Small Easter gifts

 

In early March, Morris and Sons advertised a range of Corinne Lapiere kits for Easter gifts. I liked the look of them and figured I could just about make them before Easter, if they arrived in good time. 

I ordered them on 11th March and they arrived on the 16th. I set to work straight away, beginning with the rabbit inside a carrot, which is absurd. I thought my health-conscious grandson might enjoy it (he did!)

It was a lot of fun to stitch, but did require a bit of fiddling.

I chose the beehive next because it had more embroidery. It also had 15 tiny felt leaves to attach. I’m glad I ignored the instruction to cut everything out of the felt before starting. There’s no way I could have managed not to lose some of them. It was also easier to embroider the main body before cutting out, holding the whole felt sheet in your hand, rather than a piece less than 3” square.

Instructions  were only for embroidery on one side, but I added to the back as well

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After that I tackled the chicken.

This was  embroidered on both sides. Again, I embroidered it before cutting out the pieces. This was nicely varied. Construction requires patience, pins and a little dexterity.

Then came rabbits. The instructions were for making one in each of three felt colours. Apart from facial features they were not embroidered. I decided they could do with a little embroidery. I had by now decided to give these to the girls. It was clear I could get at least two, and possibly three, from each felt colour. I thought I should embroider each one with a different motif.

On the first one, I chose a native red daisy

then some sprigs of wattle.

then wisteria.

After adding a bottlebrush to one side of the next one, I hesitated to repeat it on the other side. It seemed not only unnecessary, but somehow to detract from the first one.

The same applied to the lemon tree.  One is enough.

These are all quite small, about 2" without the ears.

                                                          

My favourite of the kits, however, turned out to be the last, the Star-Gazing Hare. I had to look up the mythology.  The Star Gazing Hare was the companion of the goddess Eostre, from whom we get Easter. It became a talisman for renewal, Spring, beginnings, fertility. 

She carries a star and a telescope and gazes at the sky.  The body stitching, rounds and rounds of running stitch, was a bit repetitive, but it's a charming figure with a most interesting story. 

 

I found this basket in the Frewville supermarket. It was just the thing for transporting these gifts. 

I added bookmark tags to each figure with the recipient's name and put them in the basket, along with some Ukrainian Easter eggs and some nests. 

They were well received.

There's enough felt to make the best part of another set. 

I've also bought a few more Corinne Lapiere kits while Morrison's have them in stock. It's a luxury. As you can see, I really like them.