog....   She is just now getting ready to piece it together and I for one don't want to miss that....   Pam  is planning to start classes at her home and I was going to tell you about them but I couldn't make them sound as nearly as inviting as Pam does....

 

According to Pam: " The thing about my classes that I would like people to know is that it will be a lovely ladies day.  I'm planning on healthy homemade lunches and my homemade cookies and muffins.  Our home is a cottage in a very woodsy, area near a lake.  It's warm and cozy here, very comforting and charming.  I would just like people to know that my classes will be small, personable and will have an old fashioned comfort to them.  Like a quilting bee! 

Doesn't sound like just the perfect way to spend a day.... with lovely ladies...