Fox

A close-up portrait of a fox, with the eye at the centre of the design and the fur shading from orange through grey to white. The realistic effect comes from frequent colour changes, so it helps to work in a hoop or frame and to stitch area by area, marking off the rows as you go.

The 27 count fabric is usually stitched over two threads with one or two strands of cotton, depending on how much coverage you like; two strands give a fuller look. Everything you need to stitch is in the kit, but the frame shown in the photo is not included: once finished, the portrait looks well framed with a pale mount.