Little Brown Hen by Anna Scott

Of all the traditional farmyard animals, probably the most beloved is the chicken. Recently, more and more people have been choosing to keep these jolly creatures in their suburban backyards. The farm animals that were once only viewed for their practical use have now become cherished pets.

There is good reason for this. Aside from the fact that having your own chickens almost guarantees you a supply of delicious eggs, chickens love to eat kitchen scraps and they fertilise the garden without chemicals or expensive store-bought fertilisers.

But this is just the beginning. Anyone who has kept chickens will have a collection of stories about them. Every one of their birds will have its own distinct personality, and they are known to do hilarious and clever things, from pecking at the back door when they know dinner time has arrived, to waiting by the gate when they sense their owner is coming home.

Unlike a beloved pooch, chickens keep bugs down in the garden, ensure everything grows beautifully, and you get the pleasure of the gentle sound of them clucking as they settle down each night.

Every local area has some rules and restrictions on keeping chickens, but most places allow you to have several if they are well kept and have adequate food and shelter. If you’ve ever thought about doing it, it is a wonderfully satisfying hobby and you’ll soon fall in love with your new feathered family members.

If you aren’t ready to keep your own chickens, then Anna Scott’s latest project in Inspirations issue #114 is the next best thing. Even if you already have chickens, Little Brown Hen is the perfect project to celebrate these gentle creatures.

Worked in a combination of surface and raised embroidery, the soft colours and varied textures in this project make it a joy to stitch and an even bigger joy to admire afterwards.

Both the picture and the needlebook are stitched on an elegantly patterned background that complements the colours beautifully. The hen is worked in a variety of stitches, including fly stitch, blanket stitch, and trellis stitch, that all come together to give the perfect impression of feathers. 

The tiny chicks are each worked in detached chain so they look as fluffy as can be, cuddled up to their mum.

Surrounding the hen is a gorgeous, trailing vine with blue periwinkle flowers and leaves in a subtle olive-green. The framed picture features open flowers highlighted at the centre with a sparkling bead. The needlebook has a delicate periwinkle bud rather than open flowers, but the whole piece is surrounded by beads to give it a luxurious finish.

Anna’s hen may not be able to provide you with eggs, but it will still give you the sense of peace and serenity that comes with having chickens happily pecking around your backyard.

Little Brown Hen will bring you that peace and serenity as you carefully stitch the design, revelling in each stitch and delighting in the project as it comes together. It will also continue to offer it each time you reach for your needlebook to take out a needle, or glance up at your framed picture on the wall.

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Little Brown Hen by Anna Scott is a garland of pretty periwinkles around a plump brown hen and her sweet yellow chicks.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Little Brown Hen includes everything* you need to re-create this charming little family: Fabric (unprinted), felt, wire, wadding, comic board, press stud, sewing threads, embroidery threads, beads and needles.