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Who's ready for a Summer harvest? Maker Team member Angele of @fabricandink is bringing her gardening expertise to felt! Her new In the Garden hoop art tutorial is made with great care and affection for the natural world. You don't need a green thumb or gardening gloves to "grow" this beautiful design - just a needle and some basic embroidery skills. Follow along as Angele leads us into the garden!
After moving to the countryside a couple of years ago we had to put up eight foot deer fencing before I could plant my garden! Fast forward to today and my garden is full of flowers and delicious produce. This hoop celebrates the Summer garden in all its glory.
Skill Level: Intermediate
Time: 6 hours
Additional Supplies:
Pattern and Stitching Guide (click to download)
DMC Variegated Embroidery Floss - 4050
Freezer Paper - optional
Iron - optional
Directions:
1. Download and print Pattern and Stitching Guide. Design will fit a 7 to 8" hoop. Transfer “I’ll be in the garden” to the linen with Frixion pen. Use a lightbox or tape printed Stitching Guide to a window with linen placed over to trace.
Use split stitch and DMC 4050 to embroider text. Use two strands of embroidery floss for all stitching. I’ve used split stitch for embroidering the text and all plant stems. Split stitch results in a more solid line than backstitch but you could certainly use backstitch or stem stitch if preferred.
2. To cut out felt shapes, either trace paper pattern pieces onto felt and cut out or use the freezer paper method.
TOMATOES
3. Cut out two parts of Red Tomato. Use Garnet felt for the larger shape and Cherry Red for the smaller. Cut leafy Stalk from Sherwood felt. Backstitch Garnet tomato in place according to Stitching Guide with DMC 817. Position Cherry Red layer over Garnet and backstitch in place with DMC 817.
Add Sherwood Stalk and backstitch in place with DMC 319. With the same floss, add a short stem with backstitch or split stitch.
4. Cut out two Cherry Tomatoes from Mikado, three from Canary and one from Custard.
Some of these will overlap when stitched down, so stitch the ones in the back first. Use DMC 444 for Mikado tomatoes, DMC 3821 for Canary tomatoes and DMC 10 for Custard tomato.
Cut out leafy Stalks from Conifer and backstitch in place. Use split stitch and DMC 904 to add a long vine that Cherry Tomatoes are attached to. Marking a stitching line with the Frixion pen may be helpful.
ZUCCHINI
5. Cut out larger Zucchini from Selva and smaller Zucchini from Sherwood. Cut out Stalk from Agave and Flower from Tangelo. Position larger Zucchini as shown in Stitching Guide, overlapping the Red Tomato. Center smaller Zucchini over the top and, with a broken backstitch, stitch curved lines along the length. Add Flower at end and secure in place with a few long stitches in DMC 444. Backstitch Stalk in place with DMC 368.
GARLIC
6. Cut out Garlic Bulb from Ecru felt and position as shown in Stitching Diagram. Use DMC 712 to backstitch around edge of the main bulb. Add the extra clove and backstitch in place.
FLOWERS
7. Cut out Batchelor’s Button Flowers and Bud from Cobalt felt. Arrange two layers of Flower and stitch a few French knots in the center with DMC 29. With DMC 312, add long stitches radiating out from French knots. Attach Bud with a few long stitches using DMC 312.
Using DMC 368 and split stitch, stitch stems and add Leaves and base of the Bud.
8. Layer Calendula flower. Back two layers are Clementine felt and top layer is Tangelo. Position according to Stitching Diagram and stitch in place with French knots in center using DMC 301. With DMC 3821, add long stitches radiating out from French knots. Position two layers of Bud and stitch in place at base with DMC 904. Use DMC 904 and split stitch to make stems of Flower and Bud.
DETAILING
9. With DMC 904, stitch some thyme stalks and add lazy daisy leaves. You can add extra thyme stalks anywhere you feel there is a bit of a gap that needs filling.
Add wispy roots to Garlic Bulb.
Cut three Basil Leaves from Conifer felt and use DMC 904 and a backstitch to secure in place next to Red Tomato.
10. To add Bee, cut Body from Hazelnut felt and position upper right of the word “be." With DMC 301, stitch the body and stripes as shown in photo. Use DMC 310 to add stitches for back legs and antennae.
Backstitch bee wings.
FINISHING HOOP
11. Flip hoop over and trim away excess fabric leaving 1 to 2". Stitch a running stitch around cut edge and gather.
Cut a circle of felt that fits back of hoop and whipstitch in place.
This pattern can be changed to accommodate your preferences and felt/floss stash. Maybe you would rather have orange cherry tomatoes or different flowers. You could add in different herbs or add some tiny purple flowers to the thyme sprigs in this design.
I think this would look really good on a dark background too! The colors would really stand out. I really hope you enjoy celebrating your Summer garden bounty with this stitching project.
Thanks to Angele for designing and writing this tutorial! You can see more of her work on Instagram @fabricandink and on her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials from the Benzie Design Maker Team!
