Willow in Winter

Here it is! After months of waiting, I finally got my Craftpod’s autumn box! I was very excited to open it and see the projects that would accompany me this season. But I was a bit disappointed.

I love the toadstool pin, I wear on my green jacket all the time, I enjoyed the tea, and I liked the embroidery project, even if I struggled with the stitches. What I found disappointing was the second project that consists of creating a badger with felt.

I knew there was a risk of getting another felt project like the one I’d seen on Craftpod’s website from last year, but I was hoping they wouldn’t do another one. I don’t like felt, I’m not too fond of the way it feels, and I don’t even know what I’ll do with the badger once I finish it. But, even if this project isn’t what I was hoping for, I’ll give it a go because my weekend plans are non-existent at the moment.

My first embroidery on a black background

Now, onto the actual review of the embroidery. I liked that it was a dark fabric because it’s the first time I stitch on a colour that isn’t off white or cream, and that gave me a taste of how much harder it is! 

The design follows the style of “painting with stitches”, and that was another first for me. I thought that using long and short stitch, a technique I learned for this hoop, would be easy, but on a dark background using light colours, it’s a nightmare! I couldn’t figure out a way to cover all the tiny spaces between my stitches, which on a lighter background wouldn’t be a problem.

I went rogue and ignored the recommendation of only using one strand, deciding using two would help cover the stitch spaces better, was that a mistake? I’m not sure, but overall I like the result.

This embroidery was undoubtedly a project made for someone with more patience than me. I enjoyed the “painting with stitches” style, but it was a bit too repetitive for my taste. I think that’s why I prefer the Summer box, the stitches and the floral design were more dynamic. 

I still haven’t started the badger project, I’m saving it for a lonely November weekend, in the meantime though, I need to find a place to hang this little hoop.