Welcome to the ‘Winter Splendour’ Stitch A Long
This Stitch A Long will take place for 10 weeks on the Stitchdoodles blog – Starting Wednesday 12th January 2022 and finishing on Wednesday 16th March 2022.
Each Wednesday during the SAL – a new tutorial will be published on the blog with all the information you need to complete a part of the Winter Splendour Pattern.
If you are not familiar with a Stitchdoodles SAL and this is all new to you and you would like to join in, please go to this page to get all the information.
Week 8!
This week we are stitching the…
Woodland Deer
You will need the following colours…
For the Deer: #436, #433, #3866, #3021, #310
For the Leaves: #730, #986, #934, #3042
For the Block Outer Edge: #834
Use 2 strands throughout unless stated otherwise.
Start by outlining the main body of the deer as shown in the following photo…
#436: Back Stitch
#436: Chain Stitch to fill the area. Start at the foot on the back leg and stitch continous chain stitch up the leg, curving around to the belly and then curving up towards the neck. This first line helps to set your stitch direction so you are not just stitching lines across which would look less natural.
Stitch continuous chain stitch rows starting from the back and coming up to the neck to fill the main section of the body and then up the front leg to fill that area as well…
Why I chose chain stitch?
I imagine many of you will have thought this was an odd choice, especially for an animal BUT – chain stitch can be used as a filler stitch and, having seen it used and liking the overall effect – I wanted to give it a go for a change – if you don’t try, you don’t know!
This pattern is a sampler so experimenting with different stitches is all part of the fun – each individual block can be stitched in a completely different way to is neighbouring block but it works.
So, if you do try chain stitch and just don’t feel you like the effect or are not finding it easy then by all means revert back to split stitch or long and short stitch as we have done with the other furry critters.
Personally I liked the effect and was even more taken with how quickly it stitched up rather than long and short (!) so would definately use it as a filler again in a sampler type pattern such as this.
If you want smooth and realistic then long and short stitch is really the one to go for.
#433: Chain stitch the under belly, 2 remaining legs and tail.
#3866: Chain stitch the small area between the back legs and on the front of the neck.
#3866: Back stitch the curved line on the face as shown.
Stitching the Face and Antlers…
#3866: back stitch outline from top of nose to under chin – chain stitch to fill.
#437: Back stitch outline of remainder of head & ear – chain stitch to fill.
#310: Satin stitch the circle for the eye, straight stitch the tiny nose detail.
#3021: Back Stitch the Antlers.
How gorgeous does your Woodland Deer look now s/he is all stitched!?
Stitching the Leaves…
Colour and Stitch Guide…
To create the striped leaf effect – place 1 strand each of #986 and #730 into the needle to stitch with. If you stitch the Satin stitch diagonally it makes it easier and neater to fill small leaf shapes such as these.
All you need to do now is complete the remaining leaves in the block.
#834: Back Stitch the Block outline.
Your Woodland Deer Block is complete…
Share your fabulous stitching in the Happy Stitching FB Group or on Instagram with #stitchdoodlesembroidery.
Week 9 is on the blog Wednesday 9th March… See you then!
Happy Stitching!
Nicola, the color for the deer – 437 is not in my group of colors you provided. I have 436. Will that work or do it need to get 437 from the store? Thank you
Hi Jan, my mistake – it is 436! I’ve amended it now, thanks for letting me know, x