Out of stock for now

The Brown Wren Étui Embroidery Kit

(5 customer reviews)

£185.00

More kits are coming soon.  All our kits are created by hand, with love, by our small family team and require many hours to make, due to the number of components. We therefore tend to make in batches according to requirement, which is why they are often ‘out of stock’. Please let us know you are keen to purchase a kit by filling in the box below. You will then be emailed as soon as stock is ready and we aim that the batch of kits produced will fulfil current demand.  However, if you require a kit urgently, e.g. for a birthday or similar, please do feel free to email us via the contact form, and we will do our best  to help.

But please note that being on the Notification List does not automatically guarantee you a kit.  It will still be first come, first served – so don’t delay in making your order.

The plain little Brown Wren becomes a star in her own right, with highlights of gold and pearls.  But she is as useful as she is beautiful, with flannel needlecases beneath her wings, a thimble on her back and a thread-cutter in her beak.

Please note that this kit is for the bird only.

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Description

I was nicknamed Jenny Wren as a little girl, and have always felt warmly for the plain little brown bird who flits about so busily.  So I have elevated her to grand purpose; she carries a thimble on her back, her needles in flannel cases beneath her wings, and a blade for cutting threads in her beak.  Her plain brown tweeds are heightened with gold and pearls.

Her back is worked using a sampler of needlelace stitches.  The tail is worked in silk shading in wool and silk, combined with cutwork in non-tarnishing tubular metal purl. The wings are worked as detached wire-edged slips, using a base of Yorkshire tweed with needlewoven feathers, silk shading and applied braids.  The underwing needlecase pages and embroidered chest panels are also worked using traditional English wool flannel fabrics.

Once all the embroidery is complete, the panels are applied to a pre-made body form, (designed by my cousin Richard of Skyfield Solutions). The legs and the tiny beak, cast in solid bronze in Hatton Garden, the jewellery centre of London, are all made from my original sculptured forms.  My father sets the beaks in the bodies, carefully inserting a tiny cutting blade.

The wren will stand happily as an étui on her own, but you may choose to create a mossy hillock for her to perch upon.  It is worked on rich silk velvet, using a wide array of freely placed textured stitches; ruched rayon tape, star eyelets, woven ribbon roses, needlelace, French knots, sequins, beads and raised purl tufts, with the addition of a tiny velvet pincushion containing emery powder to clean your needles. They also include an opening to hold a tiny pair of étui scissors (not included, but can be ordered).    The hillock is designed to be set into the top of specially-made wooden bases, either plain or containing a turning tape measure mechanism and linen tape measure. You can also purchase a glass dome to keep your beautiful Wren clean and free from dust.

Please note that the thimble is not included in the kit, but the design suits old brass thimbles which are easy to find in charity or antique shops.

Additional information

Weight 600 g
Dimensions 31.5 × 22.5 × 5 cm
Brown Wren Etui Kit

Kit FOR DELIVERY BEFORE CHRISTMAS, dispatch by END OF NOVEMBER at the latest, Pre-order kit FOR DELIVERY BY END OF FEBRUARY 2020 at the latest

Kit Contents - Brown Wren Étui

  • 3D-printed wren body with aperture for thimble and pre-attached cast bronze beak with cutting blade, and glass eyes (beak and eyes made in the UK)
  • Cast bronze wren legs, made in the UK
  • All fabrics required with pre-printed design, including English wool baize, English wool flannel, Yorkshire tweeds
  • Pre-printed felt
  • Copper pearl purl, made in the UK
  • Non-tarnish old-gold metallic purls
  • Au Ver à Soie 100% silk threads
  • Heathway Milano superfine crewel wools
  • Invisible thread
  • Polyester sewing threads
  • Space-dyed cotton perle, hand-dyed in the UK
  • Metallic mesh ribbon
  • Rayon bound tape
  • Gold metallic coiled wire trim
  • 24ct plated cast gold leaf trim
  • 24ct gold plated seed beads
  • Seed pearls 2mm gilt plated spangles
  • Pelmet vilene
  • Sticky-backed plastic
  • Paper patterns
  • Paper-covered wires
  • Pot of conservation quality adhesive
  • Mini beeswax
  • All needles required
  • Detailed fully-illustrated instruction manual

Extra Kit Information

Each kit is designed with your stitching joy in mind and is lovingly created for you over many hours by our tiny family team in  the UK.

Every material you could need to complete the design, however small, is included in carefully labelled packets. Some kits include over 100 components!

We use only the very best quality materials, and many are made for us by specialist craftspeople sourced by Jenny throughout her career, and hailing from around the globe. Jenny’s skilled family members are often commandeered to make various bespoke components which could never be found otherwise.

Once you purchase a design, we want to you to enjoy and finish the project and therefore are always on hand to answer queries, however small or daft you feel they may be.

The highly comprehensive instruction manuals are written and hand-illustrated by Jenny, rather than using generic stitch diagrams. These are full of the tips and tricks required to express stitches and designs at their very best.

All design shapes are pre-printed on to the various materials included in your kit, to ensure that you have accurate design shapes to work from and can progress straight on to the embroidery without having to transfer the design yourself.

We also aim to provide various items for display or construction of the finished embroidery, allowing you the satisfaction of framing the piece yourself or turning it into a more unusual item such as a bag or book.

I hope that this special design will provide you with a VIP ticket to ‘Jennyland’, an all-consuming experience which will transport you a world of stitching pleasure and imagination. Enjoy!

KIT FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT DOES MY KIT INCLUDE?
Your kit includes all the fabric, threads and needles required to complete the design, together with a highly comprehensive illustrated instruction manual, written and drawn by Jenny. All threads are carefully packaged and labelled to denote where they are to be used in the design. We suggest you have a look through all the components to familiarise yourself with the complete kit before starting work. Where relevant, kits also include the materials required to construct the completed embroidery.

WILL I NEED ANYTHING ELSE TO ENABLE ME TO COMPLETE MY KIT?
Yes, but only basic embroidery equipment. A list of the items required can be found in the front of your instruction manual. All items can be purchased from our website. If you have any queries about equipment, please feel free to contact us for advice.

HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DO I NEED TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE KIT?
Most of our kits are designed for embroiderers with some experience, but the instruction manuals are extremely comprehensive and will teach you all you need to know.
If you have any difficulties, or need advice on the difficulty level of a certain kit, you are welcome to contact us.

I FIND TRANSFERRING DESIGNS ON TO FABRIC DIFFICULT
Don’t worry, the designs are all pre-printed for you!

CAN I POST IMAGES OF MY KIT/WORK ON MY BLOG/SOCIAL MEDIA/WEBSITE?
We will be delighted if you wish to show images of this project on your blog/social media/website, as this often inspires others to have a go! However, as a courtesy, please do let me know if you plan to do this, and be aware that blogging of techniques, step-by-step or close-up images, either of the project in progress, the instructions, and the kit contents, is an infringement of copyright. Please always credit the design source and always include Jenny’s website and contact details so that those reading your blog can get in touch. Please highlight any infringements of this copyright which you observe from others.

I AM STRUGGLING WITH A SECTION OF THE DESIGN
One of the most important aspects of buying a kit from us is that you have direct contact to Jenny by email and she will be happy to assist you and provide advice. We cannot always answer within the hour but we will get back to you as soon as possible. If you are really struggling and need more help, we can arrange a lesson for you or to complete the section for you.

I AM MISSING A COMPONENT IN MY KIT OR HAVE RUN OUT OF A THREAD
We do our absolute best to ensure these situations don’t occur, but your kit is made by humans rather than machines and we do occasionally have a senior moment! Please feel free to let us know and we will be happy to supply more.

I AM NOT HAPPY WITH MY WORK AND WOULD LIKE TO RE-WORK
We totally understand this – most embroiderers incline to perfectionism! While we sadly can’t provide more materials for free, please just let us know what you require and we will be very happy to supply more.

MY DOG/HUSBAND/HOOVER/SOFA/CAT/GOLDFISH ATE MY THREAD!
It happens! Not a problem. Just let us know what you need
and whilst we can’t send these for free, we are more than
happy to supply more.

MY THREAD IS DIFFERENT TO THAT IN THE PHOTOGRAPH OF THE DESIGN
Thread colours may vary somewhat due to dyeing processes and can appear different in reality due to photographic distortion. Due to limitations posed by suppliers, we also reserve the right to substitute project materials with suitable alternatives to those illustrated if absolutely necessary.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT ABOUT NEW DESIGNS?
Please go to Jenny’s website where you can join the mailing list to find out about all new releases. We promise only to send you relevant embroidery-related news and not to pass your details to third parties.

CAN I SUBMIT MY WORK TO A CRAFT SHOW OR COMPETITION?
We are delighted if you have enjoyed working the project and would like to submit your piece to a craft/country show competition etc. Please do let Jenny know if you are doing this as she would love to hear how you get on. Please always credit the design source and always include Jenny’s website and contact details so that people viewing the piece can get in touch.

CAN I TEACH THE DESIGN TO OTHERS?
If you have enjoyed working the project yourself and would like to share this with friends or wish to work the design with your students, you are welcome to contact Jenny for more kits. The kit and accompanying instructions must otherwise not be copied, reproduced or taught in any form without prior permission. This will otherwise infringe copyright. Multiple kit orders are welcome and can be supplied on a wholesale basis by arrangement. Please contact Jenny for more details.

I WOULD LIKE HELP WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OR DISPLAY OF MY FINISHED WORK
Excellent news. We hope you have enjoyed the journey and are delighted with the finished result! If you would like help with mounting or finishing the design, please feel free to get in touch. If you would like to order a frame, box or similar for displaying the finished piece, please visit the webshop.

Extra Requirements

To complete this kit, you will require the following equipment which can be purchased in the webshop by following the links below:

PLEASE NOTE that those items marked * are ESSENTIAL, whereas the other items are beneficial but NOT essential:

 

5 reviews for The Brown Wren Étui Embroidery Kit

  1. Sue Thomas –

    I was absolutely delighted with my finished Wren, I was a little concerned that I would not be able to get my bird looking like the photos. Jenny your directions were so clear and easy to follow that even the assembly was not difficult to do. I can’t wait for my Peacock to arrive!

    • Jenny-Adin-Christie –

      Hello Sue
      Thank you SO much for taking the time to write such lovely feedback, it is very much appreciated! xx

  2. Debra –

    Thank you so much Jenny, I have just completed your Brown Wren kit. Jenny, you are amazing, your skill and attention to detail is evident in every clear step of this project. From the exterior packaging, to each individual element of the kit, each one is so beautifully and carefully presented. Highly recommended!
    Thank you again Jenny.

  3. Yvonne (verified owner) –

    Echoing the sentiments of fellow stitchers, Jenny’s kits are a treasure in themselves! The care and attention to detail put into them is obvious and in turn gives me the confidence and assurance that I’ll be able to complete the project well. These kits are without a doubt the best I’ve ever received and I can’t wait to have my adorable little wren next to me on my table while I enjoy my most favourite pastime!

    • Jenny-Adin-Christie –

      Thank you soooooo much for such lovely feedback Yvonne!

  4. Michelle –

    Although I have done a lot of stumpwork previously, I was a little daunted to start this gorgeous little wren. I need not have worried, the instructions are so comprehensive. There are stitches that I haven’t done before, but the diagrams are so brilliant that it is easy. I have a lot of embroidery books with descriptions of stitches. But Jenny’s are so clear. I’m absolutely thrilled doing it.
    The kit itself is a work of art. Everything is so beautifully constructed and presented. It is amazing.
    Thank you

    • Jenny-Adin-Christie –

      Thank you for such lovely feedback Michelle xxx

  5. Angela Summerside (verified owner) –

    I received my Brown Wren Étui kit yesterday. I could not believe my eyes when I opened my parcel. Everything was so beautifully wrapped. I love my aficot and mellor, both beautifully handcrafted. The instructions seem to be very comprehensive.
    Thank you all at team Jenny an d a special thank you to you Jenny for sharing your incredible knowledge and skills.
    Angela (Australia)

    • Jenny-Adin-Christie –

      Thank you for such lovely feedback! xxx

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