Chestnut and Fern ATCs

This is the latest colour combination for the Colour Groupies and unusually it has really taken my fancy. I do tend to prefer the more in your face, bright, combinations of colours whereas this one is a more subtle and calm one. But that's what I love about our monthly ATC swap. It presents a challenge!

I started with a chestnut coloured fabric from my stash and ironed it onto Fast2Fuse. I then found a yummy green velvet like fabric in my collection and I decided to use it for a bit of experimentation. Some weeks ago I bought some fabric from Ann Hill during an Embroiderers' Guild Area Day in Dumfries and she gave me a sample of a new fabric like substance (sorry no name!) which you iron to the back of your quilt sandwich and then you iron it, which makes it shrink and it pulls the fabric on the top (in this case my green velvet) together into pleats. Well I just loved this (and must order more!). I'd only a small bit of green velvet left and the pleating made it smaller so I cut it into 4 pieces and appliqued each piece onto the chestnut background. I had done the quilting with a green metallic thread and also used this for the appliqueing.

Paper images (from Bmuse) were stitched onto this green velvet and I beaded around the edges. A flower brad was added to this as shown . The edges were finished by hand using a buttonhole stitch.

All the cards are more or less identical (I have used ribbon on some to border the applique) so I'm showing you only two. They have been received by the Colour Groupies (Caryl, Debby and Lenna) and the one just above is here with me!