Misty's Novice Round Robin Block

I have just finished my work on Misty's block in a Novice Round Robin at CQI.  I am working as a "Round Robin Angel" in this round robin because someone had to drop out. Elizabeth worked on the block before me and I absolutely fell in love with this seam she had done - mauve straight stitches in a repeating pyramid shape with blue beads at the end of each straight stitch.  I loved how elegant this was and most of the work I have done is all around it.  Such a pretty seam - I just wanted to nestle up next to it!

Working down the right side of the block, the first thing I did was add a little black lace motif with beads next to Elizabeth's flower bead seam.

The seam with the pink flowers came next.  The flowers were removed from a piece of purchased trim.  The greenery is a feather stitch with some detached chain stitches added as leaves, done in Gloriana Princess Petite Perle silk thread. 

I added a spider web for luck once I had flowers on each side of the blue patch to secure it to.  The spider web is built with Kreinik braid and I built a spider hanging down by the lowest pink flower.  The spider was made with more Gloriana silk and a bead using straight stitches and bullions. Two butterfly beads hover above the web.

Moving down some more, I added another of the three dimensional butterflies I am enjoying making.

The next seam is herringbone done in two strands of green DMC cotton floss and interwoven with a pale green suede-like thread.  I added faux pearls from the strand I found at the thrift store.

I built the button cluster with an interesting black button, two vintage glass buttons and a petit point piece removed from some jewelry. 

The seam below that is herringbone done in purple Gloriana, and layered on top of that is a row of cretan stitch in the Kreinik braid.  Detached chain stitches were added to the herringbone, using the Kreinik.

The last thing I added to Misty's block was an umbrella full of silk ribbon embroidery flowers.  The idea came from a larger silk ribbon embroidery piece I admired in Threads, the South African needlework and craft magazine.  I used the tracing paper method to transfer a design of an umbrella and used Gloriana Princess Petite Perle silk thread to stitch the outline.  The flowers were spider web roses and sloppy french knots.  The leaves were chain stitch or ribbon stitch.  All of the silk ribbon work was done in lovely hand-dyed ribbons from Treenway Silks here in Canada.  Some of the ones used here were from the Montano series, my favourite!

So, here is Misty's block, after Elizabeth and I have done our work on it.  It is on it's way to Lisa now for her to add her magic.