Inspired by Packwood House
It’s a long time since i last created a blog post. I’m still stitching; in fact, almost every day. However, i haven’t made any clothes for myself since the end of Me Made May. I’ve been exploring textile art, primarily using screen printing and embroidery. In fact, primarily embroidery. I even bought a cross stitch project in September, like my mother used to make, and i am currently about half way through it.
This post is about some far easier and quicker makes. I’ve started volunteering at the National Trust Packwood House in North Warwickshire, and these makes are inspired by their Christmas decorations, which are proving to be very popular with the public. Their theme is ‘the 12 days of Christmas.’ My theme, so far, is only about 3 days of Christmas!
The swan template was given free with Make and Sew toys some months ago. I have previously found some difficulties with incomplete instructions in this magazine, but all of the necessary details were there for this make. It is described as ‘easy’, and whilst it definitely isn’t difficult, the embroidery is delicate and detailed and takes some time to do. I was advised that similar swans at Packwood had taken 8 hours to make. Mine took less time than that, but still maybe 4 – 5 hours. I later identified that the swan pattern was taken from Corinne Lapierre’s book ‘Folk Embroidered Felt Birds’; a book i have known about for a while, but never thought that i needed! The goose was taken from the same book. Other birds at Packwood are variations on the themes in the book, adapted to be colley birds and French hens.
The pears are my own template and my own designs. They were much quicker to make. It will need another variation on a theme from the book to create a partridge. Maybe next year!
I don’t generally have a Christmas tree, so these have been gifted to carefully chosen recipients. The new owners must a) be able to appreciate the work that has gone into the decorations, and b) have a fairly big tree!
And in case you live anywhere near Packwood House, i can inform you that the inspirational decorations there are going to be put away for another year, rather than sold off in January. Depending upon your point of view, this could be good news, or bad news. But you know which book to get now so that you can make your own!
One Week, One Pattern
Me Made May 2016
Me Made May 2015
Simplicity Competition
Sew Over it Patterns
all my own work by ann 