Valley Landscape Embroidery Kit, 6 in Hoop

About the designs

Each design is a small valley scene with real depth: mountains in the distance, fields in the middle and trees and flowers up close. The stitches are layered and knotted so the foreground stands up off the fabric, which is why these pieces look almost sculpted. Choose from:

• Blossom river: a river running between trees heavy with pink and purple blossom.
• Autumn stream: a blue stream winding through golden trees and green fields.
• Autumn lake: a still lake ringed by red and orange trees under a pale sky.
• Sunset tree: a tree in orange leaf against a sunset over green hills and wildflowers.
• Sunset river: a river with stepping stones, an orange tree and pink flowers under a sunset sky.
• Golden valley: a river through a valley of orange trees under a warm orange sky.
• Sunset hills: a golden sun over purple mountains and green hills full of flowers.

Stitches you will use

The fabric is covered edge to edge, so this is a project about filling rather than outlining. Long and short stitch builds the shaded areas, satin stitch makes the smooth, glossy shapes, and French knots and short straight stitches add texture where the design calls for it. Because every area is filled, small wobbles disappear into the surrounding stitches, which makes the finished piece forgiving.

Work the background areas first and the details that sit on top last. Two or three strands of floss cover the fabric quickly; switch to a single strand for eyes, edges and highlights.

French knots and bullion-style knots do most of the work in the trees and flowers. Stitch the sky and the distant hills flat and smooth, then build the texture as you come forward, and the scene gets its sense of distance on its own.

What is in the kit

• Fabric printed with the design
• Embroidery floss in every color
• A 6 in (15 cm) embroidery hoop
• An instruction sheet

How long it takes

About 10 to 18 hours. Knots take longer than flat stitches, so the leafy foreground is the slow part. It is very relaxing work, though, and easy to pick up for half an hour at a time.

Finishing and display

When the last stitch is in, tighten the hoop, trim the fabric to about an inch (2.5 cm) beyond the frame and run a gathering stitch around the edge to pull it to the back. A circle of felt over the back makes it neat. The hoop hangs from its own screw, leans happily on a shelf, or can go into a picture frame.

Delivery and returns

Delivery is $6.95, and free on orders from $49. The delivery estimate for your address shows on this page and at checkout. You can return the kit within 30 days of delivery; return shipping is yours unless it arrives faulty or wrong. See delivery and returns for the details, or compare the other embroidery kits.