Peace Dove by Cynthia Jackson

Dressing the Christmas tree is one of the traditions many of us love each year. Taking out the ornaments, many of which carry precious family memories or revive wonderful experiences from years gone past, invariably brings joy.

The range of ornaments is huge, but one particular motif which features on almost every Christmas tree is the symbol of the dove.

Everyone who follows the Christian faith will recognise the symbolism of the dove, however it has enjoyed prominence in many cultures and religions throughout the ages.

Doves appeared in the myths of the Ancient Romans, causing Mars, the God of War to reconsider another violent conflagration. In Greek mythology, doves represented love and the renewal of life. And in Ancient Japan, a dove carrying a sword symbolised the end of war.

In Christianity, the dove has long symbolised deliverance and God’s forgiveness and has also became a symbol for the Holy Spirit. With the combination of the spirit of goodwill, forgiveness and peace which characterises the Christmas period, it is no wonder that doves became synonymous with the season.

‘Dove’ Pablo Picasso 1949 (source)

If you were curious how the peace dove became such a ubiquitous symbol in modern times, it is suggested that the selection of a drawing by Pablo Picasso to stand as the emblem for the World Peace Congress in 1949 cemented the humble bird’s position as an ambassador for peace around the world to this day.

With this history in mind, this year it is very fitting for our Christmas trees to be adorned with the symbol of the dove, and Cynthia Jackson’s Peace Dove from Inspirations issue #108 is the perfect project for just that.

This tiny ornament displays a nesting dove, its wings arched and its head down. The whole project sparkles with silver thread and crystals and written in elegant writing along the bottom is the word ‘peace’ – a subtle reminder of what Christmas is all about.

Peace Dove is worked on a textured fabric known as moiré which has quite a distinct rib. As such, the placement of your design is quite important as it will be obvious if the horizontal lines aren’t quite true. Thus, care needs to be taken not just in the transfer, but when you secure your fabric into the hoop. It needs to be drum tight and the lines should be straight. If they aren’t, loosen the hoop and try again.

Peace Dove includes surface embroidery and goldwork techniques. It can be quite difficult to believe that so much can be compressed into such a delicate size, but that is what makes the finished product so exquisite.

When you’ve completed the stitching of the dove, the ornament is finished with a shining twisted cord and a tassel secured with more sparkling Swarovski crystals.

This ensures that wherever it hangs on the tree, it will catch the light.

Christmas projects come in different shapes and sizes and represent all aspects of the Christmas season. However, Peace Dove, perhaps more than any other, captures what Christmas really means, and it’s our collective hope that the message of peace will be remembered all year round.

Make Your Own Peace Dove

Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions

Peace Dove by Cynthia Jackson is a sparkling ornament worked using silk, silver metal threads and crystals.

Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit

The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Peace Dove includes everything* you need to re-create this stunning ornament: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, wadding, mount board, embroidery threads, crystals 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.