An antique reproduction and a drum
This pattern arose out of friendship – the lovely Nicola from Number12StitchCo on Etsy asked me to create a special reproduction using her beautiful linen, for the first Toowoomba Stitcher’s Retreat in 2024. After going back-and-forth on a couple of designs (and hitting the inevitable design roadblocks) we decided on this quirky sampler from the Netherlands.
A little worse for wear, the sampler’s charming motifs, gentle colour palette and idiosyncratic placement of motifs make for such a fun stitch. And at Nicola’s request, I adapted some of the motifs from the original antique into a drum pattern, using Nicola’s gorgeous “Iced Rose” linen – and so the “Crowned Swan Drum” was born.
The chart contains both the complete antique reproduction, and the chart for the drum, so that you can stitch your preference (or both, if you’re keen!). While the drum pattern makes quite the chonky drum – you could also finish it flat by framing, if you prefer. But I must say, there’s nothing quite like turning your 2D stitching into a 3D object – there’s something so magical about the process!
And drums aren’t as intimidating as they appear. While I hope to film some full finishing method videos and make them available here at some stage, there are lots already online. And a little tip from me – make sure to use more stuffing than you think, as it does settle a little over time – I learned that the hard way!
I hope you enjoy stitching these gentle redwork pieces. You can find the hard-copy chart and the PDF in my Etsy store. And send me a convo on Etsy if you’d like silk or Cottage Garden Threads palette – I’d be very happy to customise one for you.
Mojo Stitches 