POTTING SHED
BRING THE OUTDOORS IN WHEN YOU STITCH THIS SERENE POTTING SHED SCENE, PERFECT FOR BUDDING BOTANISTS
Relax and unwind as you stitch this serene greenhouse from the Sew Botanical sisters
MATERIALS
Calico fabric: 35x35cm
Stranded cotton: 1 skein each of beige, dark beige, black, light blue, brown, dark brown, light brown, caramel, copper, dark ginger, green, dark green, very dark green, light green, grey, light gold, light orange, pink, tan and white
Embroidery hoop: 15cm diameter Basic embroidery kit
STITCHES USED
Backstitch, Bullion Knot, French Knot, Lazy Daisy Stitch, Satin Stitch,
Split Stitch, Straight Stitch,
Weave Stitch, Whipped Backstitch
NOTES
Find the template on p72.
01 Transfer the design from the template onto the fabric using your preferred method, then insert the fabric into your hoop. Start by stitching the basket using Weave Stitch and six strands of thread. The vertical lines are worked in beige and the horizontal lines are worked in dark beige. Work the handle of the basket in Whipped Backstitch. First, work the backstitch using six strands of beige, then work the whipping using six strands of dark beige to create the variation of colour on the handle.
02 Work the tools in Satin Stitch, changing the direction of the stitch to echo the shape. Start with the handles, using three strands of tan, then switch to two strands of grey to stitch the heads of each tool.
03 For the tool rack, work the backing board using horizontal Satin Stitch in three strands of dark ginger. Then, add the hooks using vertical Satin Stitch in three strands of light gold. Add the loops to the tool handles using Split Stitch in two strands of white.
04 Stitch the small terracotta pots on the windowsill using Satin Stitch in three strands of copper. Add the plant inside the upright pot using Straight Stitch in two strands of green. Vary the length and angle of the stitches to give the plant a more realistic look. The window frame is stitched using Satin Stitch in three strands of white. Start with the vertical columns, then stitch the long, horizontal windowsill.
05 For the daffodils, work the petals using three strands of light gold and Satin Stitch. Angle these stitches towards the centre of each daffodil. Fill the centre of each daffodil with a single French Knot using six strands of light orange. Work the stems in
Split Stitch and the leaves in Straight Stitch, both using two strands of very dark green. Then, stitch the plant pot using horizontal Satin Stitch in three strands of light blue.
06 Next, stitch the watering can handle using Split Stitch in six strands of tan. Also using six strands of tan, work the spout in Satin Stitch. Then, fill the stack of large terracotta pots to the right with horizontal Satin Stitch using three strands of copper.
07 Fill the main body of the watering can with horizontal Satin Stitch in three strands of white. Fill the border of the seed packets with three strands of white using vertical Satin Stitch. In the centre of the left seed packet, work a single Bullion Knot using three strands of light brown. For the seed
packet on the right, work three French Knots using three strands of pink, covering the three dots from the template. Stitch the shelf using three strands of brown and horizontal Satin Stitch. Work the shelf bracket in three strands of dark ginger and vertical Satin Stitch.
08 Now it’s time to stitch the little seedlings on the workbench. Working from left to right, stitch the first seedling in three strands of light green, using Straight Stitch for the stem and Lazy Daisy Stitch for the leaves.
Use two strands of dark green for the second seedling, working the stem in Backstitch and the leaves in Satin Stitch. Finally, use two strands of green and Straight Stitch to work the third seedling. Work each of the seedling labels in Satin Stitch using three strands of white. Sew the seedling container using three strands of black and horizontal Satin Stitch. Still using three strands of black, work a single vertical Straight Stitch at each end of the container to finish it neatly.
09 With three strands of dark brown, fill the workbench with horizontal Satin Stitch.
10 Begin the chest of drawers by stitching each of the four handles using three strands of caramel and horizontal Satin
Stitch. Then, stitch the individual drawers in horizontal Satin Stitch using three strands of brown. The main frame of the chest of drawers should then be stitched in horizontal Satin Stitch using three strands of dark ginger.
11 Next, fill the stool with Satin Stitch using three strands of beige, changing the direction of the stitches to echo the direction of the shape that’s being filled.
12 For the final step, outline everything (apart from the plants and the basket) using Backstitch in one strand of black. If you wish to display your finished embroidery in the hoop as we have here, turn to p67 for our guide on framing your stitching in a hoop.