Yes finally a bonsai I can't kill. As you may or may not know I have tired many times unsuccessfully to grow and create my own bonsai. Sadly every tiny tree in my possession had ended up dead. But This is the solution. This felt bonsai was almost as fun to make as bending and pruning a real bonsai.
I got this idea from a picture I found on the web. It was relatively easy to do. And it was inexpensive since craft felt and embroidery floss is only .50 cents a sheet/color and I used stuffing I already have and a cool Korean spicy tuna can leftover from eating the contents. I drew my own trunk template and cut two trunks from it. As I sewed them together I realized one of the sides was slightly different then the other and this was causing a very bonsai like twisting of the trunk. I was expecting it to come out straight but it leans backward in avery natural way. I filled the trunk then sewed in on to a different brown and created a sort of pillow to fit into the can so it would stand up properly.
The leaves are very stylized. I modeled them after the way some trees are represented on kimono fabric I had seen and used while taking Japanese doll making class. I used 3 different shades of green and a green floss that was different. I think the leaves came out really well. the two smaller leaves are 5 layers of: light green, blue-green, forest green, blue-green and light green. This way the leaf looks identical on both sides. the large leaf id the same pattern but doubled so on each side you see two layers of each color but there is only one of the largest forest green layer. The stitching is also the same on both sides and that is all thats holding the layers together.
The final product is so cute. I really like it. This project took about 5 hours most of which was spent sewing and cutting the leaves. I am proud of my efforts and think it was weekend time well spent.
