This is Part 2 in a series about making my newest piece, Face Time. It picks up where I left off in Part 1, which shows and talks about the painted and wigged wooden bead heads.
UPDATE: Face Time is part of my exhibit, Salley Mavor: Social Fabric, at the Upcoumtry History Museum in Greenville, SC, April 3 – Sept. 5, 2021.
I wanted each character to peek out of their own frame, like cameo portraits. I cut pieces out of felt with scalloped shears and embroidered the edges.
This, along with stitching the leaves and stems took many, many hours.
I brought them with me on boat excursions near home…
and far away on our canal trip in France. I got a lot done on the plane ride, too.
Finally, all 41 busts had their own wreathlike frame.
The heads are based on the wee folk dolls in my how-to book Felt Wee Folk – New Adventures. This little lady’s bonnet is made with embroidery floss wrapped wire.
After the wreaths were completed and the busts sewn in place, I figured out their arrangement on tree branches. They would be grouped according to time period, going from past at the bottom to present at the top.
The tree branches were made of felt covered wire.
To be continued in Part 3…
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SALLEY MAVOR 
This is such a delightful project, Salley, and most beautifully executed.
Shoshi
I’m not sure there are words proper enough to describe the wonderment of this piece. Your vision and patience with needle and thread is one of a kind! Thank you for sharing the process.
Thank you Patty and I’m glad that you are enjoying the peek behind the scenes!
I love this. I am going to try and do a wall quilt with my family tree. Using each member of the family as a doll. Thanks for the idea. This is great.
Your ideas sounds great, Jeanne. My Self-portrait: A Personal History of Fashion may also provide inspiration for your family tree project. https://weefolkstudio.com/2009/11/16/joining-the-blog-world/
I love seeing your process and the different faces. I do Stumpwork and making figures (with three dimensional heads complete with faces and hair) is a challenge.
It’s nice to hear from a fellow stump worker!
You are very generous in sharing your process, I love to read about it. Thank you.
I can hardly wait to open each of your posts, you are truly an inspiration to all of us who enjoy working with a threaded needle! I too love Stumpwork and look forward to sharing your ideas with one of my Grand-daughters who is very much into fairy houses. They have a perfect “fairy cave” in the base of a large tree on their front walkway. Walkers in the area often contribute to the project and if one fairy goes missing another soon takes it’s place! Thank you for sharing your creative, happy art form.
Ahhhhh a BEAUTY !!!
(I think you have special scissors to make these scallops ….? )
Yes, I use scalloped shears. Fiskars used to make them, but they don’t seem to offer them anymore.
Love the assembly line in the back!
Sandy in the UK
Sometimes I think we textile/fabric/felter artists could have been surgeons with all the teeny detailed work we do! Gorgeous stuff…what a brilliant idea…love the frames!
If you don’t mind me asking, What have you stitched in the middle of each leaf? I love this concept, not unlike your self- portrait piece.
Hi Marilyn, Each little leaf is filled in with a seed stitch of 2 ply embroidery floss of a contrasting color.