The sun (running stitch and chain stitch) and the evergreen branch in the lower right (fly stitch, stem stitch) were done about seven months ago. Today I added the the birds and the tree.

The birds are Italian border stitch with two strands of variegated floss, one flipped to give 2-tones to each stitch. I think I want to add more birds. Many more. Darker, smaller, in the blue block. Not sure yet.

The tree trunk is single fly stitches stitched closely in a golden brown and then a dark brown layer stitched over it to fill in more densely.

There are 3 unnecessary long fly stitches for branches with connected fly stitches over them, plus two outer branches without the unnecessary single fly stitch underneath. I like how this turned out despite the unnecessary stitches. I can imagine a larger version with perle 5 and 8 branches and floss or perle 12 oyster stitch (or ?? stitch) leaves and/or flowers and/or French knot fruit depending n the tree’s season

All the threads in the tree are from my ort jar that I think are perle 12, perle 8, and candle wicking thread.

It’s all stitched on a mostly cotton nine patch I did for Spirit Cloth 101