Rowan Patchwork Fabrics: 1 piece each of Q005000 Shot Cotton, shades SC042 Rush and SC020 Smoky and Q015000 shade SIW05 Lavender

Vilene Heavy Duty Sew-in Interfacing: 0.25 metres

Vilene Bondaweb: 1 pack

Anchor Stranded Cotton: 1 skein each of Parrot Green 255, Almond Green 262, and Caramel 855 (for Washing Line)

Anchor Stranded Multicolor: 1 skein each of 1320 and 1349 (use 2 strands for “Letter” embroidery)

Prym tailors’ chalk or water soluble marker pen

Prym/Milward crewel needles No. 6

1 piece of Coats polyester wadding, 25 cm x 10cm (or size to fit backing board)

Prym mini pegs (Ref. 611 410): 1 pack

Wooden Skewer

Picture frame and backing board, with aperture measuring approximately 25cm x 9cm

Double-sided sticky tape

Transfer the four templates onto the heavy-duty interfacing and cut out, marking right side and wrong sides on pieces.

With right sides face up, place the four pieces onto the right side of the Smoky and Lavender fabrics, placing two on each and leaving 1 cm all round each piece for turn-back. 

Trace around outlines using tailors’ chalk or water soluble marker pen.  

Next, trace the letters to be embroidered centrally onto the fabric using Templates as a guide. 

Using shade 1349 for the letter “B“ twice, and shade 1320 for letters “A” and “Y”, embroider the letters in chain stitch. 

Iron Bondaweb onto the reverse of the Smoky and Lavender fabrics.

Cut out each clothing piece, leaving 1 cm extra around edges for turn-back as before.

Peel off backing and iron in place to right side of Interfacing. Clip and notch the fabric around the edges and fold over to wrong side, ironing in place as you go along.  This is quite tricky, so you may find that a travel ironworks better for the fiddley corners. Also, to avoid burning your fingers, use the wooden skewer to hold pieces in place.

Next, place clothing pieces face-up on paper side of remaining fabric and cut out another piece, cutting just inside the drawn line.

Peel off backing and iron onto reverse, securing over turned-back edges.

Cut a piece of green fabric approximately 35cm x 20cm.

Using running stitches, baste the outline of the frame centrally on the fabric, leaving borders of approximately 5 cm all round.

Using one strand each of 255 and 262 together, work the grass in straight stitches in a line all the way along the bottom edge of the “window”.

Cut the skewer in half and smooth the rough edges.

Using one metre of 885, fold in half and knot ends. 

Secure one end to a hook or doorknob. 

Insert a pencil into other end and twist tightly. 

Bring ends together to form a twisted cord and knot ends.

Thread eight pegs onto the twisted cord at the opposite end to the knot then knot this end. 

Adjust and knot cord to desired length (approximately 1 cm less than width of aperture) and trim ends.

Insert one end of each skewer section into knotted ends. 

Position at an angle on fabric, just inside aperture and stitch skewer to fabric at top and bottom and on each side of the twisted cord to stop it from shifting position.

Stick wadding onto backing board using double sided sticky tape.

Stretch background fabric over wadding side of backing board, positioning grass at lower edge of aperture.

Pin in place around edges of backing board, then lace backwards and forwards, then up and down on reverse.

Peg clothing to pegs on washing line.