Lower border done, and a decision made
The lower right hand side of Aethelflaed’s border came together reasonably well.
I bore in mind the idea of the light coming from the top left which I used when working Aethelflaed’s dress to make sure that the barrels are sensibly lit from more or less the right place. What I haven’t done is give them a stand to make sure that the one lying down doesn’t roll away, but at this point I am betting that there is so much going on in the image that people will either stroll past, completely unengaged, or be so caught up in what is there that they don’t notice the lack of a stand either!
Now I have the whole of the lower border in place, complete with cross, I can look at the combination, and consider whether the colours are going to work.
I think that if I make the bee skeps slightly greyer and less brightly straw coloured than I originally intended, the crosses will probably work well. At least, I’m sure enough to keep working them as I’ve worked this first one.
Those barrels are on a rough surface, probably a worn, flagged cellar floor or the trodden earth of the wayside. If they are full, their weight will help prevent them rolling away. If they’re floating in a blue sky, the magic that got them up there will do the trick.
Straw does soon fade to a greyish-gold. So, unless those are brand new skeps, they won’t be a very dazzling colour. The cross will still be the focal point of the border.
Until you mentioned it it hadn’t occurred to me that the barrel could roll away!
I agree with Lin
If the barrels had been part of the main picture, you would have needed a foundation for them. As they are on the border, which has a background but not a physical place, the barrels, as well as the crosses, will float. I like how the light falls on the barrels’ wood.
The barrels not having a stand really isn’t an issue for me – or it seems your other commentators – as they are border motifs and so in a sort of real but impossible limbo so I think you’re safe to leave them as they are!
The border works perfectly as it is I think, and the colours are beautiful. The background colour perfectly sets off all the motifs and vines – it all has a fresh brightness that works so well with the grass and her dress. Beautiful stitching too!