Coquette by Renette Kumm
8th May 2020
When we first saw Renette Kumm’s Coquette in Inspirations issue #106, our first thought was that she had been somewhat fanciful with the colouring. The riot of rainbow colours makes for very enjoyable stitching, but surely no bird could have that kind of colour combination in real life?
How wrong we were. A quick search for the Tufted Coquette brought up image after image of this little bird with feathers of purple, gold, green and orange.
It is a perfect subject for the embroiderer who loves working with colour, and Renette has done this little creature proud.
The Tufted Coquette, native to South America, really is tiny. A member of the hummingbird family, even amongst its relatives it is as diminutive as a button. Measuring just under 7cm, this tiny burst of brilliance would be breathtaking to watch as it darts from flower to flower.
Like most hummingbirds, the days of the Tufted Coquette are filled with feeding, as the metabolism of these little birds is so fast that they are always hungry. In fact, if they slept like normal animals, they would starve to death overnight.
To avoid that, they have to put their tiny bodies into a form of stasis so that they are able to last all the way through until breakfast.
The brilliant feathers of the coquette are common across both the male and female, although only the male has the magnificent orange crest and neck feathers. Rennette’s little fellow proudly splays his crest and glances coyly out of the frame. He’s clearly proud of the magnificent, shimmering colours which adorn his whole body.
We know that threadpainting is a firm favourite among all needlework fans, so to help you really achieve the results you’re after, there are detailed photographs of the colour changes and stitch placement provided. This allows you to follow along step-by-step, working from the tail feathers upwards.
Perhaps the greatest challenge of this project is being able to successfully work with the large number of colours required. Fortunately, there are clear, detailed photographs, and the instructions break the process down to clearly show where one colour moves on to the next.
Bring a splash of brilliance to your home by stitching this little coquette. Perhaps after falling in love with him, you’ll be able to view that gorgeous orange, green and purple kaftan that has been sitting in your wardrobe for years through different eyes. When it comes to colour combinations, maybe nature does know something after all?
Make Your Own Coquette
Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions
Coquette by Renette Kumm is an ornate hummingbird depicted in threadpainting.
Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit
The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Coquette includes everything* you need to re-create this brightly coloured hummingbird: Fabrics (unprinted), embroidery threads and needles.