Pampered pooch
TREAT A FOUR-LEGGED FRIEND TO A HAND STITCHED BANDANA AND ENSURE THEY LOOK EXTRA DAPPER FOR YOUR NEXT TRIP TO THE PARK
MATERIALS
Cotton fabric: see instructions for taking measurements
Stranded cotton: 1 skein each of green, pink, white
Basic embroidery kit
STITCHES USED
French Knots, Lazy Daisy, Straight Stitch
NOTES
Find the template on p60.
Use a 5mm seam allowance for making up.
RS = right side(s).
WS = wrong sides(s).
Measure around your pet’s neck and add
01 30cm to this measurement to allow for the seam allowance, and for tying the finished bandana into a knot. Draw a square onto your chosen fabric with the sides measuring this, then draw a diagonal line across it from opposite corners. Cut around the drawn square and the diagonal line to make two triangles. One is for the bandana outer and one for the bandana lining.
Transfer the design from the template across the right-angled point of the triangle of the fabric using your preferred method. We used a heat-erasable pen. Mount the fabric into a hoop, positioning it at least 5cm in from each raw edge so the embroidery won’t get caught in the seams later.
Using six strands of pink, work the petals
02 for the flowers in Lazy Daisy. Make sure you work the end of each one in the centre of the flower so they are very close together. Once you’ve completed the petals, work
03 one leaf on each flower as an individual Straight Stitch using six strands of green. You can also add more leaves to each flower at this stage if you prefer.
Add the centre of each flower as a
04
French Knot using six strands of white.
Wrap the needle twice round the thread or, for chunkier knots, wrap the needle more times for a more three-dimensional look.
Take the fabric out of the hoop and press
05 on the WS to prevent you flattening your embroidery. Place the two triangles of fabric RS facing and sew together all around using a 5mm seam allowance but leaving a 10cm turning gap in the centre of one straight edge. Clip the corners to reduce bulk.
Turn the bandana RS out, fold the edges
06 of the turning gap to the inside and press so the seams lie right on the edges. Slip stitch the turning gap closed to finish.