The Diary of a Northern Belle

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Archives for July 2021

Garden Bouquet PART 1: A Most Ambitious Project

     Anne      Leave a Comment

Dear friend, are you ready to embark upon a serious embroidery endeavour with me? I have here, sketched, planned, and transferred, the most ambitious embroidery project I’ve ever attempted: a beautiful garden bouquet. I’m equal parts nervous and excited about it. It will feature techniques I haven’t tried yet, some tried-and-true favourites, and of course, loads of beautiful flowers!

 

A Garden Bouquet Embroidery Project

 

Let’s go on a garden tour and I will show you the inspiration behind the pattern. I suggest you put on your best hat and gloves, and you mustn’t forget a basket for you will surely wish to pick a few blooms for yourself. 😉 We are going to visit my grandmother’s garden.

 

red rose
What’s a grandmother’s garden without a rose?

 

catnip flower bed
A big patch of catnip of the prettiest purple

 

white peonies bush
The peonies this year were particularly impressive

 

close-up of a white peony

 

flowering wild rose bush
And just look at this wild rose tree!!

 

A Garden Bouquet

 

The title of this piece is “Bouquet du Jardin Turenne”, which is French for “Turenne Garden Bouquet”. As far as I can remember, my grandparents have always had the most beautiful garden. My childhood memories are full of colourful flower-beds, well-tended and orderly, where butterflies swirl and birds chirp. I remember being sent to pick currants with my brothers and cousins, and I remember the smell of thyme and fallen rose petals.

 

cluster of pink wild roses

My fondest memory of the garden however, has to be the raspberries. On either side of the house, there grows the biggest, juiciest and most perfect raspberries of all. They are truly unequaled. And there was always such a quantity of them!

 

Sketching the Design

 

Such happy, wonderful moments were spent in my grandparents’ garden. I have many cousins, and we all cherish fond memories of outdoor fun and botanical lessons. My grandparents recently celebrated 55 years of marriage, and although my gift will be late, I really wanted to make something worthy of the occasion. The idea of an embroidered bouquet inspired by their garden had been brewing in my mind for a while, and in fact I started sketching the piece about a year ago.

 

garden bouquet sketch with selected dmc threads and Gone With the Wind pouch

 

If you know me, you know I will tell you I’m no sketcher. I belong to the race of those “who can’t draw”. But as all the experts say, anybody can draw. You just need a lot of patience and determination. Well, this is no Mona Lisa, but I’m really proud to say that after many efforts, endless erasing and frustration, I managed to sketch this entire design by myself. I had recourse to Pinterest for reference images, but I actually drew the whole thing! I’m so happy with this achievement. Even if the embroidery completely fails, I will be proud of this at least!

 

close-up of the garden bouquet final sketch

 

Picking the Flowers

 

Choosing which florals to include was a massive task. I began by recruiting my mom to help me make a list of as many flowers as we could name from the grandparents’ garden. There have been A LOT over the years. I wanted the bouquet to represent the most staple specimens of the garden, while also staying balanced. For this reason, an apple tree branch was painstakingly drawn and unfortunately erased. I wanted to feature some of my favourites from the garden, as well as elements I knew were also special to my grandparents.

 

sketchbook page showing garden bouquet embroidery pattern

 

Therefore, our final contestants were the wild roses, the raspberries, the day lily, the currants, and yellow daisies. I began to realize, as I sketched and pondered that nearly all the elements I wanted to include were similar colours; pink roses, red raspberries, red currants, pink lily. It needed a splash of yellow so I added the daisies at the end. Originally I envisioned the lily orange, but Mom assures me that there never was an orange lily in my grandparents’ garden (I must have confused it with ours). So light pink it will be.

 

dmc embroidery thread in various shades of pink; stitching accessories - needles, snips, thimble

 

How to Begin Such a Project

The overall size of the bouquet isn’t very big, approx. 9 1/2″x 8″ and just fits in a 10 1/2″ hoop (the title is too close to the hoop edge, but that’s ok), but there are many elements fairly close together. As I mentioned earlier, I will use different techniques to embroider, so I think the best way to proceed is to break it down into sections. Ideally, it’s best to work back to front; you start with the elements the most in the background, and build onto it. That way, you achieve a more natural effect.

Since many of my flowers and leaves overlap each other, I’ve decided to work on it one species at a time instead. It will be less confusing to organize and keep track of threads, and I won’t have to switch techniques continuously.

 

Transferring the Pattern

Once I was happy with my sketch came the fun part of transferring the design onto my fabric. I chose a nice, thick off-white cotton with a broad enough weave to support some ribbonwork. Unfortunately it was rather hard to mark with the pencil! I normally make a copy of my pattern by tracing it with a fine Sharpie on a piece of tracing paper. Then I use a lightbox and a mechanical pencil to transfer the pattern onto the fabric.

 

garden bouquet embroidery design traced onto tracing paper

 

It did work and overall the markings should be satisfactory enough, but a heat-erasable or water-soluble pen might have been useful to go over some lines. Thankfully, the main outlines and positions of all the flowers and leaves are visible, so that’s all that really matters. It’s usually better to have fewer markings on the fabric than too many. If you look at my original sketch vs. what I transferred to the fabric, you’ll see that all the little details are missing.

garden bouquet sketch close-up
pattern transferred onto the fabric
This is a terrible photo, but it illustrates my point lol

That’s intentional, because not only is it really hard to get fine, precise lines transferred on fabric, but it’s also a bit of a waste of time, because all those details are added at the end usually on top of existing stitches. So I like to include details in my sketch for reference, but on the actual fabric, the needle and thread will do all the work 😉.

 

Up next: The Wild Rose

close-up of a pink wild rose

 

I will be starting with the branches of wild roses, since they will be the most time-consuming. I’ve pulled out as many shades of pink as I could find, and I’ll be working them in long & short stitch to achieve the art needlework effect.

 

close-up of garden bouquet sketch showing branch of wild roses

 

I’m really excited, and I can’t wait to show you the result! Stay tuned for the next instalment of this Garden Bouquet project, as the roses bloom and we can admire them together. Thank you so much for joining me on my needlework adventures!

 

Check out these other posts if you like floral embroidery with a vintage vibe:

ripening raspberries embroidery & pressed botanicals project
lilacs of love inspiration from jane eyre
wisteria embroidery inspired by The Enchanted April

 

And I’ve got a FREE embroidery PDF pattern for you as well if you haven’t grabbed it already: Wisteria PDF Embroidery Pattern, or check out my new Etsy shop!

 

Happy stitching and until next time!

Fondly,

Garden Bouquet Embroidery Part 1
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French Knot Made Easy: Stitch Tutorial

     Anne      Leave a Comment

Hello and welcome to another stitch tutorial! Today we are going to be looking at one of my favourite stitches ever, The French Knot. I know some people strongly dislike it or aren’t inclined to try it, but it’s really easy once you get the hang of it! And it’s SO useful. Not only does it add texture, but it’s also perfect for small details such as eyes or flower centers. I use it in nearly every project I make!

 

easy french knot tutorial

 

Last week I shared a raspberry embroidery project, where I combined French knots and beads to create the berries. The effect was wonderful, I thought! It made the fruits very dimensional, and the French knots are quick and easy to work. And this is coming from someone who struggles with hyperhidrosis and has a lot of trouble with bullion knots. I wrote a good hack for that one in my post Awesome Bullion Knot Hack. 😉 So anyways, the French knots are your friend! Even if your thread gets all wet like mine because of sweaty hands, they are still very manageable. (Right, so it’s very unpleasant to stitch with hyperhidrosis sometimes, but it’s doable!!)

 

Let’s Begin

Without further ado, let me show you how to work those fabulous French knots! First, you will begin by threading an embroidery needle and hooping your fabric. Then, anchor or knot your thread and you’ll be ready to begin.

For a list of embroidery tools you need to get started, check out this post: The Only Embroidery Tools You Need

For tips on how to start and end your stitches, check out: How to Start and End Embroidery Stitches

I used 3 strands of floss for this tutorial.

 

French Knot Tutorial

 

Bring your needle up from the back once it’s threaded and anchored.

With one hand (I’m right-handed so I’ll do this with my left hand because my dominant hand will hold the needle), hold the thread up a little, slightly above where it came up the fabric. With your dominant hand, hold your needle behind the thread, perpendicularly.

 

hold the needle behind the thread

 

Wrap the thread twice around the needle. For best results, you always want to wrap only twice. If you want your knot to be bigger or smaller, reduce or add the number of strands you work with. Wrapping more than twice usually only creates a mess. You can wrap clockwise or anti-clockwise, it doesn’t really matter.

 

wrap thread twice around needle

 

Pull the thread to tighten the wraps a little. You want them to be tight enough that they both rest against each other, but loose enough to be able to move the needle.

While still holding the thread with one hand, let your other hand guide the needle to go through the fabric again. Position the tip of the needle just beside the point where you first came up. You don’t want to be in exactly the same hole, or the knot won’t hold, but you want be as close as you can get.

 

tighten the wraps and angle the needle to take a stitch

 

As you angle the needle upwards to go through the fabric, relax your hand holding the thread just a little, allowing the loops to slide down the needle.

When they get to the bottom, hold the thread tight to tighten the loops against the needle shaft again, and keep holding the thread! Usually at this point, I like to use one finger to hold the thread down against the fabric to make sure those loops stay wrapped tight around the needle.

 

hold thread with one hand and pull the needle through with the other to make french knot

 

While you hold the thread, pull the needle through. It will go through the loops and the fabric. Hold on to the thread with your finger until the needle goes through completely. You can let go once the needle is fully on the other side, and just keep pulling the thread all the way.

pull the thread all the way
thread being pulled to form French knot

Once the needle is pulled all the way, you end with a beautiful, tidy knot like this!

finished French knot

 

You can repeat the steps to create as many knots as you want, all close together, or further apart depending on what you’re stitching.

 

clusters of finished french knots

 

When I worked on my raspberries, I wanted my French knots to be close enough together, with a few spaces for adding beads later.

 

first embroidered raspberry with french knots

 

Final Thoughts

There are so many possibilities with this stitch, and I think you will have a lot of fun with it if you try it and practice a few times!! I know it sounds a bit convoluted when detailed out like this (this is a stitch that is very quick to make, but writing it out makes it seem a bit long!), but it’s really not as bad as it might sound.  A video tutorial would probably be best suited for this stitch, and I hope to make one someday soon! I’m not very equipped for making videos at the moment, but it’s something I’d be interested in trying if there’s enough interest. Let me know if you think that would be helpful for you!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial, and please let me know if you give it a try! If you already know how to do it, do you also really like it? What other stitches would you be interested in learning? Let me know in the comments!

In the meantime, check out my other stitch tutorials!

 

the chain stitch easy tutorial
Chain stitch & lazy-daisy stitch
Straight stitch, running stitch, backstitch, stem stitch, & split stitch

You can find all stitch tutorials under the “Tutorials” -> “Stitches” section in the menu, or by clicking the images above.

Happy stitching my friend, and I hope you have fun with the French knot!

 

Fondly,

learn how to do the french knot
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Wonderful Tips for Embroidery & Home Decor

     Anne      Leave a Comment

Hello friend! I have some exciting news today!

The Diary of a Northern Belle was featured in a recent blog post article by Redfin. It’s all about how you can easily incorporate embroidery in your home in many different ways to enhance your space and give it that something special. 23 experts each provided their best tip on how best you can achieve this. This was a very exciting opportunity for me and I was very honoured to be able to contribute to the article! My tip is the very last one, so make sure you read the full article to see it 😉

Check out the recent Redfin article I was featured in:


Showcase Embroidery in Your Home: 23 Unique
Embroidery Ideas to Elevate Your Space


“The appearance of needlework in home decor is a definite sign that embroidery is making a
comeback. While it’s often thought of as a pastime reserved for your grandparents, we’re here to
tell you that needlepoint is enjoying its resurgence as a newfound hobby and collector’s item.
With a needle, thread, and a little creativity, embroidery can quickly transform your space and
allow your personality and imagination to shine through.


If you’re ready to get crafty and want some ideas to add a homey touch to your loft in New York,
NY, or decor inspiration for your cozy home in Toronto, ON, we’ve got you covered. Redfin
reached out to us and other embroidery experts to get our unique embroidery idea to reinvigorate
your space. So bust out your embroidery hoops and colorful threads to add some flair to your
home.”


Showcase Embroidery in Your Home: 23 Unique Embroidery Ideas to Elevate Your Space

basket of roses embroidery to elevate home decor

 

I hope you enjoy reading the article on the Redfin blog page and that you will discover a new useful tip or two on how to decorate your home with embroidery! There are so many ways to go about it, but the article really breaks it down into a bunch of useful tidbits.

A huge thank you to Hannah Tan from Redfin for reaching out and featuring my blog in the article! 🙂 I really appreciate the opportunity, and to be up there with the other experts! Woo 😀

Happy home decorating, and stay tuned for more embroidery ideas and inspiration here on my blog!

Fondly,

Ripening Raspberries: Embroidery & Pressed Leaves

     Anne      2 Comments

Let’s go berry-picking together, shall we? My embroidered raspberries are ripe and ready to be plucked! I had so much fun working on this week’s project. I’ve been playing with combinations of pressed botanicals and embroidery over the last few months, and I LOVE the results! I think they go so well together. It’s also much faster to finish a project since you save on embroidery time!

 

raspberry embroidery beads and pressed leaves

 

I don’t think a summer goes by where I don’t eat a copious amount of raspberries, even if it’s the store-bought ones. They’re one of my favourite fruits and it doesn’t feel like summer without them! Unfortunately this year, our red raspberry bushes only produced about five berries. ☹ They’re supposed to produce twice, so fingers crossed for the end of summer/beginning of fall. On the other hand, our black raspberry bushes were incredibly generous for their size! We didn’t have quite enough to bake desserts or make jam, but there was enough to stuff my face whenever I went out to pick them 😉. They’re smaller and firmer than red raspberries, but they’re really good, especially when picked under the warm sun.

 

black raspberries in nature

 

Ripening Raspberries

 

To fill the void left by the absence of red raspberries, naturally I had to embroider some. There’s an abundance of wild raspberry bushes at the edge of the woods on the way to the forest (which don’t produce much fruit either), and last spring I gathered a lot of leaves. Some were left to dry to make tea blends, and others were pressed with every intention of using them in such a project as this at some point. I really love the idea of combining embroidery and pressed botanicals in the same project!

 

flat lay view of raspberry embroidery finished piece, pressed raspberry leaves and teacup filled with black raspberries

 

The vision in my head was that of a branch laden with juicy berries and beautifully pressed leaves. I knew I wanted to use beads to make the raspberries sparkle. So I got my herbarium and my sketchbook out and began to design…

 

finished raspberry embroidery piece with red thread

 

Embroidered Raspberries ~ My Creative Process

 

1. Designing the Pattern

rough sketch for raspberry embroidery pattern

 

Confession: I don’t like designing. The sketching of what I want is my absolute least favourite part of the whole process. I’ve never been very good at drawing, so I find it frustrating not to be able to reproduce the wonderful idea in my head on paper. I’m working on it and trying to sketch more to get better, but it can be a real struggle sometimes.

Fortunately, you don’t need a great sketch to produce a beautiful piece of embroidery. The needle and thread do all the work. In fact, you really just need a rough outline of what you want to stitch. And I didn’t even have to worry about the leaves since I wasn’t going to embroider them. All I had to plan was their placement (which ended up changing anyways!). So anyways, step 1 is to sketch/plan where you want each element to go. As you can see this is a super rough sketch, but it’s all I needed for this project, thankfully.

 

2. Transferring Pattern on Fabric

raspberry pattern transferred on muslin fabric

 

I chose a piece of muslin for this project, because it’s a bit thicker and sturdier than my usual go-to factory cotton or linen. I knew the berries would end up being a little heavy with all the knots and beads, so I chose something more suitable than thin cotton. The off-white colour was also perfect for the colour scheme I had in mind. I used my lightbox and a mechanical pencil to transfer my design from my sketchbook to the fabric. Again, all I really needed was the main branch, a few stems and peduncles, and I just drew circles where I wanted the berries to be. The fewer markings on the fabric, the less you have to cover with thread later if you change your mind about something. I made the berry outlines smaller than their intended sizes to ensure they would be fully covered.

 

3. Choosing Thread Colours (and other materials)

embroidery threads and seed beads chosen to embroider the project

 

I had already picked some pressed raspberry leaves and played with them in Step 1 to determine where they would go on the finished piece, but there were still the threads to be chosen and the beads to find. I didn’t go out of my way to get anything specific and just used what I already had on hand. Consequently, I dug around in my floss box for thread that looked raspberry-coloured and found some slightly darker than what I envisioned, but still suitable. They’re from an unknown source (I have a lot of random thread bits in my box!) but their closest DMC matches could be #304 (Christmas red medium), and #777 (very dark raspberry). For the branch, peduncles, and sepals I used #937 and #3347. And finally, I located the perfect beads, a tiny bag hidden away with just enough for my project!!

 

4. The Stitching: Branch & Peduncles

embroidery in progress: main branch and stems

 

The first thing to embroider was the main branch and the little peduncles, since they are the elements the most in the background. I stitched a short stem where I knew I wanted to place a pressed leaf that didn’t have a stem. Near the bottom of the branch I left my pencil marks, since the leaves going there did have a stem already. I didn’t embroider the little thorns at this point, just the main outline. I used a split stitch and DMC #937, and made certain areas look “thicker” by doing two rows. This was to make the branch look more natural and less uniform. I stitched everything using two strands of thread, unless otherwise noted.

 

5. Embroidering the Raspberries

first embroidered raspberry with french knots
embroidered raspberries in french knots

 

Normally, the leaves would be next, but since they’re not embroidered, they will be placed at the very last, otherwise they will certainly break as I manhandle the hoop to get the berries done. So berries it is instead! I used French knots first, starting with #304 and ending with #777. I didn’t completely fill the areas to leave a bit of space for the beads. Once I was satisfied with that and each berry was filled with French Knots, I added a few more details to my branch.

 

6. Branch Details

straight stitches along the main branch for thorns

I did a few straight stitches using only 1 strand of thread along the main branch to represent the thorns (still in DMC #937). I also stitched the little sepals on top of the raspberries in lazy-daisy stitches using DMC #3347.

 

7. Adding Beads

embroidered raspberries close-up showing the beads used to add detail

 

Once that was done, I went back to my berries to add the beads! This was definitely the most exciting part of the project!! I used seed beads; some red, and others in this iridescent pink and red with touches of yellow. I’m so happy with the result of this!! I used silk sewing thread (not necessary, but the colour was the closest match to the berries). The seed beads are pretty small, so I needed a beading needle to be able to stitch them on. They’re long and have a very thin shaft so that the beads slide through no problem!

I stitched my beads on very randomly, switching between the two kinds and adding them where I had left space in between my French knots and in other little spots where it looked like one was needed. I absolutely love how ripe and juicy they look!! Beads really make such a difference in embroidery, I love it!

 

8. Adding the Leaves

pressed raspberry leaves glued on with elmer's glue and paintbrush

 

And now for the finishing touch – the leaves!! I ended up adding more than I originally planned and slightly changed the placement of some, but I’m SO happy with the result!! I added another little 3-leaf cluster at the very top and love the effect. Its leaves weren’t pressed completely flat, but that small detail adds a bit of dimension to the piece. I’m so glad I pressed a few of those! I had many larger leaves, but only two smaller clusters. I used Elmer’s transparent school glue and a paintbrush to glue the leaves to the fabric. I’ve tried this before with other pressed florals and it seemed to work, but if anyone knows of a better way (or better glue) to do this, please let me know!

 

close-up of finished piece
close-up of embroidered raspberries and pressed leaves

 

Finishing the Piece 

Now I just need to find a good way to frame/display the piece that will protect the dried flowers! Again, suggestions welcome. It’s a bit tricky because the leaves are flat but my berries are pretty 3D. I fear a glass frame would crush them. A shadow box might work? I shall have to experiment a bit and figure something out :). There has to be a good solution to this.

 

full view of finished piece
side view of finished piece
finished embroidery work with black raspberries
I managed to find TWO red raspberries for my photos LOL!

 

I hope you enjoyed this behind-the-scenes look at how I embroidered my raspberries! What do you think of the embroidery/pressed leaves combination? I’m hoping to make more of this sort of thing in the future – maybe next time I’ll use pressed flowers and embroider the leaves. I know I’ll most definitely be using beads again, they add so much charm and life! I fell in love with beads and embroidery when I worked on my Loving Lilacs Inspired from Jane Eyre, and I knew I had to try it again. My next project involving beads will probably feature blackberries…the time for picking them is fast approaching and those bushes are looking much more generous than the raspberries! 😉

 

Thank you so much for reading my blog and I wish you a lovely day! You can also find me on Instagram and Etsy!

Fondly,

ripening raspberries: an embroidery project
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Simple Project: Embroidered Pillow

     Anne      Leave a Comment

Hello friend! I wasn’t sure if I was going to post about this embroidered pillow project, but it turned out so cute and so much better than I thought, so here we are! I tried something different with my embroidery and really liked it.

 

simple sewing project embroidered pillow

 

I’ve had this super adorable Winnie the Pooh fabric in my stash for a few years, but I don’t often make things that are baby-themed (although if I’m honest, I sorta bought that fabric for myself because I’m obsessed with Winnie the Pooh). But I went to a dear friend’s baby-shower last weekend, and thought it was the perfect opportunity to use some of the fabric.

 

winnie-the-pooh fabric and embroidered patch

 

I also had a little pillow with no cover at the back of my closet and knew the fabric would be perfect for it! Never one to pass up an opportunity to add embroidery everywhere, I decided to have one side of the pillowcase embroidered, and the other side showing off the cute fabric.

 

embroidered side of the pillow
non-embroidered side of the pillow showing winnie-the-pooh fabric

 

Appliqué & Embroidery

 

I cut out one of the scenes I liked from the Pooh fabric and appliquéd it onto some pale yellow cotton. The Pooh fabric print is rather pale, especially the outline of each scene, so to make it pop out a bit more I decided to embroider just the outline. I used two strands of DMC #3021 for most of it, and only one strand for the smaller details, like Piglet’s stripes.

 

close-up of winnie-the-pooh fabric
embroidered winnie-the-pooh fabric close-up, sewn onto yellow fabric
close up of embroidered winnie the pooh and piglet

 

I really, really love the outcome! It looks so textured and alive. The paleness of the fabric print gives it a sort of watercolour look that suits it so well! And it was so relaxing to stitch, because I didn’t have to think about colours and I just followed the outline that was already there. I used a backstitch for the whole thing.

 

embroidered appliqué patch for pillow front
Also I love my Piglet needle-minder so much!! So perfect for this project!

 

Sewing the Pillowcase

 

To make the pillowcase I bagged both the front and back with some white cotton. This made the case sturdier, better for washing, and hid the back of the embroidery work (yellow fabric was really see-through!). I decided to leave an opening along the right side to make it easier to remove for washing.

 

pillow case opening on the side fastened with ribbons

 

And of course, I added a ribbon closure, because I love a good ribbon closure 😉. I find it’s a very pretty finishing touch and makes the pillow look more decorative. That way my friend can use it for her baby as an actual pillow, or just display it in the nursery.

 

close up of embroidered pillow case opening with ribbons

 

Overall I am really pleased with how this embroidered pillow turned out, and the appliquéd/embroidery on fabric print idea was definitely a win! I wouldn’t necessarily do that on any fabric, but the Pooh one was very well suited for that.

Now I’m half-tempted to make one for myself…not for my non-existing nursery, but myself 😉.

‘We’ll be friends forever, won’t we, Pooh?’ asked Piglet. ‘Even longer,’ Pooh answered.

A.A. MILNE, WINNIE-THE-POOH

 

Embroidered Winnie-the-Pooh patch surrounded by sewing tools and pooh fabric

 

Are you also a Winnie-the-Pooh fan? If so, who’s your favourite character? I simply can’t resist Piglet, he’s just too cute!!  

I hope you enjoyed this little bit of Pooh inspiration and embroidery on printed fabric! Has anyone else tried that before, and how did it work for you? Would love to hear from you!

Follow along on Instagram or check out my embroidery patterns on Etsy!

Fondly,

winnie-the-pooh embroidered pillow easy sewing project
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10 Wonderful Classic Books to Read This Summer

     Anne      8 Comments

Hello dear friend, and welcome to July! Since we’re officially into summer now, I thought I would start off the month with a reading list of classic books to read this summer. I’ve been sharing more literature-related content lately since books are a huge source of inspiration for me. If you’d like to see some embroidery projects based on classic novels, do have a look at Loving Lilacs in Jane Eyre and Wisteria Embroidery: Inspired by The Enchanted April. I have more ideas for similar projects in the near future! For today, I wanted to share with you ten books I really loved that I think are perfect summer reads. They each take place at least partly in the summer, and feature either a dreamy setting or fun activities (or both) and are generally just very evocative of this season. They’re all classics, but of different genres and time periods. From children’s literature to Regency romance, there’s a little something for everyone <3. I’ve rated all of these books 4 or 5 stars on Goodreads, and wrote a full review for most of them.

10 classic books to read this summer

 

1. Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Kindred spirits are not so scarce as I used to think. It’s splendid to find out there are so many of them in the world.

Anne of Green Gables book copy surrounded by summer flowers

Is a classic summer reading book list even a thing without the inimitable L.M. Montgomery? I don’t think so! Honestly, I think all her books that I’ve read so far have given me summer vibes. Whether it’s her short story anthologies or the Anne of Green Gables series, there’s something undeniably summery about LMM’s books. So I thought listing the first of the Anne of Green Gables books was the perfect way to start this list!

A Canadian classic set in idyllic Prince Edward Island in a fictional village called Avonlea (based on real life Cavendish), Anne of Green Gables is the timeless story of the orphaned Anne sent to live (by mistake) with a farming couple. I’m sure many of you are familiar with this story so I won’t go into details too much, but suffice it to say that it is utterly delightful. Anne is spirited and enchanting, and the book is written so beautifully that you will want nothing more than experience life in Avonlea in the late Victorian era. Slow and peaceful living at its finest, with blooming meadows and lakes of shining waters, picnics with friends and afternoon tea, kindred spirits and romantic poetry. Ah, the dream! You can’t miss this book. Or the 1985 movie version starring Megan Follows.

 

2. Emma by Jane Austen

There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.

classic summer book rec: emma by jane austen

Can I ever make a bookish list without at least mentioning Austen? Probably not. I must preface this by stating that, although I’ve chosen Emma to feature on this list, anytime is a good time to read (or re-read) Pride and Prejudice. No matter the season. Emma too, but Emma gives off more summer vibes. Probably because I’ve seen so many film adaptations of it and they all feature the most gorgeous outdoorsy summer scenes. So now Emma is forever reminiscent of [disastrous] picnics and strawberry picking parties, with ladies wearing white and yellow dresses, and painting in the garden.

Emma is a charming novel set in the English countryside in a small town where the titular character presides as Queen. With no intention of ever marrying, Emma sets off to marry everyone else around her. She focuses on everybody else instead of herself, but things get even more interesting when a handsome young gentleman arrives in town for a visit.

Featuring an unusual heroine (in that she isn’t particularly likeable in a traditional way for a heroine for most of the book), Emma is a wonderful piece of wit and satire. You can’t take it (and her, especially) too seriously when you read it. You aren’t always supposed to root for Emma. She’s very, very human, and she makes mistakes. Thank goodness her neighbour Mr. Knightley is around to keep her in check! What would become of Highbury without him! You can definitely always root for Mr. Knightley. 😉 As a confirmed Austenite, I will always recommend Austen, but seriously, this is a really great book.

I wrote a quote/pic review of it on Goodreads (see here)

 

3. Venetia by Georgette Heyer

As soon as one promises not to do something, it becomes the one thing above all others that one most wishes to do.

Venetia book copy with dried cow vetch

If I’m a confirmed Austenite, then I’m most definitely a die-hard Heyerite. Probably my favourite author ever, you simply cannot go wrong with Heyer. She wrote many Regency comedies and romances, and Venetia is probably her most romantic work. Set in Yorkshire, 1815, it tells the story of twenty-five year-old Venetia Lanyon, a “spinster” as beautiful as she is intelligent. Sheltered yet wise, Venetia has never been outside Yorkshire and has no real experience with men. But a chance encounter with the rakish Lord Damerel changes everything, and we are treated to one of the best romances every written.

Heyer and Austen are often compared, and while I find their style very different, this one is probably the closest to resembling Austen’s style. More than just a romance, it’s full of depth and style, and of course, Heyer’s brilliant writing. Plus there’s blackberry picking and kittens to rescue in a barn, and just generally the most dreamy, romantic atmosphere. It’s basically a cottagecore fairytale. Venetia and Damerel are like two peas in a pod, endlessly quoting poetry, sharing inside jokes, being the most adorable couple ever. And of course, this is a Heyer novel, so you’re guaranteed razor-sharp wit and many laughs!

Full review of this one on Goodreads as well!

 

4. I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I have found that sitting in a place where you have never sat before can be inspiring – I wrote my very best poem while sitting on the hen-house.

I Capture the Castle book copy surrounded by buttercups

Read this amazing book for the first time last September and absolutely loved it. I was hooked from page one, where we meet the heroine journaling away in the kitchen with her feet in the sink. Set in an old half-ruined castle in England in the 1930s, I Capture the Castle is a thoroughly captivating read. Full of rich details and immersive imagery, it’s the coming-of-age story of seventeen year-old Cassandra Mortmain, told through her diary. I’ve always loved novels told through diaries (anyone else used to read those Dear Canada and Dear America series when they were younger??). Cassandra’s is unlike any other, sharp and witty and completely delightful. In it, you’ll find insightful passages about human nature, treasurable moments of childlike innocence, and countless scenes to make you dream of a summer spent in an old castle. There’s moonlit swims and Midsummer rituals, and lots of journaling out in nature.

Cassandra and her sister Rose (and their brother) live in the old castle with their eccentric step-mother and even more eccentric father. They’re incredibly poor and barely scraping by, and rarely have visitors. But when two American gents land on their doorstep one day, that’s when the fun really begins! I Capture the Castle will definitely make you want to capture your own castle. And listen to moonlight sonatas.

 

5. The Glimpses of the Moon by Edith Wharton

It had evidently not occurred to her as yet that those who consent to share the bread of adversity may want the whole cake of prosperity for themselves.

The Glimpses of the Moon bookcover on iPad surrounded by daisies

Ah, Edith Wharton. I’m aware that she wrote a novel titled Summer that might have been more appropriate for this list, but frankly I didn’t like that book very much. The Glimpses of the Moon was a much more interesting read. It transports one to moonlit villas in Europe, where the air smells of romance and expensive jewelry. It teaches one about the true meaning of love, and that money and luxuries truly cannot buy happiness. Set in the 1920s, the book centers around two newlyweds who get married with the only purpose of enjoying living off their wealthy friends’ invites to stay with them for extended periods of time. In short, they are parasites who are about to learn a much-needed lesson in integrity and honesty.

Written in classic Wharton style, the book is full of introspection and character portraits. I found it deep and interesting, and the setting really made everything glitter and come alive. This is the perfect book to read outside in a garden full of dewy roses at dusk. And if I remember correctly, there actually is a happy ending for once!

I wrote a full review of this one as well, on Goodreads.

 

6. Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Little rabbits, you know, always have games together before they go to bed.

Little House in the Big Woods book copy with yellow buttercups

I’m sure many of you are familiar with the 1970s TV series, Little House on the Prairie. It’s such a classic, full of sweetness and innocence! I was introduced to it in my mid-teen years and instantly loved it. The book series is just as charmingly loveable! Little House in the Big Woods is the first book, and it will transport you into the deep wilderness of Wisconsin. You will be completely immersed in nature; meeting a variety of animals, living in a log cabin, learning to play with the simple things around you. You will feel the wind on your face and the comfort of a handsewn quilt. It’s a portrayal of hard frontier life, full of sacrifices and discomforts, but also full of the simple joys of life and the reward of hard work and a loving family.

I love reading the Little House books when I go camping, as I can best imagine what life in the wild must have been like.😉 There’s nothing better than frying the morning eggs and bacon on the camp stove and eating in tin plates (nicknamed “the Little House plates”) before setting off on a hike and imagining ….. And then to end such a splendid day, you read a few more chapters seated around a sizzling campfire (thankful that somebody invented marshmallows, and that someone else had the brilliant idea to roast them).

 

7. Far From the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

When a strong women recklessly throws away her strength, she is worse than a weak woman who has never had any strength to throw away.

Far From the Madding Crowd book copy surrounded by summer flowers

This is undoubtedly one of my favourite books ever. A sweeping tale of Victorian farm life in the 1870s in rural Wessex, Far From the Madding Crowd is like a beautiful ode to the country. Filled with descriptive passages of nature, it is the ultimate picturesque novel, full of green hills and valleys and dear little sheep. And while there’s a certain undeniable slow and peaceful tone to it, there is definitely enough going on to keep you interested the whole time. The story might get a little dull if it were just sheep and trees, but what if we threw a good old love triangle in the midst of all this natural beauty?

Ah, then things become most definitely interesting!! Between a hardworking, faithful shepherd, a successful, impassioned farmer, and a handsome young soldier, who will Bathsheba Everdeen choose? Running a farm is no small feat, and while she is certainly up to the task, she could use a little help from one (or all) of her suitors. Descriptive, lyrical, and completely captivating, Far From the Madding Crowd is a classic you don’t want to miss. It is best enjoyed under the shade of a large oak, with a glass of lemonade and a flower crown of daisies on your head. Bonus points if you can acquire a little lamb as your reading companion 😉. The 2015 movie version with Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba is a must-see!

This one also got a full review on Goodreads 🙂

 

8. Jane of Lantern Hill by L. M. Montgomery

‘You want to feel that the house is yours before you buy it,’ said Jane.

Jane of Lantern Hill book copy with dried lavender and daisies

Yes, I’m including a second Montgomery novel, because there are just too many to choose from and I can’t leave it at one. Besides, as the ultimate summer reading experience, LMM deserves a second mention. I read this one a long time ago, but still remember the wonderful atmosphere of it. Jane of Lantern Hill is particularly summer. It tells the story of young Jane Stuart, who spends her summer vacation on Prince Edward Island for the first time. Accustomed to a grey and dull life full of rebukes, she lives the summer of her dreams on sunny and happy PEI. Learning to keep house for her father, this book is full of the joys of homemaking.

Follow Jane as she learns to bake the best pies, keep the parlour tidy, and the garden blooming. Montgomery has such a way with words that any simple action is made interesting when she describes it! This is a very dear, loveable book.

 

9. So Wild the Heart by Geoffrey Trease

summer classic book rec: So Wild the Heart bookcover on iPad surrounded by yellow flowers

A lesser-known classic, So Wild the Heart is the fascinating and adventurous tale of a young writer determined to find the exact place where the ancient Roman poet Antonian lived and translate his work. A shy, serious man, Mr. Adam journeys to Italy with the sole purpose of working on his manuscript. He has absolutely no intention to relax and have fun or even to meet anyone. But can anyone really do that in Italy? How does one resist the sun-kissed landscape, the delicious food, the allure of the sea?

Adam’s adventure, of course, becomes life-changing, full of romance and discoveries. It is near impossible to stay focused with the two American women visiting and the philosophical neighbours obsessed with Reason. Yet, So Wild the Heart is what we all need – a true vacation. This book will make you dream about holidaying in an Italian villa, sampling wine and rowing from village to village. It’s full of sunshine and summer, long writing sessions and piano-playing at night, interesting neighbours and classical references. I was quite impressed with this book and would love to re-read it.

Full Review on Goodreads!

Note:

It seems to be really hard to find a copy of this one, hence why there’s no quote. But I wanted to include it anyways in case anybody happens across it because it is really good!

 

10. The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan by Beatrix Potter

‘Oh I do wish I could eat my own pie, instead of a pie made of mouse!’

The tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan cover page with yellow flowers

Last but not least, is it really summer without at least a bit of Beatrix Potter? It was very hard to pick one tale to list here! There’s Peter Rabbit, of course, and Benjamin Bunny, and Jemima Puddleduck, and Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, and so many more, all equally adorable! I considered listing The Complete Tales because it was so hard to pick. But in the end, I chose The Tale of the Pie and the Patty-Pan, because it’s so cute and funny. It features pies and pretty pie dishes, afternoon teas and handwritten letters, all of which are delightful and wholesome summer activities. When a cat invites a dog over for pie and they have very different tastes, something is bound to go awry!

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I hope you enjoy this list of classic book recs for the summer and that it motivates you to try something new or revisit an old favourite! What do you like to read during the summer? Have you read any of the books on my list, and if yes, which one(s) did you like best? 🙂 I look forward to sharing more bookish thoughts with you!

Fondly,

Wonderful classic books to read this summer
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