The Nightingales’ Love Song
I created this for the 2025 Embroiderers’ Guild Members’ Challenge.
The Brief was “Colour Rhythms”. My piece won the Beryl Dean Award for best hand stitching!
My interpretation of the theme was inspired by birdsong, particularly the Nightingale, known for its lyrical songs and intricate rhythms. I wanted to depict the birds’ song as a love song, expressing a promise between the pair. The design features a plain white background, evoking the clarity of dawn, with one bird placed in the foreground to create depth. The birdsong, represented by free machine embroidery, surrounds the hand embroidered birds, symbolising their connection. I used a palette of rosy pink and golds, inspired by the dawn sky, with charcoal grey to represent tree silhouettes.
