This little block tells a small story of my year 2000 (see center block). For all the world, this was the beginning of a new millennium. The year 2000, open to so many new possibilities and a whole new year lies ahead. This was also a very special year to myself and my brand new hubby.....then, now we've been married for 13 years this October. So naturally I would used this beautiful piece of blue to be the focus of my block.
Blue, January, dark days and darker nights. Snow falling and darkness. That is the theme I have chosen for this wonderful month of new beginnings. In the top section all dressed in blue I have tried to capture the night sky using some very shiny, thick silver threads...might not notice it, but I decided that this should be a cold, clear night full of many sparkling stars. Each of the central circles have colonial knots to show off the sparkle, and in a few of the other circles I have added crossed straight stitches to reflect the sparkle and shine of larger stars, maybe even one is the North Star...the star that guides our way. My seam treatment consists of the feather stitch with 2 colonial knots resting lightly on the thread.
Going to the left of the block, for trim I have added curves made from dull, grey, but yet a bit shiny sequins. These sequins have been sewn onto elastic, so they give a really nice shape of snow drift tops, the likes of which we see adorning the edges of snow covered highways and country roads.....in the gold and cream material you will see blue snowflakes resting lightly. These snowflakes are made by using straight stitches but the larges one (probably the one not seen so well) has tips made using a fly-stitch pattern. To help draw attention to this quieter flake I sewed to buttons in place (blue of course with white snowflakes painted on top) either side of the row of sequins.
Going to the patch in the bottom of this block I used the fly stitches placed really close together, yet not evenly stitched....to use as arrows pointing down toward the long straight stitches with sparkly beads to look like long, dripping icicles.
Now who I ask, could not enjoy being a child again and getting out in the fresh, newly fallen snow and not take part in making a snowman. Isn't this the dream of every child? The snowman used here was a cute little winter button that I had in my stash.....he just knew how to play the part so well. To decorate this border, I used a stitch called the Weave Stitch.....it comprises of 3 stitches lying on top of each other, bordered by 3 stitches standing tall, guarding the snowman. These two stitch layouts follow along the stitching line on the hexagon. Maybe in some imaginations they could be those old wooden split rail fences....well, just a thought.
Oh but what winter plan doesn't include a warm, cozy home of love, complete with a little stream of smoke coming out of the chimney? But Wait!!! If you can really look closely in the yard in front of the house you may see a little family of bunnies looking longingly at that house. Maybe they want to come inside and get warm? The bunny family (daddy, mummy and baby) members have been made using a fly stitch for the ears, with a little small almost circular lazy daizy stitch for the head, and then a longer, stretched out lazy daisy for the main body.....and I hope you can see it, the little French Knot bunny tail......in the still, quiet of the night, we never can tell what animals are watching over us. I chose, for seam treatment to be used on this seam a stitch called The Wheat Stitch....it consists of a fly stitch base with a lazy daisy oval resting on the base. I did these stitches fairly close together and followed that sewn seam....btw, this was the inspiration to make that family of bunnies on the front lawn.
And this brings to a finish the January Hexigon block......what fun to create and design my "Year in Hexigon" table runner.
May 8, 2014 :)
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