Prelude to an Afternoon with a Fawn

( Apologies to Debussy)
 As promised here he/she is.

Working with a cartoon from the picture, the outline was stitched onto the chosen backing and stabilizer. I used a commercial embroidery stabilizer this time because the long legs needed more support. Had I thread painted this in situ, it would not have been necessary as there is already so much fabric. There was the risk, however that the needle and threads would have laboured through all the previous stitching. This results in thread breakage and real annoyance.

 

I find I am using less embroidery thread for these natural scenes and more stronger quilting threads. They have no sheen and in some places such as this, I think it's better.
These threads and the larger needles do punch very large holes in the material but by the time it's done they have all disappeared under the layers of thread.

 

I don't often start with the lighter colours but seeing as most of the white on the fawn is feathered into the other colours I thought I'd reverse my process. After two shades of pale beiges but not white ( too strong to use first, ) it really looks like a dogs breakfast. Have faith! Even I get nervous.

 

but a few hours later....the finished fawn

 

Before I cut the cartoon away from the excess stabilizer, I press and steam it well. This tightens the stabilizer and the threads and directs the shrinkage evenly. All the wrinkled and puckers remain, and when they are cut away, the piece lies flat again. 

 

So here is the fawn in his quiet forest on a balmy afternoon. He still needs to be attached to the backing and while I'm doing that, I will feather the edges with the corresponding threads so, where natural, there will be some fluffiness to his coat.

 

Looks a little better than a paper cut out. Is this finished?
Far from it.
Detail!
More shrubs and more leaves. His feet need to be hidden so he's not floating and some larger foreground leaves will add more prospective. I'm still musing on enlarging this by another inch all around.