FALLEN LEAF

The feathers I find on our daily walks have been an inspiration for my work recently.  Last fall I picked up some insect eaten leaves and wondered if I could recreate their lacy look with beads.

I decided the bottom leaf would provide the best design.

After sketching the leaf, I traced it to a stabilizer which was basted to the wrong side of the main piece of my felted wool project.  Machine stitching transfers the design to the right side for beading and helps to stabilize the material.

Once the beadwork was finished, the piece hung on my design wall for what seemed like months.  The edges of the tan fabric frayed too much to clean cut them.  Additionally, I was looking for a different design approach to cover them from my past projects, so I was stuck.  I auditioned a bittersweet berry wool for the border but felt it was too strong.  (Though frankly, in this picture....it looks better than it did on my wall!)

Finally, I resorted to using brown felted wool.....deciding to cut it as one would prepare a mat for framing a photo.  The inside edges were cut straight, the outside would be wavy cut.  YUCK! Next I tried using a machine 'jeans' utility stitch, double YUCK.  Both seems to detract from the leaf that I'd spent so much time beading!

As usual, I have trouble capturing the true color of my work when I photograph.  The sparkle of the beads and all the texture of the piece, I'm told, doesn't allow the lens to properly focus. Either the beadwork shows up well, or the fabrics, not both.  

This detail should provide a better glimpse of the beadwork and a truer sense of the color.