Kits / Dunollie Borage & Pansy Kit

Dunollie Borage & Pansy Kit

by Deborah Wilding

Created in a vibrant array of No.60 DeVere silk threads and Japanese metal thread, the Borage & Pansy design joins our Dunollie Castle Collection. Another stunning creation by Deborah Wilding, this design is a celebration of classical Elizabethan silk and metal thread embroidery.

This design recreates an incredible set of 18th-century embroidered fragments belonging to the MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust at Dunollie Castle near Oban, and features a quartet of British flowers–Borage, Rose, Pansy and a spectacular bright green leaf to balance.

A selection of stitches and techniques can be mastered with this design, including silk shading, Block Shading, Herringbone Stitch, Elizabethan Spider's Web, Elizabethan Braid Stitch, Ladder Stitch, Surface Couching, and Split Stitch.

PRODUCT AVAILABLE 23 NOVEMBER!

Advanced

Embroidered flowers on a beige background

Embroidered floral design with green leaves and a blue flower on beige fabric.

Close-up of an embroidered pink flower with a yellow center on beige fabric.

Embroidery hoop with floral design on fabric, surrounded by embroidery supplies.

Embroidery hoop with floral design, threads, and scissors on a beige fabric background.

Free Shipping

On orders over £100 in the UK, and over £250 internationally

Money Back Guarantee

30 day guarantee on all kit orders

Exceptional Quality

Sustainably sourced materials supporting traditional crafts

This kit includes the highest quality aterials, selected to optomise your stitching experience. All sourced from within the UK and tried and tested by our tutors, you will find the materials in this kit both pleasing to use and spectacular when finished.

Pure Evenweave Linen
Calico Backing Fabric
17 DeVere Silk Threads
No. 8 Japanese Gole Thread
3 Needles
30-page Stitch Instruction Booklet
A4 Stitch Chart
A4 Colour Poster

Supporting the Dunollie Preservation Trust

Each purchase of this kit provides much-needed income to conserve historic embroideries at Dunollie Castle, in Oban Scotland.

Stream our Dunollie Film

Origins of the Design

Elizabethan Fragments from Dunollie Castle

Dating from around 1610, this lavish piece of embroidery showcases extravagant silk work at its best. Many well preserved fragments remain of the original artefact as well as the larger section shown here.

For her recreation, Deborah has chosen the quartet of flowers featuring a rose, pansy, and borage, all of which come together in a beautiful composition of stitch and colour.

The MacDougalls of Dunollie, like other Scottish noble families at the time, were adopting English trends following the Union of the Crowns. This piece of embroidery may have been part of a fashionable bodice typical of the time, with its coloured silks, and luxurious gold metallic thread.

Meet Your Tutor

Deborah Wilding

United Kingdom

Deborah Wilding is a distinguished embroidery artist. With a background in fine arts, Deborah has developed a keen eye for detail and a deep appreciation for the natural world, which is reflected in her exquisite embroidery designs.

What size is the design?

Design size: 12 x 13 cm (4 ¾ x 5 in)
Fabric size: 40 x 40 cm (15 ¾ x 15¾ in)

What stitches are featured in the design?

Block Stitch, Long & Short, Split Stitch, Straight Stitch, Herringbone, Surface Couching, Elizabethan Braid Stitch, Ladder Stitch, and Elizabethan Spider’s Web

What else will I need?

We recommend using a Hands Free Seat Frame with an 8 inch hoop and with paddle base or table clamp. Alternatively you may prefer to use an 16 inch Slate Frame or other frame of your choice. You will also need a pair of scissors and a thimble if you use one.

Which frame should I use

We recommend using a Hands Free Seat Frame with a paddle base or table clamp.

Alternatively you may prefer to use a 'Slate Frame' or other frame of your choice. You will also need a pair of scissors and a thimble if you use one.

How we give back

We care deeply about keeping the art of embroidery alive for future generations, and about supporting the talented artisans, collection owners, and arts professionals who help preserve this heritage.

Whenever we can, we donate a portion of each sale directly to the castle, country house, or institution that owns the original embroidery.

These contributions go straight towards caring for and conserving historic embroideries in their collections, and helping to train the people dedicated to their preservation.

Delivery, Returns and Duties

- Free delivery on all UK orders over £100 and all international orders over £250.

- UK orders are sent by 2nd class 'Signed For' delivery (2–3 working days). Orders over 2kg are sent with DPD.

- International orders are sent tracked with Royal Mail. Duties are paid by us before dispatch, and the increased cost is included in the kit price—there are no additional landing costs.