Second prototype

Another prototype leaf!

Here it is (on the left):

You’ll have to click in for the details.

And here is an annotated version:

The green section is blanket stitch done in a contrasting thread (thanks Lara for the suggestion!).  The turquoise section is blanket stitch done in matching thread.  The royal blue section has the top edge turned under and appliqued down (thanks Lynda), and the magenta is blanket stitch but with much closer spacing.

Oddly, I think I still prefer the overcast stitch from the first prototype, as wobbly as it is.  Second place goes to the machine zigzag, also from the first prototype.

Here is my thinking:

• Blanket stitch produces a nice neat edge.  But the stitches are perpendicular to the edge, which is unnatural in a leaf.  Using a matching thread decreases the effect, but when you look closely at it, it is still somewhat disruptive.
• Applique looks really good – the best, in fact – up until you hit the tips of the leaves.  Then it looks awful.  I’m sure this could be fixed with skilled work, but I don’t have the skills now and am not going to develop them in the next 24 hours.  So applique, much as I like it, is out.
• Machine zigzag produces a nice neat edge, but it feels harsh and stiff.  And looks cheap, according to my admittedly biased opinion.
• Hand overcasting, while irregular, expresses the crinkly, diagonal “feel” of the tiny veins in a leaf.

So I think I have decided to do hand overcasting, either in a matching or slight contrast thread.  Rayon embroidery thread is probably a better choice than polyester or silk sewing thread – the first is too springy and the second doesn’t come in an appropriate color set.  A third option is embroidery floss, but I think it’s a little thicker than I would like.  I will have to experiment, of course.

I also think I like the more complex, articulated leaf (the second prototype) better than the simplified version.  It’s more interesting up close, and looks fine at a distance, too.