would ratty feel at home?

Trees are quite hard to draw, don't you think? In a previous job incarnation as a landscape designer I had plenty of cause to draw trees and although a subject I enjoyed, drawing them well is not so easy.

I find sewing trees a challenge, too. The traditional pieced patchwork trees (often seen lying on their sides!) composed of many triangles I see as somewhat stiff and unnatural.

This month in my online friendship group we were tasked to sew "trees". Sue provided a piece of unbleached muslin and instructed us to give her trees, with the only restriction being no taller than 6".  Thinking that a 6" pieced tree from me had the potential to be a mess of seams and not much else, my thoughts headed towards applique, thus ensued a dive into the bookshelf to ferret out some ideas I knew were there...somewhere.

Three possibilities came to hand:

this one's too tall (and somewhat dejected) (from Kiracofe)

this one's too branchy (QEC 1987)

this one's ju-u-u-st right!! (QEC 1988)

Then, because I'll use this pattern again, a sturdy template was made (I find old CT films very handy - AND  here is proof positive I actually do have a brain! pity you can't tell). I simply tape the photocopy to the film then cut the paper shape and the film shape out together.

photocopied and enlarged on the printer about 500%

So, here are my "Willows for Sue"- is that Ratty and Moley I can hear?
Sue, I hope you like them.