Putting One Motif to Work

Followers of my blog may remember that I am participating in a RR over on the Yahoo Group CQINovice. The third CQ block that came to me belongs to Ritva P. from Finland. It was in wonderful creamy latte colors with a feeling of earth tones to them. I loved this block. The work that was done on it by the other ladies in the RR, before it got to my house, was outstanding. I knew I had to rise to the challenge, lol. I let the block sit out on the dining table in the formal dining room until it began to talk to me. It wanted flowers and a spider web! I decided to put the spider web right over the lace and I used a multicolored metallic thread to make the web. The paisley, already done on the opposite side of the block, had a bronze/copper color in the beads. I felt it would be great to bring a bit of that to this side of the block so I chose a bronze bead for the spider's head and a white/turquoise mottled bead for his body. When I added his legs I think it began to balance the colors pretty well.


The day I finished the spider web the package arrived from the Grand Motif Swap (see pics on yesterday's post). As I perused the contents of the package one of the motifs jumped or fell into my hand and I knew it was meant to be on Ritva's block. It is a sewing machine made lacey motif of a sunflower. Isn't it great and it arrived at just the right time! I could almost be convinced to take up machine sewing to learn how to make these wonderful motifs! NOT! It was just the right color, just the right size. So, needle in hand, I completed the curving vine and buds that were pre-sewn into the fabric of the one patch. I brought the stems over the seam line, added some of the backside of one leaf and put the sunflower in its rightful position.


To tie it all together and to cover an awkward corner junction I embroidered the feather stitch vine and leaves using a twisted Trebizond silk. Bronze bugle beads and gold seed beads were added. Then the yellow Chinese knot bud with the little bee charm were put on that corner. This completed the balancing act of the bronze color. I like to think the bee is hiding from the spider so he won't be invited for lunch!


I hope Ritva likes this block. I really had a few more ideas that I would have enjoyed putting on this block but there are others who have to stitch on it yet and available room was at a minimum. It is in the mail now, on its way to Canada.