Stretching, mounting applique, Part 1

This is an applique I made for my Temple. It's based on the Parable of the Herbs in the Lotus Sutra.
I think this is my favorite of all parables in the Sutra. Lately I've been worried about my parents'
health as they are both in their 80s. I try to live with gratitude each day and hope to have the grace
to be aware of how I can help. I made this in gratitude for all the support I get from my Sangha
and my practice.

I actually finished this a couple of weeks ago. While driving and doing errands lately, the process of
how to mount and frame this has been in the back of my mind. Yesterday I took the plunge and
began the process using bits of what I've learned online and changing that a bit. I hope this helps you
make decisions on how to adapt this process to individual pieces.

I cut four sheets of fome core board about 1 1/2 inches wider and deeper than the applique. Then
I used double stick tape to make a sandwich of all the boards.

Just happened to have a frame from the thrift store the right size for the back of the fome core, about two inches smaller.  Used wood glue to attach the flat side of the frame to the back of the fome core.
Left it overnight with books on top for a good seal. The front of the applique is fragile with beads so
I attached hanging hardware at this point.

Next, I cut three layers of cotton batting (a bit smaller than the actual applique) and sewed along the outside edges using the
longest stitch setting. I want the applique itself to have a bit of padding and will position
this behind it when I sew it to the backing fabric.

I thought the background fabric would be a tough decision.This cloudy sky pattern jumped out
of the cabinet 2 minutes after I started looking. Love it when that happens!

I'll keep track of the next steps and post notes. It may be a few days. Happy Valentines Day!