Hand-Embroidered Apple - Art Every Day Month - Day 17

This morning I hand-embroidered an apple for the Minnesota state quilt that I'm working on. The apple is meant to represent the honeycrisp apple - Minnesota's state fruit.

Minnesota's state fruit is the honeycrisp apple.

The honeycrisp apple was produced from a 1960 cross of Honeygold and Macoun and apples as part of the University of Minnesota's breeding program. The goal in creating this apple was to develop a variety that could withstand difficult winters without losing fruit quality. In 1962, the original seedling was planted at the Minnesota Horticultural Research Center.

The honeycrisp apple was released by the University’s Agricultural Experiment Station in 1991 and has become a favorite throughout the United States as well as one that is grown and appreciated worldwide.

In 2006, the honeycrisp apple was selected to be the State Fruit of Minnesota; a process initiated by a grade school class in Bayport, voted on by legislators, and finalized by the governor.

To create the quilt square, I used three different colors of fabric and four different pieces. I used a light iron-on adhesive to attach the pieces to the white fabric square. Then, I hand-embroidered each of the pieces onto the background fabric by using the backstitch.

On the leaves and stem, I used the straight stich to add some definition and details (e.g., the veins of the leaves).

Five hand-embroidered squares done now...seven left to go.