As the new year begins, I decided to pick up a new skill. I had thought about doing a temperature blanket, but when I saw an embroidered phenology wheel, it seemed much more doable than the blanket. After all it’s only one design a month, compared with a row of stitches every single day for a year.
You can buy phenelogy wheels preprinted on fabric, but I made my own. I printed out the pattern and transferred it with carbon paper. Use several pins to hold the design in place if you do this. You can download the free phenelogy wheel pattern at the following link. You will just need the first two pages. The last page could be added to your nature journal, and you could draw or paint something each month instead.
It took some time to transfer the pattern, so if you do this, put on something you enjoy listening to and relax and take your time.
Carbon paper may not have been the best idea, since I’m not sure the carbon will wash out and I made a few mistakes. You can buy transfer paper made for fabric that will wash out. I’ve also read that you can print a pattern on stabilizer paper and stick the paper to your embroidery fabric.
Patterns for Embroidered Phenology Wheels
For the month of January, I chose to use this rabbit pattern offered by renardeendormie on Etsy. She offers a pattern for each month of the year for just a few dollars each. For me, it was nice to begin on this project without making a huge investment. I love her designs and I think the rabbit turned out cute, considering I don’t have much experience.
There are also many other options available online. Cutesy Crafts has an entire year’s worth of beautiful patterns for free. You can find her designs here.
West Coast Stitchery UK has a year’s worth of designs available on Etsy for a very reasonable price. I think her designs are so beautiful. She also sells the preprinted fabric with the design already on it. (UK shipping only.)
I like her idea of outlining the phenelogy wheel with running stitches and am using that idea on mine.
I hope this gives you some inspiration to make your own embroidered phenology wheel this coming year. I’ll try to add pictures as the year progresses.
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