Flamingo Tree

Inspired by Japanese fabric artist Noriko Endo, and the use of small slivers of fabric, overlaid with soft net. Especially effective on the quilt “Nature in NZ”, mosses, branches and the sun shining through.
This week I am going to try this technique with pink fabric and create a flamingo tree, the pink leaves are all abundant at the moment, and this may be perfect for the spiky leaves, instead of trying to appliqué individually or maybe cut-out the one large “leaf shape”.
Selected a bright pink fabric with a little gold thread embossed on it. Using the rotary cutter, slivers and triangles of fabric were cut, but this was difficult so ended up using the scissors, and cut the pieces approx 10- 20 mm long by 3-7 mm wide.
On a blue background fabric, pencil outlined the shape of the leaves and vlioflexed the brown trunk on. Machine embroider to create a dark and light side of the tree and outline some of the pattern of the brown fabric, as it reminded me of the bark on the flamingo tree.
I just threw the pink slivers onto the fabric base, and then arranged them until the impression of the leaves were created. I overlaid a fine white tulle, and pined it on place. Using a needle, I “teased” and moved the slivers more, to create sky between the leaves. Having the tulle on top really helped this process.
Monofilament grey thread and zigzagged around the leaves, and then straight stitch in a leafy motion to hold them all down.
Burgundy thread to create more dark on the trunk, and then pale beige to create more light. I should have removed the tearaway stabiliser on the back, as the quilt is quite stiff now.
Hand embroidered more burgundy on the twigs to give them a bit more life.
Perhaps I should have put some glue stik onto the background before throwing on the leaf slivers, to hold them into place.