Carnation and Cornflower

Many years ago, one of my favourite designers, Amy Mitten, started offering a range of kits called Castket Keepsakes. These small, three dimensional, items where inspired by antique enbroidered items found in 17th century caskets. I have collected several of these kits but had not begun to work another until this year. The first four kits are named after the seasons. The first in the series is Winter but I decided to do Spring first as that was the season when I started stitching it. The first Keepsake in the Spring Caskets Keepsakes kit is a little silk drawstring bag which holds a thread winder. The petals of the Carnation are worked in 17th century techniques. The size is 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" not including the finger loop drawstring. The second keepsake is a tape measure in the form of a Cornflower. The tape measure is revealed by pulling on the stem and rewound by rotating the spindle. It measures 2 1/2" x 3". There are twenty petals made using the same technique as the Carnation. Both keepsakes are made using Amy's hand-dyed threads and antique metallics.

Carnation
© Carol Anne Conway

Cornflower
© Carol Anne Conway