Cedric the Badger
Meet my new woodland friend, Cedric the Badger. Cedric’s had a difficult birth but he’s here now and ready to be stitched. Yes I have a pattern all ready for sale on our website!
This was the sneek-peak preview you got a few weeks back when I did a tutorial for the Raised Rose Stitch.
I made Cedric as a birthday present for my Mother-in-law, who lives at a house called Badger’s Drift, and I was waiting for her to receive it and for my IT consultant (ahem) to sort out the PDF pattern before I showed him to you.
Badgers are really hard to draw. I tried to do a badger as one of the mini woodland portraits I made for the FQ Retreat Sample Swap, but he just kept turning out either evil or very sad so I gave up and did an owl instead!
But, undettered, I had another go. I thought you might find my early sketches entertaining!
For a while he kept veering between a corgi and a pig! One of the things that makes them difficult is that they have black eyes in a black face and the other is that they are always very low to the ground, more like furry slugs really.
I kept at it and eventually got a badger who looked like a badger and, hopefully, won’t scare any children!
If anybody buys this pattern don’t worry if the face on the pattern looks a little weird. Because the face is made from mainly black and the pattern is white it has the quality of a photo negative (remember them?!). I hope that makes sense. Just go with it and he will get more badger-like the more black you use.
I have used split stitch for the badger stripe and nose, this is the first time I have used this stitch and it is an excellent filler. It is basically like a backstitch but you stick your needle through the middle of the previous stitch to ‘split’ it. It takes a while but I think the results are worth it.
I am enjoying using variegated perles at the moment. I like the way these look on the ivy and the tree trunk. And I’ve used a variegated orange mixed with yellow on my rose bush. I just love doing those roses now!
So, a new character to add to my woodland gang. If you would like to buy the pdf pattern click here .
I have to thank my sister, Jane, for coming up with his name. I think Cedric suits him perfectly, he seems to me a slightly cautious, polite and proper badger. He is slso clearly watching something or someone from behind that tree. I wonder what it is?
Stunning!!!!!!!!!!!
It's fantastic! And IMHO, even the cutest badgers are kinda scary… 🙂
Cedric is gorgeous. The stitching is beautiful, I just love it
I love Cedric! However, I haven't started on the Sampler Tree yet so he will have to wait 🙂
Un ottimo lavoro con una fantasia meravigliosa, mi piace molto!!
Vania from Italy
Yes, I do love him a lot. I'm booked on your embroidery Sunday and plan to get my head round the tree sampler and then have a go at Cedric – one or other intended for my mum's Christmas……..or maybe birthday depending on my speed!
He's brilliant. Juliex
He's fab, and it was lovely to meet him in person before he set off on his new adventure :o)
Ah he is so perfectly adorable x
Really lovely Jo 🙂
Cedric is fabulous! Well worth all the time and effort!
Love Cedric! Great job on the pattern.
Love it! My favorite so far.
Very sweet!
He's brill!
The badger is adorable, but I especially love those flowers!
Cedric is one very refined badger! I can imagine all your woodland creatures for a festive meal at Christmas – oops mentioned the C word – sorry!