Take a piece of vintage fabric or embroidery such as an old piece of table linen, a monogrammed napkin or an old shirt, add lace and other lightweight fabrics of your choice and appliqué a design depicting one of your favourite garden birds. 

You will learn how to use simple templates to start your design and add fabrics to collage and bring your robins, blue tits and goldfinches to life.

You can then either hand or machine stitching, or a combination of both, to add marks and texture.

When you are happy, your work can be framed in an embroidery hoop.

Requirements for students

• Piece of vintage fabric  at least 6cm bigger than the size of your embroidery hoop
• Piece of calico to back your work for stitching
• Bondaweb
• Beads or buttons for embellishment
• Lightweight fabrics and lace to create your bird
• Sewing machine with feed dogs down and freehand foot
• Threads
• Hand sewing kit: needles, embroidery threads of your choice, scissors
• Embroidery hoop to frame your work this should be approximately 19cm - 22cm in size
• Baking parchment
• There will be a couple of irons / ironing mat in the workroom but if you have your own you are welcome to bring it

The tutor will have Bondaweb, embroidery hoops and a small selection of vintage fabric pieces for sale.