Ornament in Progress

Working on a little ornament...here's the progress so far.

 To start, here's the general layout. Only the letter and the flower stems are put on my tracing paper.

Then a reverse image of just the letter is traced on to paper-backed fusible web...I use Heat'n'Bond brand. This is ironed to felt, and then cut out.

The felt letter is then ironed to my piece of background fabric.

I'll be using regular DMC 6-strand floss in colors #3346, #783, and #1100. 

The felt initial is a base, to be covered with satin stitch embroidery. I like to stitch some parallel lines of stitch to "try" to keep my satin stitch all going in the same direction. I never succeed at this to my liking...but I just keep trying to perfect my work by practice.

 After the letter is stitched, I cover it with my tissue pattern....just using some pins to hold it in place.

Then, I stitch the stem. I was going to stitch the leaves too, but decided to just free-hand those instead.The tissue paper is torn away, and the little "bits" remaining are removed using some blunt tip tweezers...held parallel with the fabric. I also use a straight pin to "wrinkle up" pieces that are stubborn and don't want to come out from under my stitches...this makes them easily removed with the tweezers or a piece of sticky back tape.

 Lastly, I add some French knots with the red DMC...and some detached chain stitches with a little red 4mm silk ribbon.Next will be to create the back of the ornament and assemble it. I'll be back with that when it is accomplished.