Fireweed
Here is the last of my nuno felted landscapes that I have been working on for an exhibition in September. This is the largest piece and measures 11″ x 30″. I thought I had taken more photos of the piece in process but I can’t find them. So I must have just dreamed that I took photos 🙂
The background is nuno felted and I did add a bit of hand stitch to a portion of the mountains as one section felt too yellow. I added grey seed stitch to make it match the rest of the mountains. Then I added the fireweed flower in the foreground with hand dyed cotton fabric that is fused down to the felt. If you haven’t seen a fireweed before, here is a bit more information.
Here’s the piece before I stitched the leaves. I added some stem stitch and straight stitch to the flowers to hold them in place and to add a bit of detail.
Here you can see the stitching a bit better. I used wool thread for the hand stitching.
And here is the finished piece. I added machine stitching to the cotton applique pieces as I felt that the fusible wouldn’t hold them completely in place and I didn’t want them to start peeling off. Plus it added more definition to the leaves to bring them forward from the background.
Now I am working on background fabrics for each piece and then framing. Once they are framed, I will post again to show you the finished pieces.
21 thoughts on “Fireweed”
It’s a beautiful landscape – the nuno effect is perfect for it, especially in the mountains. Your fireweed flower is so delicate yet it manages to take centre stage as it should.
Thanks Lyn! I was really surprised with the how the mountains turned out. I didn’t really think the fabric I had was going to work well but I just tried it and it really gives the impression of more distant mountains.
Lovely landscape, Ruth! I particularly like the flower details. Well done!
Thanks Leonor! I tried to keep the flower details down to a minimum and I like the end result too.
That is really lovely Ruth, it all fits together perfectly.
Thanks Tracey!
Lovely work, Ruth! I look forward to seeing how you frame them.
Thanks Karen! I have the pieces all stitched to backing fabric now. On to attaching them to foam core board. Then to the framer.
I enlarged your photo and it is amazing to see how much texture you’ve achieved in this landscape. You’ve really achieved a fantastic depth of field with this piece….brilliant.
Seeing the detail of your fireweed I thought it looked very much like our ‘Rosebay willow herb’….yep one and the same. So you conveyed it beautifully across the seas!
Thanks Antje! There’s definitely a lot of texture. Interesting to hear that the same plant has a totally different name in your part of the world.
The landscape turned out great. The mountains really convey distance. and the fireweed makes it look like you are laying on the ground looking out.
Thanks Ann! The fabric for the mountains worked out better than expected giving the illusion of depth.
Lovely textures & colours & a great sense of perspective, Ruth – fabulous.
Thanks Lindsay!
You have a great set of pieces there Ruth – look forward to seeing them all together!
Thanks Kim and yes, me too. I got the foam core to stretch them over so that takes up my weekend plans. Then on to the framer.
Wow, this is gorgeous, Ruth! So much depth to it. I like the Fireweed, the name wasn’t familar, but the flowers were, so I clicked your link, it’s what we call ‘Rosebay willowherb’ here.
Thanks Zed! Antje said the same thing about “rosebay willowherb”. I think it’s odd that the same plants have so many different names in different parts of the world. Do yours grow throughout the area or mainly in higher elevations? Fireweed mainly grows in higher elevations here.
Gorgeous landscape. I feel like I could walk up and pick the beautiful bright flowers. Good luck with finishing for the exhibition.
Thanks Marilyn, I have 4 of the landscapes laced on to the foam core board. Only two left to go.