I ran into fraying problems at the end even though I had border stitching plus a running stitch around the border to attach the backing. So, I had to lose some of my border and add some heavy stitching on the edges to save them from fraying. Overall, I'm happy with how it came out, and I definitely learned a lot. I want to try another one to test out a self-adhesive stabilizer I found. I think it will make all the difference for the next ATC I stitch.
Here's the front:
And here's the back, made from my first batch of fabric paper:
I must admit, I'm having a hard time putting it in the envelope--I think I'm a little too enamored of my sweet little blue bird! I may have to make a companion piece for myself. :)
I hope my swap partner likes it. Now, time to go get my little bird ready to fly.
