My first 'real' artquilt

For several years I've been taking pictures of a particular tree on our cottage island. The appeal was due to the unusual growths all over the maple. Each time I visited I saw the same image or a variation of it. My vision involved a creature who was to become known as 'the guardian of the forest'. On my last visit a friend accompanied me. While I was busily studying my 'man', she was happily gazing upwards. Then I heard her say - "Pat, your tree is dead". To which I replied: "No, not possible" But sure enough the foliage of the past was indeed in the past. Not a leaf was to be seen and this was in June.
My next visit to 'my' tree also involved what is known as a 'cold call' to the owner of the property. There I stood knocking at the door and being greeted by probably the tallest man I have ever seen in my life. I don't know who was more flabergasted when I blurted out, "Hi! I'm your neighbour, Pat, and I want to buy your tree." After a friendly conversation revolving around how much he should charge me, we easily agreed to a photograph of it in exchange for permission to cut it down. (I had explained that I was a 'talented' photographer, of course.)
It was not until December that my quest for the best photo to give him really got underway. I quickly realized that one shot of the complete tree would not convey the image that had captivated me for so long. In the end it was a composite of 4 photographs selected from the many I had taken, none of which were on the same day, nor at the same time of day, nor in the same season.
If you have followed me so far, you may have an inkling that putting this combination of photos together involved more than just lining up the parts; colours had to be melded as well as differences in contrast and ...
At first I thought to do a sort of sepia look, but abandoned that in favour of a slightly desaturated feel. When the completed masterpiece was printed on 13" x 19" matte photo paper, I was disappointed to say the least. It was too two-dimensional looking. Somewhere I had read that one could print on cotton fabric using an ink jet printer. Many different materials and sizes later, I settled on this one to which I added a framework of commercially dyed fabric. At that point I did not have much experience in free-motion stitching and was literally terrified to do so. I had invested so much time and effort, I was afraid that my stitching would not be up to the required standard.
In the end, the stitching was satisfactory. And on the second weekend of the Merrickville Artists Guild studio tour I sold The Guardian of the Forest. I will never forget the astonishment and feelings of great joy when I heard a voice saying "I'd like this please".