april's cozyblue stitch club pattern is this retro inspired strawberry design. I picture this hoop hanging in a sunny breakfast nook, or maybe stitching the fabric panel to an apron pocket or tea towel?
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for texture i'm using sheaf stitch! Do you know this one?

it's really easy:

• to start, make 3 straight stitches side by side.
• then bring your needle up in the center and just to the side of the stitches.
• bring the thread over the three stitches, underneath them, and then back down on the other side. You'll be pulling the three stitches into a little bundle that's bound in the center.

(i'm using 2 strands of floss here.)

you can try this with more than three stitches and more than one wrap to vary the effect of the stitch. you can use multiple colors, line them up in a row, make them big or small. there are lots of variations with this little stitch!

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here i'm using seed (for the seeds) and chain (for the outline).
I'm using my standard 2 strand thickness for both of these.
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here's another progress shot. simple back stitch for the scallop border (and some colonial knots) and for the leaves and vines.
I'm filling in the top with row upon row of back stitches too -- I call this brick stitch, but it's also known as long and short stitch.
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if you need a little refresher for some of these stitches, check out my 'basic stitches for hand embroidery'

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learn more about the stitch club here