There are few features in a pasture that create a more quintessential Prairie view than a good fence.🤠 I'm sure it's my childhood memories of spending time hiking in pastures and enjoying adventures in those rolling hills (with an occasional snag on a barbed wire) that bring me to create these scenes over and over. 

I have been adding fence lines into my prairie landscapes for years, and I love how they create a focal point that draws the eye into the scene. A fence can create depth and an opportunity for detail. I often use the bottom of fence posts for dense stitches of grass and wildflowers. 

I like to create a selection of fence posts first, then choose the ones to stitch down on to my landscape. First, I begin with a fabric that suits the wooden post I am trying to create, cutting multiple sizes of posts.  

 I like to choose a fabric that has some synthetic fibre content, as this allows me to melt the edges so they will not fray when handled. I purposely ravel a few threads from each side, creating space along the edges to burn/melt the remaining threads. 

 The melting process can be very tricky with these small bits of fabric, so I have to work carefully and keep a bit of water close by in case I need it! I use tweezers on thin pieces so I don't burn my fingertips. I run the fabric quickly along the flame, being careful to hold the fabric to the side of the flame, never approaching it from above as this will ignite into disaster very quickly.😬🔥 If you are unsure of the fibre content of the fabric you are working with, then first test the flammability carefully.

Once the pieces have been melted on all sides, they are durable to sew. I love how the ends burn a little to create uneven fence posts - very nostalgic looking - as many of the posts currently used in pasture fencing look exactly alike. The image below is a mock-up of using these posts in a landscape. I always finish sewing the landscape layers first, prior to adding any details like a fence line! Not only does this prevent damaging the posts while sewing the larger layers, but it also allows me to pin the landscape up on a wall and place the fence posts with better perspective. 

Once the fence posts are stitched securely in place, I like to use a metallic thread to add the wire. This thread is a fun detail that is quick to do, and very effective in completing the fence. The very last step is filling in along the base of the fence posts with taller grass and even a few wildflowers. This stitching blends the bottom of the post right into the scene as if it's been there for years! 🐮🌿