It was then necessary to create a background that would show these simple "paintings" to best effect.

I experimented with painted bondaweb, on felt, polycotton, organdie and calico with leaves, lavender flowers, seed packets etc. trapped underneath.

I also tried scrap fabrics as a background. None of these proved suitable as they were either too heavy or distracted from the "painting".

The 3 final pieces consisted of 4 herb "paintings", each set on either a background of nuno felt, silk noil or silk paper, transfer painted, machine and hand stitched and then laced onto padded boards.

Behind this is a coloured mount of couched chiffon and gauze with cable stitching.

Finally, a layer of cream cotton lace, with paper pulp layered on top and machine stitched.

Once the drawings were complete it was a simple process to colour them with the transfer paints and stitch them.