Tree of Hope: Beginning on Trunk & Branches

Work continues on Tree of Hope with the addition of adding brown felt for the base of the trunk and branches.  

To cut out the felt, I simply took a piece of the thin paper with the outline printed on it and pinned it onto the felt.  Then I carefully cut out the shape just a bit smaller than the outline.  The felt is then tacked down to the ground fabric (I used more of the thin silk quilting thread - silk is SO nice to work with).  

Then I was a REALLY good girl and made myself work the rest of the leaves.  Any and all work done in silk needs to be completed before the Goldwork or one will be wrestling with the silk by getting it stuck in the gold constantly.  

I only slightly broke this rule and saved the birds for last.  Reason being that I just could not figure out what kind/colors of birds I wanted in the Tree of Hope…

Anyway, with the flat stitches on the leaves completed, I then put in veins. I tried to keep the veins a bit lighter than the color silk the rest of the leaves are worked in.  I did twist in some number one gold into some of the veins to add some pop. 

Then I began work on the trunk by couching down Fine Pearl Purl.  Pictured below but if you click onto the picture above and enlarge it you will see the Pearl Purl for the whole tree.

Next up: The Gold Work on the Trunk

Christa, Lilystitch
www.lilystitch.com