Apple tree fire screen - cutting out the embroidery

Time to get out the scissors!  The reason I painted glue on the back of the stitching was so I could cut it out without the whole thing falling to bits.  Once cut out, the embroidered slip will be stitched to the background fabric.

This is the same principle as I used for the flowers on St Cuthbert's Banner, if long-time readers can remember that, though in that case there was no glue involved: I cut the flower shapes out slightly larger, so with a sort of seam allowance of linen all round, and then tucked this under as I stitched the shape down.  That was a very fiddly operation, especially as the edges of the cut linen frayed; this time, the use of the glue should make life much easier.

Or that was the theory, and I'm happy to say that it seems to be working, at least so far.  I cut the shape out as close to the embroidery as I could, using small sharp scissors.

Here it is with the fabric cut away from around the outside of the shape:

And then with all the awkward shapes on the inside also cut away:

That's just the embroidery, not supported by any fabric, and with just the thin layer of glue on the back holding it all together.  I told you I was nervous about all this - now you can see why!

It is holding together, however, so now I can stitch it to the marked-up background fabric.