More ideas for the tree quilt

Originally, the plan was to do a tree skeleton against a red-gold sky. I think I have a better idea: to let the piecing around the branches suggest leaves. The style I'm currently working with could easily be adapted in that direction, and the needle case I'm making for Sam shows the right sort of fabric combination. I'd need to think about what to put in the non-leafy areas, perhaps the softer gold colours, though the almost solid metallic gold fabric would be ideal for accents amongst the leaves. Olson's Phases: Forest Tapestry is inspiring me, and also reminding me that the background need not look like sky, and could even be pieced entirely differently. I'll work on getting the tree right first. Sam has helpfully taken more photos of his winter tree mask, which may be seen here and here, and also shown me an early tree and sky painting, the sort of thing from which his network designs originated.

ETA: I'm finally getting somewhere with the sketching. Photos beneath the cut.

( Design ideas )