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Do you use Bondaweb?

Yes, always to stop fraying and sometimes (as in this case when I was in a hurry) to attach it to the fabric as well.
I draw the design on the paper side of the Bondaweb (mirror image, which I forgot to do at first this time but discovered in time, phew!), iron it onto the back of the appliqué fabric, cut it out, peel off the paper, then either attach it with little stab stitches or, for a quicker fix, iron it onto the background fabric. Then embroider over the outline. I was going to use raised chain stitch, but a) that would have taken longer and b) it would be too chunky for the very curved/angled bits of the 7, so I went for plain chain stitch.

A card that is meant to be framed as a gift by itself! Beautiful!

Carole

This is lovely (as is all your work). Reminiscent of the Christmas tree design you provided for us as (I think) a substitute for stashmas a few years ago.

Very much the same technique Mags, yes - it's really versatile because you can make it whatever shape you want, and because it is so decorative the shape itself can be quite simple (like the very basic Christmas trees). It's the fabrics and any stitching and bling bits that make the impact .

I must have another dabble with that technique sometime, it is very effective.

I just realised I haven't updated you on the trees for a bit. This may be at least in part because the Autumn Tree in wool has ground to a halt as I can't get the slant on the red padded satin stitch done to my liking, and what I think of as the Nondescript Tree has actually been abandoned - although i am very pleased with the bit of tapered trailing I did for the outline! More details (quite a lot more...) on FoF.

Not sure what it is about the red satin stitch that you aren't pleased with, but I am sure you will figure it out. Could it be the color? I don't know why I asked that except that the other red really stands out. I love the stitching of both tree trunks. They bring the trees to life. Interesting discussion about the trees on FoF. I like being able to zoom in on the photos.

Carole

Planning a bib for granddaughter Esmee:

Love it

Jo

Now THAT is a unicorn amongst unicorns!!

I'm seriously considering doing him in blingy threads as well - not on the bib, obvs , just for my own enjoyment.

I love that unicorn. The only problem with it being a bib is that it will get messy. Especially because I would think it would be the one to get used at as many meals as possible!

Carole

Make sure it's a large one.
The small round ones never cover enough frontage.

I've always been amazed just how far a baby can spread it's food. I liked those with arms on.

The Unicorn is a great design

rcperryls wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2023 1:21 pm I love that unicorn. The only problem with it being a bib is that it will get messy. Especially because I would think it would be the one to get used at as many meals as possible!

Which is why it will be a DMC washable version for Esmee, and a gold/silver/metalwork one for me

wendywombat wrote: ↑Fri Aug 11, 2023 1:44 pm Make sure it's a large one.

The only white one I could find is smallish broderie anglaise It may just have to be used for photo opportunities....

You could always make one ...

(Or, as in my case, find a pattern and material and talk a friend with a sewing machine into making one...)

(See those pigeons? Here's a cat.)

Sewing machines and I are not friends, to put it mildly. And I wouldn't impose. (Although if my MIL were still alive I might have imposed on her; it was not unheard of - she helped turn Mum's disintegrating duvet cover into slate frame protection sheets!)

I have transferred the design to some heavy-weight interfacing, which I can cut out close to the stitching and apply as a (non-fraying) patch. (Pictures later today)

This is the colour plan:

Cute!