Hares Nest Stitchery is an Australian Stitchery Company with designs by Brenda Ryan and Jo Maxwell. Poppy Patch are the UK stockist for these designs. As a member of the Poppy Patch Posse I (Anny Patches from @the needle workers barn) was asked to review the baby elephant kit.
The kit contained the pattern, stencils, cream linen for the embroidery, wires, Parlon for the back of the linen, a square piece of tana lawn fabric for the trunk and a selection of Cottage Garden threads recommended by Hares Nest.
I love Cottage Garden Threads which are hand-dyed in Australia so I added a couple of threads from my own collection too.
Now to plan the design. I copied the pattern outlines using a light box to trace the design and a heat erasable gel pen. I then used the stencil included in the kit to plot the embroidery design. Brenda gives suggestions of embroidery layout in her pattern. However, the beauty of the design is that you can plan how you wish to lay it out, using the stencil provided.
Once it is all drawn out I can start to embroider.
Brenda suggests a variety of stitches you can use in the pattern. My favourites are Lazy Daisy, Chain, Stem and I filled in the spaces with little stars and french knots.
The is definitely a rambling stitcher project, once I started to embroider I became carried away with lots of ideas for extra little stitches. Many times I thought I had finished a piece, only to go back and add a few extra stitches.
This is such a relaxing project, I enjoyed taking it out with me to slow stitch at events.
Once all the pieces are embroidered I cut them out allowing a seam allowance and began to sew the elephant together.
The baby elephant is sewn together using glove stitch.
The head is sewn on using Mattress stitch.
The kit has wires that are inserted into the legs and trunk during stuffing to give the elephant support. There is also a square of Liberty Tana Lawn which I appliqued little circles to bottom of the feet and trunk to hide the gathering stitches.
Ta Dah – the big reveal of rambling stitchers baby elephant. This was adorable to make.
Thanks for reading, hope you enjoy the elephant as much as I did.
