Thread Painting

I wanted something really different for one of my little quilts.  At our last Surface Design meeting, one of the demos was about free motion embroidery and how to make your own appliques using stabilizer and thread.  I tried this once about 12-13 years ago with excellent results, but kind of forgot about how much fun it can be.

 I used three layers of Solvy Stabilizer and drew the maple leaf outline onto the top layer with a fine Sharpie marker.  (I had a bunch of dried leaves from my last trip to Maine).  I forgot to take pictures until I started the second layer of thread. 

 It takes a lot of stitches and thread but not a lot of time to make a "thread applique".  The most important thing to remember is that once the stabilizer is rinsed out with water, there is nothing to hold it all together.  So, your stitches have to overlap or criss-cross each other by making a base layer.  Think of it kind of like weaving.....back and forth, up and down.

What do you think?  I don't want it to be as deep a red as the real leaf, so just a bit more and it will be finished.  See all of those light yellow "threads" sticking out from the edge of the stitching?  They're actually dried corn silk one of my friends gave me.  I thought the corn silk would make a fun foundation to stitch through to add a bit of texture.  It worked! 

I'll show you the finished project in a day or two.  Just have to finish the binding and label.