For Margaret...

 

Front

Back

Margaret had chosen Ecru/natural colours, Running stitch and Back Stitch.

With this in mind I drew a bird and outlined it with a Whipped Back Stitch. I filled the background with Running stitch. The lace was secured with Beaded Running stitch. I then did a whipped Stepped Running stitch and a Double Threaded Running stitch.

I needed something for the wall in my newly painted dining room. Which is now Red and grey. So decided to do a woodpecker and my husband painted the frame in anticipation. I already had the hand dyed background fabric, it just needed a few more trees which I added with Fabrico markers. I also used the markers to colour the main tree. I had a Thermofax of trees which I put along the bottom. It was so long since I had used the screens I had to look up how to use them before starting.

Then using Markal sticks I stencilled the letters down the righthand side. I had been doing the bird for some time whilst listening to a talking book, it was done with a long and short stitch and I admit it didn’t all go smoothly but I got there in the end. It was then appliquéd to the background and stuffed. I used colonial knots for the growth on the tree. And finish with Machine stitching, lace trim and a few buttons.  I’m very pleased with the result. 

Janex