Opening a window to the light

There's still lots of colour in the garden although it is looking very autumnal.

The colour combination of Purple Verbena against the gold and burgundy Cotinus with the dark trees forming the background is gorgeous. The beech trees that mark our garden boundary were big when we came here nearly 30 years ago but now they are immense.

I love the dark, dramatic backdrop they give to the garden but the canopy needed lifting to reopen the view we once had across the fields. We summoned the tree surgeon and after a long hard day sawing, logging and chipping, we are treated to the sight of shafts of early morning sunlight streaming in through the 'windows' created by removing many of the lower branches.

It was seeing the recent Supermoon through those very branches that inspired this piece. I discharged the moon shape using deColorant Plus on compressed sponge. What makes it quite effective is the fact that I used one of Laura's digital prints from photographs taken right here where I live! As you can see, the image was taken in winter when the trees were bare - I always love seeing the structure of trees and hedges when they are leafless. I intend to quilt this one with a grey Madeira Cotona 50. That will be a perfect choice to stitch all those fine twiggy lines!

I made a number of different discharge prints on tree and hedge fabrics and couldn't wait to get this favourite one under the needle of the PowerQuilter!

I'm keeping the quilting very simple by following the spiky lines of twigs and thorns with free motion stitching using a pale Madeira rayon thread. Taking the lines of stitch across the moon should in theory make it recede a little so it appears to be behind the branches not in front and the sheen of the thread looks like moonlight!

I'll let you see the panel again as soon as it's finished.

Have a good what's left of the weekend! Linda x