PINE NEEDLES - COMPLETED NEW WORK

This little project was such fun!  Well, I always enjoy creating....but sometimes an idea will be a departure from the norm which can provide such a pleasurable journey.  

Spying piles of pine needles decorating our daily walking route finally lured me in.  They became an interesting focus for a piece of felted hand-dyed wool that I've been wanting to use.


The pine needles were hand couched to the wool which had been stabilized with a non-fusible Pellon interfacing.

As is typical, when the design comes together, I begin thinking how to finish the outside edge.  In this photo, some hand-dyed perle cotton is being auditioned.  It was made and given to me by Nancy Bruce, a fabulous expert dyer of anything she can get her hands on!

While the edging treatment is being mulled over, additional auditioning continued.  I'm definitely favoring more simplicity in my work.  But, I've learned this end goal can become uninspiring if one doesn't pay close attention.  


With that in mind, some small brass washers were unearthed and scattered around the piece to provide more interest.

Alas......I took them off as they seemed too 'staged'.  Instead, I went back to an earlier idea; to add a line of (undetermined) color, either vertically or horizontally.

Of course it would have been easier to incorporate this detail BEFORE the pine needles were in position....but I'm a gal who likes a challenge!

For me, this small detail worked......  Next, I added a wool backing and hand embroidered the two layers together using Nancy's beautiful thread. (Thank you Nancy!!)

PINE NEEDLES

7.5" X 14"

available for purchase

So.....after studying the completed piece for a day or so, I decided to add another red line.....which was EVEN MORE difficult now that the backing was in place!  


The piece will be displayed with a border of hand-made paper and then framed. The finished (outside measurement) size will be 11 1/2" x 19".


Visit my gallery shop for purchase information and an updated photo in a few days.  If anyone is interested in the piece as is (unframed).....please email me asap using the link on the upper right side bar and we can work our the details.