Down the Rabbit Hole, leaf tutorial and some Spring Flowers.

The next step in making Down The Rabbit Hole is adding 51 leaves!  I don't do needle turned applique my preferred method is to use freezer paper and starch.  Rather than cut 51 freezer paper leaves I decided to use some heat resistant Mylar and see how it worked out.  First I traced in pencil on the wrong side the shape of the finished leaf and cut them out with a generous seam allowance.  I decided to run a basting thread around the curve of the leaf.

 I made myself four of the Mylar template to aide in production.

 This is a batik so I had a large knot on the right side and ended on the right side to make it easier when I went to remove the thread.

 I placed the template on the leaf and drew it up fairly tight.

 I pressed the bottom and the ironed the top tip over.  I then used a paint brush and liquid starch and ironed it down.

 I ironed the left side then painted with starch and ironed again.

 Same for the right size.

 Then before I removed the template I eased out the thread and I then trimmed the seam allowance down to closer to an 1/8" and slipped the template out from the bottom to help maintain the nice point on the leaf.

 On this one the seam allowance hasn't been trimmed yet but after I remove the template I do another pressing.

 Nice points and sharp edges.

 My pile grew of finished leaves.

 Here is how much they shrink after turning the edges.

Here are the first ones that I placed around the centre.

 Here are the second group of over cut.  I may use them all or not.

I placed all the leaves that I cut before starting to turn the edges on my design wall.  I over cut the leaves and I think there are about 56 leaves with about another thirty that I cut.  I decided to turn all the leaves as I like the look of the bigger leaves and want to create that volume illusion with the turned leaves.

 Speaking of flowers and leaves.  Here is a better shot of the Magnolia tree I shared the other day.

 We did have some rain and wind overnight on Saturday so the blooms are starting to look a bit beat up.

 The sky was so blue on Sunday with hardly any clouds in the sky.

 I love the contrast of the pink against the blue sky.

 A bud just about ready to open up!

We have some lovely heritage homes in New Westminster and I was parked in front of this side by side duplex.  This side still had the original stained glass windows on the main and upper floor.

 They also have two gargoyles on guard of the stairs leading up to the front doors.

Time to start placing those leaves and to start stitching them down.