Blossom Hedge Sparrows by Nicola Jarvis

As we continue our walk with Nicola and her faithful canine companion Quince, this week we pick up their journey as they are passing through their allotment (or fields) one spring morning.

Here is Nicola as she explains the backstory to her piece Blossom Hedge Sparrows from the book Life in Seasons | Winter & Spring:

‘I relish the quiet times immersed in the natural world with no one else but Quince for company, observing the wildlife and being involved in my thoughts.’

‘As we walk along the grassy tracks, I carefully study the hedgerows as this is the season where they change rapidly. The leaves of hawthorn, elder and rowan are now lush in bright shades of green.

Sparrows flit in and out of the small trees and bushes, perching for a moment, to twitter with one another, then flying on ahead of us, darting back to hide amidst the branches.

They were very common in our garden and all over the UK when I was a young girl, but there has been a sharp decline in numbers.’

‘When I became aware of their plight I decided to create a design to celebrate their subtle beauty, as I have a soft spot for these seemingly humble creatures.

I wanted them to be the focus of the composition and depict both endangered species in their precious habitat of hedgerow flowers.’

Blossom Hedge Sparrows is indeed a wonderful homage to the endangered tree and house sparrows. This design makes an enchanting study of the lightly patterned plumage of this alert pair, resting for a moment amongst softly coloured flowers and foliage.

Worked using surface embroidery and goldwork, it is one of the larger pieces from the book measuring 24cm x 32cm wide (9 ½” x 12 ½”) when finished.

Created from a combination of 13 different stitch techniques and a wonderful potpourri of threads including Appletons, Au Ver à Soie, DeVere Yarns, DMC, Gütermann and more, this project is a real treat to stitch.

Make Your Own Blossom Hedge Sparrows*

We have all the materials you need to re-create this project yourself, from easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions to a Ready-to-Stitch kit with everything sourced for you.

*A couple of tips when stitching Blossom Hedge Sparrows:

Background – as this piece has been stitched on pre-printed fabric, to re-create it exactly as it appears in the book the kit comes with the pre-printed fabric included. Alternatively, use the pattern sheet from the Life in Seasons book to transfer the design and create your own background elements as desired.

Instructions – As this kit does not include instructions, for step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the book Life in Seasons, purchased separately.