Fern appliqué artwork

Reimagine a staghorn fern in wool felt and you can create a leafy work of art. Simply follow these easy instructions and use the template.

Gather your supplies

• Freezer paper

• Wool felt in assorted greens and blue-greens

• Linen fabric

• Oval canvas frame to suit embroidery size

• Stranded embroidery cotton in colours to match felt

• Embroidery hoop

• Embroidery needle

You’ll also need Pencil; scissors; iron; pins or fabric glue; staple gun and staples

For you to note

The diagram calls for seven different green and bluegreen wool felt colours, indicated by the letters A to G, but you can repeat a colour or two if you wish.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Enlarge the Fern appliqué template (right) to correct size, as instructed.

STEP 2 Trace template onto non-shiny side of freezer paper in pencil.

STEP 3 Cut out each leaf piece of the template and iron shiny-side down onto the various colours of felt. Cut out felt pieces and remove freezer paper.

STEP 4 Cut out a linen piece so it’s large enough to wrap to the back of the canvas frame.

STEP 5 Arrange felt pieces

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B on linen, as shown on the template. Pin or adhere them in place with fabric glue.

STEP 6 Thread needle with 3 strands of embroidery thread, matching thread to the colour of the felt.

STEP 7 With linen stretched in the hoop, whipstitch felt pieces in place with tiny stitches.

STEP 8 Stretch linen around canvas frame; staple to back.

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