Apply the Skills

As I go along with this Fabulous Free Motion class....I'm always thinking how I can apply the skills to my own projects.

Roseanne gifted me this birch tree fabric a while back....and I knew I would use it at some point. Using the reverse applique techniques I practiced in the class...I layered up three fabrics...and started stitching. 

Here it is in progress. I had to spread the cutting out over a few days as it's hard on my hands.

I layered a textured green batik and a dark blue under the birch fabric all on a stabilizer....

then outlined the trees in a double layer of stitching.

When I held it up...I realized there was no clear place to start and stop the reveal of the two different fabrics underneath. So I added more branches that connected the trees giving me clear spaces to cut away.

Then I started snipping out the gray fabric to reveal either the blue or the green.

I finished cutting out the gray this afternoon....I will clean it up just a bit more once I rest my hands. The loose threads do add a bit of texture. Nature is not neat and tidy.

And...I'm trying to decide whether to add a little fall color stitching here and there to simulate leaves...and add another texture. Maybe some hand stitching like french knots.  

Thanks for the fabric Roseanne! This was a fun way to apply the skills from the class.