Branches and Leaves {Artsy Fartsy}

Did you manage to figure out what I'm making for my Aurifil and Island Batik challenge project this month?

Which of the five backgrounds do you think I picked? What do you think I'm making?

If you guessed the top aqua and using the hands to make the trunk of a tree -- you were right!

This project is going to be all machine applique and almost no piecing! To stitch the edges of the tree, I used a gold-tan 50 wt. Aurifil thread and a blanket stitch.

I was initially hesitant about the light thread on the dark brown fabric, but I think it actually works really well.

Next I added a piece of green for grass, using an olive green 50 wt. Aurifil thread for this stitching, but used a different stitch, a cross-hatch like stitch, to sort of give the impression of blades of grass.

I used the same thread for top stitching all of my leaves -- I used two different green fabrics for the leaves and used a blanket stitch for the leaves.

Next came switching over to the 12 wt. peach thread to create a heart on my tree trunk! Having used the 12 wt. thread a few times previously, I have found that I like to use a lighter weight thread in the bobbin and stitch slightly slower than my normal cheetah speed.

Here's my mini quilt top, ready to be quilted!

I have used two different thread weights so far -- 12 wt. and 50 wt. -- and I have a few other 50 wt. threads set aside for quilting as well. I'm not 100% settled on what other thread weight I will add into this project, but I have some ideas!

My very cheesy, slightly arty quilt is turning out pretty cute and I'm very pleased with it! It might not truly fit the "art quilt" moniker, but it's about as artsy fartsy as I'm going to get!