Choose a piece of fabric for your second block, place the fern onto it and replace the tiny leaflets, after removing the backing from the LEAFLETS ONLY. This is important. Keep the backing on the large fern so it does not adhere to the background fabric when you iron the whole piece. When you carefully peel away the entire 3 layers of the large fern, you will have a second block or negative of your work which you can hand embroider. Work carefully cutting! Why throw away this second block by being careless when it makes a beautiful delicate looking applique. I would do handwork on it. I am not sure a machine can maneuver around the small leaves.