The Dunollie Thistle Kit

The Dunollie Thistle Kit

by Zina Kazban

This sparkling goldwork design of an iconic Scottish thistle, has been created by embroidery tutor and artist Zina Kazban. Inspired by an early-19th Century tartan suit, from Dunollie Castle, Oban–seat of the MacDougall Clan–the thistle design incorporates an incredible array of unusual goldwork stitches and techniques.

The kit includes high-quality, British-made materials carefully selected to match the original artefact, with premium linen chosen for its stitchability. Through a variety of padding, couching, satin stitch, and embellishment techniques, you’ll bring this historic emblem to life.

By stitching this design, you directly support the preservation of Scottish textile heritage and the work of the Dunollie Preservation Trust. Suitable for adventurous stitchers eager to explore both history and goldwork, this kit offers a rewarding and meaningful needlework experience.

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Kit Includes

This kit features high-quality, British-made materials carefully selected to closely match the original design. The one exception in the kit compared to the historic design is the use of a premium linen ground fabric in place of the original green silk velvet. Zina chose linen for its superior stitchability, ensuring an enjoyable and accessible embroidery experience.

  • Dark Green Linen
  • Cotton Backing Fabric
  • Gilt Thread
  • Gilt Spangles
  • 12 Needles
  • 32-page Stitch Instruction Booklet
  • A4 Stitch Chart
  • A4 Colour Poster

Video Tutorial

Additional Kit Information

How we give back

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Money Back Guarantee

30 day guarantee on all kit orders

Exceptional Quality

Sustainably sourced materials supporting traditional crafts

Supporting the Dunollie Preservation Trust

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

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Origins of the Design

The Dunollie Thistle

This early-19th Century tartan suit, owned and worn by Sir John MacDougall (Vice-Admiral and 25th MacDougall Clan Chief), is the inspiration for Zina’s Dunollie Thistle design.

Sir John and his sister Mary Jane attended King George IV’s celebrated visit to Edinburgh in 1822, and it is thought that John wore this suit - a vision of the perfect Highland Chief in an era when the revival of Highland dress was gaining momentum.

Though featured here as a jacket and kilt, the suit also includes a set of trews (with feet!) making it what experts believe to be the only surviving 5-piece suit from this period. This outfit would have included: jacket, waistcoat, kilt, trews and sash.

Zina's design involves a remarkable array of goldwork stitches and techniques, including Soft String Padding, Felt Padding, Couching with Diamant metallic thread, Couching with passing thread, Satin Stitch, Applying Spangles, Cutwork, as well as using Baby Grecian, Milliary, and Pearl Purl.

Meet Your Tutor

Zina Kazban

United Kingdom

Zina is a graduate of the Future Tutors programme at the Royal School of Needlework. She has also trained at Ecole Lesage (Métiers d’Art CHANEL).

Explore the Collection

Dunollie Castle Collection
Dunollie Castle Collection
Dunollie Castle is the seat of Clan MacDougall, one of the oldest Scottish Highland clans. Located about 1 mile north of Oban, in an area of Argyll known to have been inhabited for at least 8,000 years, the now ruined medieval Dunollie Castle overlooks the Western Hebrides, guarding the key waterways of the West Coast of Scotland. In the 12th century Dunollie began its 1000 year history as a MacDougall stronghold, when Somerled, a Gaelic warrior chieftain, rose to prominence, through marital alliance and military conquest, to create the Kingdom of Argyll and the Isles. Today, under the guardianship of...
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