Stitched: Little Trees

The year's second embroidery--a trio of small colorful trees.

We have a storybook that illustrates trees in almost a childlike way, with round circles at the end of stick-like branches. It's so unlike the way I draw trees, and they look awkward at first glance (and second and third, really), but they kept catching my eye. So I drew some in a similar style and transferred them to the fabric.

I'm not exactly sure how I'll finish these for display, but I know it will involve showing that selvedge edge somehow.

I'm quite fond of that selvedge edge, with its red stripe. I'm thinking the fabric needs to be sewn onto something sturdy and acid-free--heavier than cardstock, but not so heavy I can't sew through it. As for the year's first embroidery, my 8yo feels it would be best displayed in a hoop. I think he's right, so I need to get a wooden hoop and finish it off.

Embroidery makes me happy, and it's really all about the doing of it. If I don't force myself to figure out the display bit right away, I'll end up with piles of stitched images lying around, abandoned. I like what I stitch, very much; don't misunderstand. But once I'm done stitching it, it doesn't interest me quite as much anymore. I just want to get back to pulling floss through fabric, stitch after soothing stitch. However, I'm supposed to be knitting my son a sweater. If there's embroidery about, I tend to ignore the knitting. So.

But you can bet I'm planning the next embroidery piece in my head, while I'm working those knitting needles...