SAMPLER, showing reverse applique in leather inspired by a an ancient Egyptian pillow.

This is a piece I created some time back. Inspiration came from an ancient Egyptian pillow. I used a similar cutback process (or Reverse applique).  

Three layers of hand dyed vegetable tanned and quite thin leather were layed one on top of the other and then free motion machined.

Various areas were cut back using scissors, some were cut back to the second layer only, whilst others revealed the bottom layer. (The top layer was brown, next was orange/red and the third a crimson/red.)

Trapunto (padding) was put in from behind to give the petals a 3D effect.

The piece was finished by mounting it on a hand dyed stretched fabric over a frame. Handstitch was added to the stretched fabric to replicate some of the shapes seen on the leather. Hanging threads were attached to the leather in various places. It became a wall hanging. See below