Welcome to English Garden - a project that includes two panels. One is worked as a traditional horizontal sampler, and the second uses the same stitches to create a layout reminiscent of a parterre garden. The designs feature a wonderful range of traditional and modern canvaswork stitches, including one aptly named the “English Stitch”. My original version (pictured here) was stitched on 25-count Lugana in a single piece with a spine section joinging the two. I used it to cover a commercially purchased business card holder (perfect for storing packs of needles!).
To make the project more flexible, I have reworked it on 24-count Congress. These new panels work beautifully as covers on a needlecase you can make yourself, or as a handbound book. You could also use them to decorate a bag, box top, or simply framed to bring a little bit of happy colour into your world. You will learn all the stitches required to complete the project as well as the construction techniques I used to finish off my panels. Your course includes full colour notes, stitch charts, stitch diagrams and a comprehensive set of instruction videos.
Sampler Panel - Autumn

Testimonials

“Thankyou for sharing all these wonderful stitches and patterns, this has been one of the best pieces I have done. I have really enjoyed learning new stitches.”

Kay, Queensland, Australia

“Your work is brilliant and you are so inspiring in your warm and professional videos.”

Kathy, Victoria, Australia

“This has been a really fun project. Thank you Ann-Marie, it's been a real learning experience and I have loved it.”

Ann, Victoria, Australia

“Thank you Ann-Marie for another lovely project. Looking back to Feb/March I realise how much I have learned, and how that has allowed me to be more adventurous!”

Wendy, Victoria, Australia

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I can promise you many hours of happy stitching and a beautiful completed project.

How It Works

The course is broken into three lessons. Lesson 1 will cover the sampler panel; Lesson 2 will cover the garden panel; and Lesson 3 will take you through some construction options for turning the panels into the covers of a large needlecase (front and back cover or make two!) or a handbound journal. Each lesson includes a chart of the design to be worked, detailed notes and stitch diagrams showing you how to work each stitch, and videos demonstrating everything you need to know. It's the next best thing to being in a classroom with me. In fact, it's probably better because you can play the videos over and over again if a stitch is unfamiliar! For those who prefer my more traditional notes format, all the information is also available as downloadable PDFs which you can print out and refer to offline.

Materials

What will you need to complete the project?

  • FABRIC: My original version was worked on 25-count Lugana (the "pretty" colour scheme) and then a second version was worked as separate panels on 24-count Congress fabric (the "antique" colour scheme). On 24-count Congress, each finished panel measures 12 cm x 20cm so I suggest using a piece of Congress that measures 40cm x 30cm to have room to work both. You can choose to work the project on finer linen or coarser 18-count canvas, but you will need to adjust the fabric size and thread quantities accordingly. I can supply a 40cmx30cm piece of Congress canvas to Australian or New Zealand customers only for AU$12.50 plus shipping. See the link to my Etsy store below.

  • THREADS: My version is stitched in stranded silks from my own hand-dyed range. If you have some threads in your collection that have just been waiting to be used, this project is a great stash buster. You will need a strongly variegated thread, a more subtly variegated thread, eight coordinating solids and a metallic. More details are listed in the first lesson of the course. To purchase a thread pack from my Etsy store, there is further information below.

  • FRAMES: This piece is best stitched in an embroidery frame. 14"x16" (35cm x 40cm) stretcher bars or 11"x14" (27cm x 35cm) Q-snaps are both excellent options. You can also work on a scroll frame with a minimum width of 12” (30cm).

  • NEEDLES: You will need Size 24 tapestry needles to work this on 24-count Congress. Tapestry needles have a blunt tip and are the best choice for working this style of embroidery.

To order materials from me

  1. Please click here to order a thread pack from my Etsy store. The cost is $90 plus shipping for 15 skeins of hand-dyed 6-strand silk floss.
  2. For Australian and New Zealand customers only, please click here to order your Congress fabric in a choice of white , soft ivory, eggshell, or mocha. The cost is $12.50 plus shipping. (For customers in other parts of the world, it will be more efficient and cheaper to order it directly from your favourite local or online needlework store.)

Instructor

"I believe that every single stitch you make is a BEAUTIFUL STITCH. A small brush of love on the fabric, recording for generations to come the time you put aside to create something special with your own hands."

Ann-Marie Anderson-Mayes

Ann-Marie is a hand embroidery artist based in Perth, Western Australia. She has been stitching for as long as she can remember, but only took it up full-time in 2012 when she started her business, Beautiful Stitches. Her former professional career as a scientist was strongly grounded in mathematics, and that passion for geometry and number is clearly expressed in her embroidery designs. It is all about colour and pattern!

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You will love working these beautiful combinations of pattern and colour.