Stitching for Sulgrave Manor

Carole Bates

As the group of New Zealand embroiderers set off from London by coach bound for Sulgrave Manor (at Sulgrave, near Banbury, England) one of the embroiderers asked me: "Where are the curtains?"  They were very safely packed in my small black travelling bag, having accompanied me as hand luggage all the way from New Zealand.  I didn't dare risk packing them in my suitcase. Image the trauma if they had been lost en route?  I had a trial run taking the curtains down to Conference 2006 in Gore and knew it would work.  Our coach journey through the English countryside, organised by Toucan Tours, was very relaxing and picturesque after our long flight from New Zealand.

We were met at Sulgrave by Jenny Overson - with whom I had done all the negotiating and communicating over the project to recreate the curtains for the Indian bedroom at Sulgrave.  The house roof was being replaced and consequently there was scaffolding in all directions.  Jenny apologised most profusely for this but it didn't dampen our enthusiasm or spoil the occasion.  Jenny gave us all a guided tour of the manor, as she normally does, pointing out all the items of needlework and telling us the history of the house and its illustrious occupiers, George Washington's relatives.  Of special interest were the recently restored green velvet curtains on the four poster bed with new Elizabethan embroideries worked as slips and appliqued to the background.

After the grand tour of the house came our special moment.  We all gathered in the dining and room and were joined by Wendy, a member of the board of trustees.  Elisabeth Beachen, Margaret Denton and I carried one curtain ,each and the pelmet.  Elisabeth (Tours Co-ordinator and Margaret (Waikato/Bay of Plenty Regional Rep) represented the present ANZEG executive.

For me it was an especially emotional moment, as the curtains have been five years in the making since I first had that flash of inspiration while visiting Sulgrave in 2001.  The ladies at Sulgrave were delighted with the results and spoke very highly of all your workmanship.  I felt very proud of the 570 Guild members around New Zealand who had made it happen.  Altogether we used 150 skeins of stranded cotton for the project - no small effort as all the work was done with one or two strands.

The curtains have been made up and had their official unveiling in late March.

Wendy and Jenny presented us with a lovely pen in a wooden box made out of wood from the apple trees in the garden.  This was to be taken home to `headquarters' in Net Zealand.  It will be passed to each national president of ANZEG in turn in the future.  A glass of `bubbly' and lunch followed the presentation - a delicious soup and a choice of apple crumble or summer pudding, then tea or coffee.

Of course no trip such as this would be complete without visiting the Sulgrave Manor shop to buys gifts and souvenirs for our friends at home unable to make the trip with us.  

I am pleased to report that I haven't taken on another project for Sulgrave Manor! Although I do have permission to make up some kitsets from the curtain designs.  We hope to have them ready by June of this year and proceeds will be used as a fundraiser for the next ANZEG conference in Hawkes Bay 2008.

In an email Jenny Overson wrote to thank New Zealand embroiderers for their work:

I am thrilled to report that the embroideries have now returned to the Manor and are hanging as new curtains in our Chintz bedroom!  They have become part of our collection at last. And they are STUNNING! You would not believe how much prettier they have made the window itself, all the panes of glass seem to be emphasised so much more, they just were not noticed in the previous arrangement.  The whole effect is so light and bright, the design is such a perfect replica of the bed hangings that there is quite a different air about the room.  Everyone is so impressed with the scale of your achievement, it is just brilliant.

 

So if you are visiting the UK in the future, don't forget to view the embroidery at Sulgrave Manor, Sulgrave near Banbury, Oxfordshire, England.  Email them for opening times on sulgrave-manor@talk2l.com

Erica Jew, Lila Kai Fong, Pam Macdougall and Ethel Korte stitching

on the curtains at Tui Ridge.

The big unveiling - Wendy and Jenny unfold the curtains watched expectantly by

Carole and Elisabeth.