I have been working on a very special project for quite some time and finally revealed it recently at Mrs Parkman’s Academy of Needlework last month!
Several years ago, I inherited a plain wood casket made by Thistle Threads, a company based in the USA who created a range of courses and products called The Cabinet of Curiosities. Cross Stitch Guild member and designer, Jane Napier, had purchased the box but sadly died from ovarian cancer before she had chance to start work. David, Jane’s son, had been in touch with me for advice about his mother’s sampler collection. I called to meet with him at his mother’s home, only to discover that the house had been burgled. On top of everything else, this was such a blow. Fortunately, all the valuable samplers had been removed in plenty of time. David was planning to get house clearers to sort out the debris and asked me if I would like what was left of the casket. I was both thrilled and terrified!
Traditionally these caskets were decorated in fine stumpwork embroidery and other types of raised work – well outside my area of expertise. My casket was modelled on 17th century stumpwork boxes and boasted endless drawers, doors and even secret compartments – and so it became my ‘Secret Inheritance’.
Since then, I have designed, drawn and stitched (with the help of my team of stitchers) the outside and the inside of the casket. Putting it all together wasn’t plain sailing but my clever carpenter Nigel helped with a few adjustments. My treat was to have a specialist make the tiny brass hinges, keys, escutcheons and bun feet.
My casket has been two years in the making and there are still tweaks to make and more I would like to do. I hope you like it!
