Golden retriever embroidery pattern: stitch your own golden from a photo

The real pattern: Maple, our sample golden

This is what our pattern maker made from a photo of Maple, one of the sample dogs we use to test it. The drawing, the dot pattern and the stitched preview are its real output, not a mock-up.

Look at the ears first. The pattern doesn't trace every hair. It gives each ear a clean outline and a handful of longer curved lines that follow the feathering. That's the whole trick with a golden.

What makes a golden look like a golden in thread

A golden retriever has a long, feathered coat that runs from gold to cream, soft drop ears with feathering, and a kind look around the eyes. Black thread on linen can't show the color. It shows the shape, and the direction the coat grows.

• The ears carry the breed. Back stitch the outline of each drop ear, then add three to five long, curved strokes that follow the feathering down and out. Leave the rest of the ear bare.
• The chest is a few lines, not a fill. Stitch the longest fur lines on the chest from the root toward the tip, the same way you'd stroke your dog.
• The eyes make it kind. Satin stitch the pupils from the middle out and leave the small highlight bare. A soft, clear eye is what separates a golden from any other dog.
• The muzzle stays simple. The edge of the nose, a satin-filled nose and two short mouth lines are enough.

A light coat is easy for the pattern maker, but long feathering can add stray little lines. If your pattern looks busy, stitch the Simple version. It keeps the outline, the face and only the longest fur lines.

Getting a good photo of your golden

• Shoot near a window in soft daylight. Bright sun on a gold coat washes out the edges of the ears.
• Get both eyes sharp. A golden's dark eyes stand out against a light face, so they come through well when they're in focus.
• Smooth the ears first if you can. Wet or tangled feathering turns into a lot of extra lines.
• Fill most of the photo with the head and chest, and keep it to one dog.

More on what works and what doesn't in how to choose a photo for a pet portrait.

Stitching order for a golden retriever

1. Outline first. Back stitch the outline of the head, the ears and the chest, dot to dot. Start at the top of the head and work down one side.
2. Face lines. Stitch the lines around the eyes, the edge of the nose and the mouth.
3. Eyes and nose. Satin stitch the pupils from the middle out, leaving the highlight bare, then fill the nose the same way.
4. Feathering and fur. Add the long curved lines on the ears and chest, each one from the root toward the tip.
5. Stop when it looks like your dog. Prop the hoop up across the room and squint. If it already reads as your golden, you're done, even with dots left. They rinse away.

Common golden mistakes

The ears turn into a dark mat.

Too many fur lines. Keep to a few long strokes per ear and let the linen show between them.

Choppy, spiky feathering.

Follow every dot along each curved line instead of skipping ahead. Long stitches look spiky, short even ones look soft.

Puckered linen around the chest.

The fur stitches were pulled tight. Let each stitch lie flat on the fabric.

Questions people ask

Keep going

• How-to guideHow to embroider fur in one color of threadLine-art fur in black thread, stitched root to tip, and when to switch to long and short stitch for realistic fur.
• How-to guideHow to embroider eyes for a pet portraitSatin-stitched pupils with a bare highlight: the step that gives a stitched pet its expression.
• How-to guideHow to choose the right photo for a pet portraitThe light, angle and framing that make a photo stitch well, and the checks a photo has to pass.
• Stitch guideHow to do a back stitchA solid, unbroken line for outlines, lettering and fine details.
• Stitch guideHow to do a satin stitchStraight stitches laid side by side to fill small shapes, like eyes and noses.
• Dog breedFrench bulldog embroidery pattern: stitch your own Frenchie from a photoA real Frenchie pattern from our pattern maker, and how to stitch bat ears, wrinkles and a flat face in black thread.
• Dog breedDachshund embroidery pattern: stitch your own doxie from a photoA real dachshund pattern from our pattern maker, and how to stitch a doxie's long ears, muzzle and coat in black thread.
• Free toolThe free 3D Stitch SimulatorPractice back stitch and satin stitch on a 3D hoop you can turn, zoom and flip.