This flowing Arts & Crafts design is taken from the decorative plasterwork at Blackwell House, a wonderful example of Arts & Crafts architecture and decorative arts in the Lake District, England. During the late nineteenth century there was a resurgence of interest in hand-made crafts, encouraged by such figures as William Morris and John Ruskin, in a reaction to the impersonality of mass produced industrial goods.

Throughout this historic house the architect, Baillie Scott, has incorporated a wide variety of crafts. These include tiles in the fireplaces, carved stone and wood, stained glass, mosaic floors, wrought iron and lead work, hessian wall hangings and beautiful plaster work in the White Drawing Room, which I have now recreated in crewel work for this kit. Rowan leaves and berries form the dominant decorative theme in this wonderful house and they in turn are the perfect vehicle for a range of interesting and enjoyable stitches in this kit.

As well as the usual crewel stitches such as Stem, French Knots and Long & Short, you will come across a number of less common stitches in the Rowan berries, such as Pistil, Whipped Spider's, Buttonhole, and Spiral Buttonhole. You could also use the Rowan berries to experiment with other stitches that you feel might work in the space

Copyright by The Crewel Work Collection