Bramble Thicket



This piece of embroidery is about 8 or 9 inches in diameter and
about 3 or 4 inches deep.  



The basis is Friendly plastic, rolled out very thinly and shapes
cut out.  These were then manipulated on a plate (the whole
being heated up in the oven) to give a lacy effect, cooled and
lifted off the plate.  This resulted in a flat lace work disc. 



I placed the disc onto cold water soluble film and stitched
into, over and around, by hand, but mostly by machine.  I added
the leaves around the edge directly onto the cold water soluble,
and then did a few extra which were applied across the centre of
the flat disc.  Beads were added to simulate blackberries, and
when I was satisfied that all the stitching was complete I
immersed the whole thing in warm water to remove all the soluble
film.  Then I put it into a frying pan of hot water to soften
the Friendly Plastic (seconds only), and removed it and gently
draped and manipulated it to form a  vessel of sorts.  In a
minute or two the plastic hardens and you have a very firm and
unbreakable structure.



Liz