Dream a Little Dream by Taetia McEwen

Read the title of Taetia McEwen’s latest project from Inspirations issue #114 and what happens? We bet that for quite a few of you, you start humming the opening bars to the famous song of the same name and a smile will come to your face.

The tune of the song ‘Dream a Little Dream of Me’ is so well known that it is instantly recognisable just from the opening bars.

The song has been recorded so many times, it is easy to forget just how long ago it was first written and performed.

In fact, Dream a Little Dream of Me was first recorded in 1931 by Ozzie Nelson and his Orchestra and it instantly became a hit. Since that day, more than 60 other versions have been recorded. It has been sung by Louis Armstrong, Doris Day, The Mamas & the Papas and even Robbie Williams.

Of all of the recordings, the one that reached the highest in the charts was the version by The Mamas & the Papas from 1968. This is the version that many people will remember with Mama Cass whistling as the music fades out.

With so many recordings, most of us will have a favourite or one that starts playing in our heads as soon as the song is mentioned. This certainly happened for us when we first laid eyes on Taetia’s gorgeous, embroidered lamp.

Taetia McEwen is an artist and an embroiderer who has an incredible talent for creating stunning, whimsical designs. Dream a Little Dream is the latest in a series of bedside table lamps she has designed that are just as perfect for a child’s bedroom as they are for a cosy reading nook.

Like her other, similar projects, Dream a Little Dream is filled with exquisite details.

You could spend hours delighting at the expressions on the faces of the frogs or at the merry poses of the tiny insects dancing to the music.

Taetia employs a range of fibres and stitches to create the scene and includes various techniques such as appliqué, ribbon embroidery and surface stitching to bring you as much joy in the making as there is in the finished product.

If you know a child who needs a night-light to bring them some comfort, this project is perfect. The happy scene, adorable characters and bright colours are so beautifully set off by the soft light that any child would be captivated. They’ll be serenaded to sleep each night by the merry band of frogs, endlessly playing the wonderful song that has been so popular for over 90 years.

Make Your Own Dream a Little Dream

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Dream a Little Dream by Taetia McEwen is an enchanting lampshade with characters dancing to the music of a frog band.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Dream a Little Dream includes everything* you need to re-create this enchanting lampshade: Fabrics (unprinted), felts, fusible webbing, black pins, buttons, charms, peacock feather, nylon thread, sewing threads, embroidery threads, ribbons, beads, sequins and needles.

*Please Note: To cater for flexibility of purchase, instructions are not included with our kits. For step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the magazine/digital pattern. Kit does not include lampshade and base.