Fennel

Seven for a Secret

80 x 58 cm. Hand embroidered appliqué on table linen. Private collection.

The fennel roots, where it all starts, are hemp garden twine couched in pearlised cotton. The fennel bulb and stems are hand-quilted vintage silk and chenille. The butterflies are individual pieces of stumpwork, or raised embroidery, stitched separately and applied to the main work, wing by wing. Tiny beads form the butterfly heads and even tinier ones their eyes, salvaged from a very old necklace. Over 500 hours of hand embroidery and an extraordinary amount of love, patience and nerve! You can read the inside story of this piece, Seven for a Secret, here.

Mounted and framed in solid ash by yachtbuilder Tony Williams, my father.