Jane Austin

My daughter Bex is a writer. She writes novels, mostly for the YA (young adult) reader. She is also an avid reader, and one of her favourite books is Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Two years ago, while her garage was being converted so that she didn’t have to work in the family living room, I was stitching an envelope transformation piece to decorate her new study.

There can be several different designs of first day cover envelopes, and I was really pleased to find this one dating from 1975, featuring the author writing at her desk, just as my daughter does.

Bex told me that her favourite part of the novel is Captain Wentworth’s letter - so romantic! So a handwritten extract from that letter had to form part of the design, and a key phrase was part of the stitching.

Bex’s love of roses is reflected in the rest of the design. A gothic detail from one of the stamps became a trellis, up which climbing roses ramble.

This is one of my most embroidered mixed media pieces. It was lovely to stitch, and I enjoy seeing it in Bex’s study, on the wall above her writing desk, whenever I visit.