Chaucer Cross Stitch

Historical Cross Stitch - Part V

This cross stitch and backstitch piece shows Geoffrey Chaucer, as a pilgrim. He is on his way to Canterbury to the shrine of St Thomas Becket, whose infamous murder in Canterbury Cathedral featured in one of my previous designs. To his left is a woman engaged in spinning wool, one of the major female pursuits of the time.

Chaucer Cross Stitch

Some of us will remember reading the works of Chaucer at school and struggling with the Middle English language in which they were written. What I did not appreciate, at my tender age, was the author’s historical importance.

Geoffrey Chaucer, known as the Father of English Literature, was born in London in 1343. He is probably best known for his Canterbury Tales, some of which were far too racy for young eyes! He played a major part in establishing contemporary English, rather than Latin, as the language of literature in England.

During his lifetime he held an astonishing number of posts. He was a courtier, civil servant, diplomat, soldier, Member of Parliament, clerk of works, translator, philosopher, astronomer and poet!

He died in 1400 and was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey, where you now can visit his tomb in “Poet’s Corner”.

Christmas Cross Stitch Gifts

I can’t believe I've left it so late finishing the presents for Christmas again!

I like to give things which don’t take too long to make, but are attractive and hopefully useful. Fewer people have time to make personal gifts by hand these days (actually I’m not sure I have either!). So they do seem to be really appreciated by those who receive them. This year I am giving cross stitched perfumed sachets to friends and female members of the family.

I have just finished the fourth one, which measured 3.5 by 2 inches when completed and was really easy to make.  

It came from a little Textile Heritage kit, which contained the aida band, ribbon etc. and even the lavender pot pourri to fill it. I know that the Celtic knot design will go down well with the Scottish and Irish members of our family. It has the added advantage of matching the Celtic bookmarks which I gave them last year.

Cross Stitched Perfumed Sachet

These give a lovely fragrance to drawers and cupboards, which seems to last a long time and can be refreshed by adding a few drops of essence.

I love things which make simple everyday activities more pleasurable.

Historical Cross Stitch Project - Section VII

William Blake was not only a great painter and poet, but also a visionary and a mystic. As a poet he gave us the words for the hymn Jerusalem, which is now regarded as Britain’s other national anthem. As an artist he gave us many wonderful paintings.

Blake’s Newton was probably his most famous painting and this cross stitch pays homage not only to that important painting but also to Isaac Newton. The place of both of these men in history is assured.

Born in Lincolnshire in 1643, Isaac Newton was one of the greatest scientists in history. His laws of motion and theory of universal gravitation were crucial to our understanding of the physical world as we know it. His book Principia Mathematica is ranked as one of the world’s most influential scientific works.

As a physicist he also showed that light was composed of the colours of the spectrum and could be broken down with a prism. As an astronomer he invented the reflecting telescope. As a mathematician he developed calculus.

Whether the apple ever fell on his head, prompting him to develop the theory of gravity is another question! But one thing is certain: he is a giant in the world of science.

Blake's Newton Cross Stitch

So it is not surprising that William Blake should have chosen him for his famous painting. Newton can be seen in the painting transfixed by his scientific observations, which he is carefully recording on paper. As Blake was rather unorthodox with regard to religion, it is debateable whether he is referring to the idea of a supreme architect of the universe. It may also suggest that science is only one part of our understanding of the world upon which Newton is perched.

Bodiam Castle Cross Stitch

Historical Cross Stitch - Section VI

No English historical project could be complete without including a castle. These have been of prime military importance for centuries and have played a central role in shaping our history. Whoever controlled the castle, controlled the surrounding countryside.


Bodiam Castle Cross Stitch


Bodiam Castle in Sussex is one of the most beautiful castles in England. Built rapidly during the Hundred Years War, it has not been added to piecemeal, like the majority of English castles. So it is a perfect example of the cutting edge architecture of the day.

In fact it is everyone’s idea of a perfect medieval castle, built to a square plan, surrounded on all sides by a very wide moat and with tall symmetrical towers and fine high crenellated walls. It was obviously intended as an impressive family seat for the Dalyngrigge family, with its landscaped setting and imposing architecture.

Bodiam Castle, which is now managed by the National Trust, is definitely worth a visit. When we visited, the sun was glistening on the surrounding water, with the magical reflections of the ancient walls. You would have expected a medieval knight to ride around the corner at any moment!

To the right of the castle I have cross stitched a huntsman, in the naive style of the embroidery of the period, with his hunting horn and dog. Hunting was the number one leisure activity for the aristocratic men of the time. Many hunts would have taken place over the years on the Bodiam Estate.

The Queen Visits Alnwick

There was great excitement last week when the Queen visited Alnwick. Like everyone else, we turned out to see the Royal couple, despite the rather unpromising weather. The Queen and Prince Philip had arrived in the Royal Train at Alnmouth Station and then came into the town by road, flanked by Police motorcycle outriders.

The highlight of the day was Her Majesty’s visit to Alnwick Castle and a garden party hosted by the Duchess of Northumberland at the beautiful Alnwick Garden. Eight thousand guests were invited, most of them voluntary workers and carers. These are the unsung heroes of our society, who selflessly give so much of their time to help others in need. These people work hard in the background often unseen, day in, day out. It was great to see such dedicated men and women given the recognition they deserve.

The Queen and Prince Philip also spoke to local people during a walkabout in the Town Centre, which had been closed off for the occasion. They were accompanied by the Duke and Duchess and football legend Alan Shearer, in his capacity as Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Northumberland. Alan Shearer is himself no stranger to charitable work, having supported and raised many thousands of pounds for good causes.

It was a really enjoyable day for everyone, including all the enthusiastic school children who turned out to help celebrate the visit.

Click The Queen's visit to Alnwick, Northumberland to see a short video of the visit from the BBC.

Wedding Cross Stitch Card

Another family wedding and another opportunity to make a special cross stitch card for the occasion. This time the wedding was a rather Scottish affair, because of the many Scottish connections in the family.

All the men in the wedding party were in Highland dress: which looked splendid. The kilts were modern tartan with mainly shades of grey and smart tweed jackets. I am always amused by the traditional ornamental daggers tucked into the mens’ stockings. These are called sgian dubh: a reminder of the days when Scotsmen had to be prepared to defend themselves at all times.

The reception was held in a lovely big marquee, attached to the village pub. So there was plenty of room for the guests and a caleigh afterwards. As the evening wore on, the traditional Scottish dancing became more and more lively, which could have had something to do with the Scotch whisky available!

The marquee was decorated in bunting made by the mother of the bride. She is a keen quilter and had selected lovely pieces of fabric for the decoration. So I included these on the left hand side of the card. I also added an impression of the wedding cake, which was decorated in the summer flowers which were such a feature of the day.



Cross Stitch Wedding Card



The wedding took place in the village church with the bride looking radiant in a flowing white wedding dress. It was very moving to see the Happy Couple making their vows in the lovely old church, surrounded by family and friends. A wonderful day enjoyed by everyone!

Historical Cross Stitch Panel

This is the second completed panel in my project to explore the history of England in cross stitch.

Historical Cross Stitch Panel

It features the events of 1066 and the Norman Conquest of England, so beautifully portrayed in the Bayeux Tapestry. The Normans changed England forever, but like the Romans and the Vikings before them they were assimilated into English society, to produce the nation which we know today. The organisation of the Romans, the exploring seafaring of the Vikings and the culture of the Norman French were introduced into the melting pot of the English people.

Also featured is the death of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, martyred in his own Cathedral on the orders of the King. This was a landmark in the relations between the two great powers of the time: the church and the state.

After his canonisation, the shrine of St Thomas of Canterbury became a place of pilgrimage, beginning a tradition which lasted for centuries and was recounted so vividly by Geoffrey Chaucer, whose books were the first to be published in contemporary English. I find it fascinating the way in which these events and influences are interconnected and woven into the fabric of our history.

Country Flowers Wedding Cake

Our recent family wedding had a theme of country flowers running through it. Bright colours and beautiful blooms are a fabulous backdrop to these occasions. These flowers looked wonderful in the Bride’s bouquet and as decorations in the lovely old stone church.

So I was asked to make a wedding cake covered in country flowers. This was quite a challenge with the different shapes of the petals, stamens and leaves to be made in petal paste. I based the design on a magazine photo of a Provencal wedding cake, covered in summer flowers.

It took many hours to produce the individual lavender flower heads for example, with their intricate shape. I made sunflowers, blue and white daisies, red poppies and yellow Welsh poppies, peach roses and lavender. It is really surprising how many sugar craft flowers it takes to go right round a wedding cake. But it was literally a labour of love.

There were three tiers to the cake and another two “cutting” cakes to make sure there was enough to go round and to send out a piece to relatives and friends.

The weather was really dreadful on the night before the wedding. So we had kept the cake in the safety of the village pub, just in case. Then on the morning of the wedding, we carried it (on its table) into the marquee attached to the pub for the reception. A very tricky operation, supervised by me going slightly neurotic!

The wedding was a very Scottish affair, with the men in Highland dress and a caleigh with traditional Scottish dancing afterwards. The country flowers fitted in beautifully and I was so pleased to be able to contribute to the floral theme with the wedding cake.

Thomas Becket Cross Stitch

Hisorical Cross Stitch - Part IV

This piece in backstitch and cross stitch depicts the murder of St Thomas of Canterbury. This is a fascinating story, from his relatively humble beginnings in London to becoming one of the great English saints.

Thomas Becket was born in 1118 and rose to become Archbishop of Canterbury. As the Primate of England, he clashed with King Henry II who had him killed, for standing up for the rights of the Church. This infamous murder was committed in his own Cathedral at Canterbury in 1170.

Thomas Becket Cross Stitch

These events were recounted in the film Becket, with the leading role being played convincingly by Richard Burton. If you ever get the opportunity to see this unforgettable old film, it is well worth watching. Peter O’Toole played the part of King Henry and the incomparable John Gielgud played King Louis of France.

St Thomas was canonised in 1173 and for over 800 years his shrine has been a place of pilgrimage for many thousands of Christians. You can visit Canterbury Cathedral today and see the spot where St Thomas was martyred. Very powerful stuff!

The scenes on the left and right are to show the primitive early industries of England, in the style of the embroideries of the period. As part of this project, I am hoping to contrast this to the scenes of the industrial revolution, which so fundamentally changed the world.

Elizabethan Cross Stitch Panel

This is the first completed panel in my historical cross stitch project, bringing together the previous designs for Queen Elizabeth I, William Shakespeare and Sir Francis Drake.

Elizabethan Cross Stitch Panel

It features Queen Elizabeth I, who reigned from 1558 to 1603. Despite expectations at the time, this was no weak female monarch. In fact she showed that she was a true daughter of King Henry VIII by establishing strong rule and popularity with the people: not an easy combination to achieve. The Elizabethan age, as it came to be known, was considered to be a golden age in English history.

Queen Elizabeth’s major military success was the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The exploits of the dashing Sir Francis Drake in his ship Revenge and the part they played in the defeat of the Spanish Fleet, have established his place forever in English history. England was saved from invasion by a massive Spanish army. Had the English Fleet failed to defeat the Armada, large parts of the world, which were later colonised, would now speak Spanish rather than English!

The arts also flourished during Queen Elizabeth’s reign, especially drama. William Shakespeare produced his huge body of plays and poems and is considered by many to be the world’s greatest ever playwright . Many of his works seem as relevant today, as when they were written over 400 years ago!

Cross Stitch Wedding Card

Following on from my last post about ideas for co-ordinating wedding decorations, flowers, stationery etc., this is the cross stitch card which I made for my Daughter's wedding. It was inspired by the wedding cake, which I mentioned previously. The colours used matched the claret and silver colour scheme for the wedding.

Cross Stitch Wedding Card

I stitched it on 14-count white aida cloth with Anchor stranded cotton, using two strands for the cross stitch and one strand for the backstitch. The colours were claret and pink, with silver DMC metallic thread used on the horseshoe, the heart and the cake ribbons and decorations, to echo the decoration on the wedding cake.

I attached the finished cross stitch to a white three-panel card with silver outlines, using double-sided self adhesive tape around the inside of the aperture.

The card was then trimmed with claret coloured ribbon, with a matching ribbon rose sewn on. Finally the inside panel of the card was sealed down with double-sided tape, to cover the back of the cross-stitching.

It is such a pleasure to make something unique for the special people in your life, especially when it marks a milestone in their lives.

Weddings

I was asked the other day about ideas for wedding decorations, cross stitch etc. and how to tie it all in to that very special occasion.  So I thought that it might be of interest to outline what I had done for my daughter’s wedding.

The colour scheme for the wedding was claret and silver. Not that we particularly set out to have a “colour scheme”, but as the bridesmaids' dresses were claret and a lot of the decorations which we liked were silver, it seemed to make sense to co-ordinate it all together for the flowers, wedding invitations etc. Also we all love roses, so that seemed to tie in nicely.

One of my interests is cake decoration and I had long since promised to make and decorate the wedding cake. So I thought I would design a cross stitch wedding card for them, based around the wedding cake. But I had to make the cake first.

This was quite a big challenge for me and a bit daunting to be honest. So I brushed up my cake decorating skills by attending an evening class in Ponteland, to make sure that my sugar craft roses were up to standard.

I made six cakes in all. Four decorated with flowers and two extra cakes for cutting at the wedding reception. The ribbons and decorations were in shades of claret, pale pink and silver.

The photo shows the Bride's bouquet on the table in front of the finished cake.

The sugar craft roses and leaves took months to complete and I’m afraid the whole project took a lot longer than I had imagined. So hats off to the professionals, who do this for a living!

Much to my relief, it all turned out ok on the day and everyone said that they enjoyed the cake. It is traditional to keep the top tier of the cake for the first child’s Christening, which is what we did. I guess the large amount of brandy soaked into the cake before icing it must help to preserve it and it certainly helps the taste!

Having completed this, I next turned my attention to the cross stitch wedding card, which I hope to talk about in my next post.

Historic Cross Stitch - Part III

I thought for the next section of my historical cross stitch project, I would create a design based around the most famous date in English history.

In the year 1066 the Norman French, led by William the Conqueror, invaded England. Having landed on the south coast, the Norman army marched inland, where they were met by King Harold and the English army at Hastings.

A bloody battle ensued, where Harold was killed and the English army was defeated. The Norman Conquest had begun. William was crowned and his nobles settled throughout the country, building castles and establishing their power base in a way that would change England forever.

The events which led up to the invasion and the battle itself were chronicled in the Bayeux Tapestry. So I stitched this section in the style of the famous tapestry.

Here in our own town, the nobleman Yves de Vescy, was made Baron of Alnwick by the Normans and built the first parts of Alnwick Castle in 1096.

Cross Stitch Christmas Presents

Each year I like to give a few friends and members of the family something cross-stitched for Christmas. So I have started early to give myself plenty of stitching time.

Eventually everyone will end up with a little memento, which gives them that nice feeling (hopefully), that it has been handmade especially for them.

Now there are not that many designs suitable for men. But I think this one is ideal for my brother, who is a bit of a bookworm.

It is from a Textile Heritage bookmark kit. Everything was supplied in the pack, including the backing fabric and tassel and it was very quick to stitch on the aida band.

I’m sure this Celtic jewel cross stitch design will appeal to him!

Cross Stitch Shakespeare

It's really good to get back to some creative cross stitch, after all the upheavals of the floods etc. I am continuing with characters from English history. So having started with Queen Elizabeth I and her buccaneering Sir Francis Drake, the next obvious character to stitch from that time was William Shakespeare. To my mind, one of the greatest writers and playwrights of all time. But being English I admit to being a little biased. “Good Queen Bess” certainly had some romantic men around in those days!

I’ve shown him in his later years, which justifies his characteristic bald patch. I stitched his background as the Globe Theatre in London. This was fun to do, as we had seen a play there in the authentically reconstructed building on the site of the original theatre.

It was a great experience seeing “theatre in the round” in the open air, just like it was in Elizabethan times, when the great bard was staging his performances of Romeo and Juliet. But I’m sure we were a better behaved audience than the Elizabethans would have been.

I think the next cross stitch item for this historical project will be based around the most famous date in English history : 1066 and all that. So I’m now looking for inspiration on how to stitch a battle?

Northumberland - Defending Against Flooding

A number of meetings were held after the floods, including one organised by the excellent Coquet Flood Victim Support Group. This included a company who supply flood defence equipment for householders. The most useful items, which my Mother and a number of neighbours installed in their own homes, were flood shields and special air bricks.

Air bricks have large air holes to allow for ventilation of the space under the floor. When a flood occurs, water first enters the house through the lowest openings in the walls, which are normally the air bricks. One lady at the meeting said she had heard the water gushing in under the floor, which must have been very alarming!

It is possible to buy screw-on covers which can be fixed over the air bricks, when there is danger of flooding. This is assuming that there will be time to go right round the house and fix them all in place and that someone will always be available to do this.

The special air bricks allow air to pass through the holes, but not water. They do this by incorporating little balls which float when immersed in water, sealing off the holes. So the process is automatic, even if you are on holiday when an emergency occurs.

Flood shields are designed to fasten tightly to the frames of external doors (including patio and garage doors). They have rubber seals on the bottom and sides and are either clipped or bolted on to the door frame. You can still open and close the door with them installed. But you need to be quite agile to step over them while they are in place. Since most peoples’ doors have a step or two in front, it is therefore possible to protect against water about a metre deep.

The theory is that there is not much point in going higher than this with such devices, as the external pressure on the walls of the house would be so great that structural damage would occur. But it is very reassuring to know that you have some protection against all but the most unusually severe flooding, and it gives more time for the emergency services to react to any situation with sand bagging etc.

The other important thing which can be done in combination with your neighbours is to ask for help from organisations such as the Government’s Environment Agency and the local council. When a second much smaller flood occurred this July, my Mother had a visit from her Member of Parliament : Sir Alan Beith. Her local councillor Steven Bridgett also took an active interest and members of the community were active in phoning, writing letters and speaking to all interested parties.

I feel sure this all contributed to the decision by the Environment Agency and County Council to raise the height of the flood wall surrounding the housing development. Other measures were being taken to improve the situation in the district as a whole. But it did no harm to bring the immediate risks facing local people to public attention.

It is very interesting to read the account of the House of Commons debate on flood defence in Northumberland in September 2008, which you can see by clicking on this link.

After all the attention Northumberland received from the media, television coverage and visits from Royalty, let’s hope the flood defence measures will eventually be completed and will prove to be effective. But the question has to be asked – why are these extreme weather events occurring, with increasing regularity all over the world?

Some people seem to believe that this is not due to global warming and that we should not be doing all that we can to reduce carbon emissions. The question I would put to them is simple. We are dealing with the future of our world not only for ourselves, but for our childrens’ children. Can we risk the future of the planet by doing nothing?

The Northumberland Floods - Putting Things Back Together

It was quite shocking going back into my Mother’s home after the flood. Tom had to push his way in because the furniture had been floating around and when the water subsided it had left everything lying around in heaps. Even the freezer had come to rest on its side behind the kitchen door - full of ruined food of course.

The whole place smelled terrible and very humid, even after the doors and windows were opened to ventilate the house. The dirty water which had soaked into the walls and floors had buckled the doors into weird shapes. Kitchen units, carpets, furniture, electrical appliances and soft furnishings were all ruined. Because the river water was contaminated with sewage, chemicals and other effluents, the whole place had to be disinfected.

The insurance company were very good (not all of them were apparently) and arranged for a team of men to strip the house and remove the debris, after their loss adjuster had inspected the premises. A detailed list had to be made of every single damaged item, and a value for each item obtained to draw up the insurance claim. A very painstaking process. But of course it was far worse for the people who were not insured at all.

It was really sad to see householders’ precious possessions, which had taken a lifetime to build up, piled up as a heap of rubbish. Everyone was relieved that in the main the physical damage was to property, rather than to people. But it was a very daunting prospect to start again from scratch, having lost almost everything.

Documents and photos were a particular problem. Photos of your wedding and your children growing up simply cannot be replaced. We made up temporary tables in our garage, so that all the papers could be separated and laid out flat to dry. This actually worked quite well for birth certificates etc., letters and photos , preventing them from turning into blocks of papier-mache as they dried out. They will never be quite the same, but at least they were saved.

It takes a long time for house to dry out. All the floors had to be removed and the walls were stripped half way up. A large ventilating fan and a dehumidifier were then installed, which ran day and night, with a constant trickle of water running through a pipe into the kitchen sink. Going into the house meant walking on boards laid across the floor joists. It had become a desolate place.

Three months later the house had dried out and a certificate had been signed by the builders. Then work began to replace the floors. Walls were repaired and plastered, skirting boards and doors were fitted, a new bathroom and kitchen were installed and redecorating was started.

Meanwhile a major exercise was underway to replace every item in the house, from floor coverings and furnishings to new appliances; while dealing with the delivery men, builders, insurance company and the loss adjuster. A lot of time consuming work - organising, phone calls, letters and site visits.

In the end, after seven months the house became a home again. But the fear at the back of many people’s minds was that it could all happen again, unless something was done to prevent it.

The Northumberland Floods

During the last fifteen months there has been a tremendous upset in the lives of many families in Northumberland. It all began in September 2008 when a whole month’s rain fell in twenty four hours. The ground was already saturated as a result of rainfall in the preceding days and so this deluge of water ran straight into the streams and rivers, turning them into raging torrents.

It was just so unexpected to drive down the main A1 Road, and find every dip in the road filled with water and then to encounter a police roadblock at the turn off to Morpeth. We drove to the southern end of the bypass hoping to enter the town from the south end – but that too was blocked off and impassible. So we eventually made our way into town by the back roads, to be greeted by a horrifying sight.

The bridge in the centre of Morpeth was cordoned off. Half the main street, including the shops were flooded to a depth of several feet and helicopters were flying overhead attempting to rescue stranded people from their homes. Around a thousand properties were flooded that day, as the normally quiet river which runs through the town burst its banks and engulfed houses, shops, pubs, offices and even the Library.

We soon realised that there was simply no way to reach our home across the River Wansbeck, so we would have to find somewhere else to spend the night. As we walked through the town we were passed by people, some of them quite distressed, carrying a few of their belongings. This is not the kind of thing we are used to seeing in our part of the world, but it really brought home two things to us. Firstly that we need more flood prevention measures to protect our local communities and a better early warning system. Secondly the plight of many people around the world who are affected by the freak weather conditions caused by global warming and the fact that we all need to do something to help prevent it.

We were lucky in that our house was not flooded, but my Mother’s home was flooded to a depth of three feet when the River Coquet in Rothbury overflowed its banks. She was evacuated to the local Cottage Hospital, where she was really well looked after. It was also great to see the way that communities around Northumberland rallied round to help the flood victims whose homes had been affected.

I don’t think we realised at the time what a huge job it would be, or how long it would take for people to repair the damage, replace all their possessions and put their lives back together after the devastation. The photographer Andrew Whittaker has produced a compilation of clips by people who were caught up in the Morpeth flood, which you can watch on YouTube by clicking this link.

How To Stitch A Cathedral Window?

One of the problems in interpreting the wonderful architecture in the North of England is the intricate detail on the ancient buildings. A particular problem is how to show a huge and highly detailed stained glass window in a cross stitch picture.

I thought that the way we tackled this design issue on our York Minster cross stitch might be of interest.

York Minster is one of the largest gothic cathedrals in Europe. Building began in the twelfth century and took 250 years to complete. The famous Rose Window is an architectural masterpiece, and we felt that a way had to be found to do some justice to its complexity. The challenge was to get a lot of detail into a small area, working on 14 threads per inch aida.

Stand at a distance and look at this great window. During the day when seen from the exterior, the glass appears as a uniform black background, with a fine tracery of light coloured stonework in a complex concentric pattern in the foreground.

So one answer was to form the shape of the window in cross stitch, working with black stranded cotton, and then work the stonework design in backstitch over the top with stone coloured thread.

So this is what we did. Anchor stranded cotton shade 403 (black) was used for the glass “background”, and shade 852 for the backstitch representing the delicate stonework.

The chart at the beginning of this post shows the backstitch pattern, and the picture on the left shows the finished stitching in place. It was not the easiest thing to stitch, but it did give a reasonable impression of the Rose Window. More about this design in future posts...

Elizabeth I

This is the start of my current cross stitch project. It is going to be a collection of characters and events from English history. I thought I would start by stitching England's most famous monarch - who also happens to be a woman.

My aim is to bring together characters from the same period. So I thought I would start with the great Elizabethan adventurer and explorer Sir Francis Drake.

It was he who saved the kingdom for his Queen by defeating the Spanish Armada at sea, before its huge invading force could reach English soil.

He was playing bowls at Plymouth when he was informed that the mighty Spanish Fleet had been sighted. So he calmly carried on playing, famously saying that he had plenty of time to finish his game, and still defeat the Spaniards. How cool was that!

I have used a lot of backstitch in the hope that the images can be kept sharp and separate. But I may go back and change it as more characters are added.

I'm not sure whether to make this a small series of cross stitch pictures, one for each era, or to go for a large sampler. Hopefully this will resolve itself in the next few weeks!

L S Lowry Cross Stitch

Some of my favourite cross stitch designs are based on the work of the Lancashire artist L S Lowry.

Lowry is well known for his paintings of urban landscapes, and industrial working class scenes in the North of England. His holidays were spent in Berwick upon Tweed in Northumberland and Saltburn in County Durham, where he painted local scenes in addition to his well known images of Lancashire. Famous for his “matchstick men”, his work is often described as naïve.

Who was this man, whose paintings have been exhibited by the Royal Academy and prestigious art galleries such as the Tate, and who has a huge arts centre costing £100 million named after him?

Laurence Stephen Lowry was born in Manchester in 1887. He trained at Salford Art College, now Manchester Metropolitan University, and drew and painted for 70 years until his death in 1976. Initially he supported himself working as a rent collector, and so he was very familiar with the street scenes for which he became so famous.

This Lowry cross stitch interpretation is by Kate Hoyle of Bothy Threads, and is stitched with stranded cotton on 14 count aida fabric. The design is based on L S Lowry’s painting “The Arrest”, which was painted in oils in 1927. The original hangs in the Castle Museum, Nottingham.

This scene shows a group of people watching, as a criminal is arrested in the time-honoured manner, with the policeman clapping a hand on his shoulder. Inquisitive neighbours look out at the commotion, from the windows of the little terraced houses with their smoking chimneys.

The largest collection of L S Lowry's paintings and drawings is on display at the Lowry Centre in Manchester, which is well worth a visit. You can happily spend the day at this exciting waterside gallery at Salford Quays - including a nice lunch!

Textile Art - The Tapestry of Christ

Last weekend we were in the West Midlands. Of course being interested in textile art we went to visit Coventry Cathedral, to see the world’s largest tapestry. It was actually our second visit – but it was still quite amazing. The story of what happened here is well worth telling, and it goes like this…

It began one dark night in 1940, when hundreds of German aircraft appeared in the skies over England. Their target was the city of Coventry. Their aim was nothing less than to destroy the city in a colossal fire storm.

That night 400,000 incendiary bombs rained down, causing horrendous damage and loss of life. Amid the carnage, people watched in horror as their beloved Cathedral of St Michael, dating back to the twelfth century, was consumed by the flames.

Imagine how they must have felt, standing among the dead on that terrible night. But the decision was immediately made to build a new cathedral, alongside the shell of the ruined building, which was to be left as a lasting memorial.

The day after the bombing, charred medieval timbers were found which had fallen in the shape of a cross. These were fastened together and raised up on the shattered altar. Later, the words “Father Forgive” were inscribed on the stonework nearby. These words must have been very carefully chosen, as they pointedly did not read “forgive them”, or even “forgive us”.

All this can still be seen today, and no one seeing it can fail to be moved by this demonstration of the human spirit rising above suffering and adversity, in a spirit of forgiveness. So this horrific scene was being completely turned around. After the war, an International Centre for Reconciliation was established to provide support for people in war-torn parts of the world. One of their first involvements was in the rebuilding of a hospital in the German city of Dresden, which had been completely devastated by British bombing.

A work of art was needed as a centre piece to tell this story of destruction and raising up, of death and resurrection, transcending human events and expressing Christian love for all mankind.

Graham Sutherland’s breathtaking tapestry of “Christ in Glory” does just that.

Fully seventy five feet high, it dominates the cathedral’s internal space with a powerful image of the Saviour, risen from the dead and towering above the scene of the Crucifixion, with a life size figure at his feet, representing the human race.

The figure of Christ is deliberately ambiguous. It appears to defy perspective, neither sitting nor standing and seems unrestricted by time and space.

To the right and left are dramatic images, representing the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and above is the triangle of the Trinity, with the dove of the Spirit casting down enlightenment on the whole scene. To one side is an image of St Michael struggling with Satan, which mirrors the statue at the Cathedral steps, and speaks of the triumph of good over evil.

Just as a huge glass screen connects the old and the new cathedral, so this expressive tapestry, so full of meaning, joins up the whole story and in the process transforms this beautiful craft work into a great work of art, with a message which is surely for all Mankind.

Please click virtual tour to see for yourself.

Pink Roses Cross Stitch Card

Now for something a little more 'down to earth'.

This cross stitch card was originally designed for a friend's birthday. Many people are so busy these days, and have so little time to do things. So I think when they receive a hand-made greetings card they really seem to appreciate it. After all, someone has taken the time to make it especially for them.

Cross Stitch Card

It is stitched on a piece of 14 count aida, measuring 7" x 5", using Anchor stranded cotton. Pink shades 23, 25, 26 and 38 seemed to work well for the cross stitch on the flowers, and green shades 209, 206 and 208 on the leaves and stems. A little backstitch in shade 855 was used to help define the leaves.

I used a parchment coloured three panel card measuring 8" x 6". Small pieces of double-sided adhesive tape were used to attach the fabric to the card, and also to close up the right hand panel to cover the back of the stitching.

This is a really nice size of cross-stitched card to frame as a keepsake, especially when it's for a special occasion.

You can print out the chart (for non-commercial use only of course) from our website, by clicking free cross stitch pattern. I will be very pleased if anyone feels they have enjoyed stitching it, and if you let me know I will produce another one, on a different theme perhaps. Does anyone have any suggestions?

Holy Island Cross Stitch

One of the most special places in Northumberland is Holy Island, which we often visit. Known in ancient times as Lindisfarne, this rugged island is linked to the mainland by a narrow causeway and is cut off by the incoming tide twice a day. In fact the tide can come in so quickly that visitors sometimes have to be rescued from their cars, and winched to safety by helicopter! So it is well worth checking the safe crossing times if you have the opportunity to visit.

It was here in AD 635 that St Aidan from Ireland founded a centre of culture and learning, which was to produce one of Britain’s great treasures: the illuminated Lindisfarne Gospels. From here the monks set out to bring back Christianity to the people of England.

One of the best loved inhabitants of Holy Island was St Cuthbert. He was a Northumbrian monk, who became Prior of Lindisfarne. After a time, he felt he was called to live a solitary life of prayer and moved to the nearby island of Inner Farne, where he remained as a hermit for ten years. Unfortunately for him he was not left entirely alone, as he had become known not only as a man of great wisdom, but also as a spiritual healer.

So people would row out to the island to seek his guidance and help. Eventually he was persuaded to leave the island and become a bishop, and followed in the footsteps of St Aiden, travelling around Northumbria, always humbly on foot, to bring the gospel to his people.

Holy Island is a place of Christian pilgrimage to this day, and has been since the seventh century, when it was found that the body of St Cuthbert was still in an undecayed state, more than a decade after his death.

For me it is a very special place. A place filled with the memories of the saints and scholars who lived there, with an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. We wanted to design a cross stitch which would bring together some of the elements of this unique place.

Holy Island Cross Stitch

So after much thought and trial stitching, we produced this cross stitch sampler bringing together the images of the ruined Lindisfarne Priory, and the nearby statue of St Aidan holding up the light of faith and civilisation to a dark and barbarous world.

The Cross of St Cuthbert is stitched on either side of the title. To the right are his beloved birds - his only companions when he prayed and fasted alone on Inner Farne. Finally the border of the design suggests Celtic knot work, with no beginning and no end.

So if you are ever in our part of the world, you must come and visit Holy Island, and see for yourself! There is a handy map of Northumberland to help you to find your way there, which you can see by clicking on the link "About Northumberland" near the top right hand side of this page.

Art, Life and Cross Stitch

My interests in life (before the children came along) have always been centred around art, design and crafts. So after completing a degree in fine art at Nottingham, I started teaching art in High school. Although this was enjoyable and satisfying, it did not leave me much time for my own creative pursuits.

I had the idea that running a craft shop would enable me to do my own artistic thing, bring up a family and make a living, all at the same time! So we opened a shop in Alnwick in Northumberland, near the famous Alnwick Castle.

Two years after our daughter was born, my husband came to the rescue, giving up his career in engineering, to join me in the business.

The next decade saw development of the business as we opened shops on Tyneside, selling needlecraft and knitting yarns, and the expansion of our family with our two sons.

There was little time in those days for creative work, but eventually we decided to combine business and pleasure, designing and producing our own cross stitch kits.

We started with designs of castles and places of architectural or historic interest, beginning with Northumberland and then travelling further afield to other parts of England.

I love our local countryside and coast, and concentrated on themes such as wild flowers, and developed my interest in samplers and the design of cards for special occasions. In future posts I hope to talk more about textile art, our designs and life in Northumberland.