Book excerpt: An inspiring and practical step-by-step guide to creating quirky, contemporary animal-themed stitched textiles from the amazing studio of Mrs. Bertimus. In this inspiring, practical guide, textile artist Letitia Thompson, aka Mrs Bertimus, shows you how to create colourful, contemporary, animal-themed stitched textiles with a quirky mix of vintage and whimsical style. Letitia's subjects range from playful, dancing mice to crafty foxes, their personalities skillfully captured in stitch using free-motion machine embroidery and hand stitching. The progression from idea to stitch is developed in easy stages, providing a valuable insight into the author's creative process and the methods she uses to achieve her stunning textile artworks. Starting with a comprehensive materials and techniques section, the book includes 4 step-by-step projects and numerous finished pieces to spark your creativity, resulting in a unique source of ideas and inspiration for textile artists of all abilities.