From start to finish...

1. After finding inspiration, photographs are used as a reference to make a sketch.  This helps me to really get to know the landscape in detail

2. A colour sketch follows to observe the variations of colours and tones closely

3. Scrim, muslin, cotton and silks are dyed in the appropriate colours 

4. Wool and silk fibres are chosen and mixed using a hand carder.  I’m now ready to get started

5. Using the original sketches, the basic outline is drawn onto a calico backing fabric.  To create the needlefelt sky, wool fibres are placed on the calico and a needle punch (embellishing machine) pushes the fibres into the backing with barbed needles 

6. For the fabric collage, cottons and silks are then laid in place with the same technique to create the hills and fields.  Working from the back can also be useful for adding subtle texture and colours

7. The next stage (my favourite) is adding the details using hand embroidery.  Up to 20 different colours of thread are used for each piece.  The stitches are used expressively like marks made in the original sketches 

8. The last stage uses free-motion stitching to create distance and detail and blend or separate different areas