Pheasant Applique for Birding Dogs

Continuing my bead embroidery projects, I’m starting the first “real” design with a pheasant to represent birding dogs, like cocker spaniels.

Cocker spaniels are a very popular dog breed here in the UK, so I think it makes sense to make something (collar or harness) that would adjust to their size.

Hopefully I will have time to make a matching headband for each applique (I plan to make more than one, if I have time for that, each with a matching applique for human/dog.)

Skilled bead artists on social media seem to iron on a template for their colors and placement, but I don’t have the resources to really do that (nor do I want to), but I find it helpful to make a simple guide to where beads will go, which I didn’t do last time (I made a sketch without considering where the beads will go and how big they might be.)

I also wanted to continue doing beads after seeing Loewe’s 2024 spring collection full of bead dresses/outfits. I felt a sense of awe of how much dedication goes into making something like that that I hope other people will feel after seeing the finished product; a feeling I never feel except for a fleeting second for my own work.