Hare workbox Weight

This workbox weight has been upcycled from a little counted sampler, part of a series of French inspired projects I created some years ago. The design is worked in cross stitch, and I have added a pair of Italian gold-plated chatelaine scissors which are attached with a twisted cord.

It is filled with dry rice and lavender to give it a nice weight. It measures 4in (10cm) square and is supplied with the scissors, three pearl-headed pins and is gift boxed.

I love my invention of the Workbox Weight which is a cross between a pincushion and a paperweight. My hare design is just the right size to make a lovely new weight.

I have always been drawn to red on white embroidery and you know me well enough not to start me talking about Muller Orphanage sampler!

Red stitching on white fabric is also a very French tradition. It was quite something to visit a stitching exhibition in Nante, where the stands were a sea of red and white! The tradition is said to come from the ‘marking’ samplers created as training pieces for adding initials to identify household linens. The red thread was meant to withstand washing well – I would be very worried that my crisp white linens would come out of the wash a shade of pale pink…