Liesel, A Tiny Festive Robin

 

This is Liesel, a tiny Christmas Robin dressed in a beautiful Acufactum print called Forest Tales and a new print for 2026. Berry reds and warm tones with mushrooms and tiny birds. If you look closely she has a tiny bird on her bodice. Trimmed with dark red woven gingham and white tulle lace. She is finished with a tiny sampler pillow, removable hoop brooch, tiny buttons and organza ribbon.
Every part of her body is embroidered with a variety of birdy stitched to delineate her plumage both to the front and back of her head and shoulders.
She has tiger's eye to her heart and rowsemary with cinnamon bark to her stuffing for a seasonal fragrance. With the new birdier feet she in a tiny 7 inches, just fitting nicely into the hand. I like that she is festive without being too Christmassy and brash!
We have several robins that join us in the garden, especially when we are digging or planting. At the moment they are enjoying a little bit of grated cheese with their calci worms in a morning!

Jonna, A Christmas Mouse

 

Jonna is one of the first Christmas mice for 2026. Dressed in a rare Acufactum print called Blue Mice or Blaue Mause, little winter mice on a white ground with red neckerchiefs and a pattern of blue leaves. Teamed with red woven gingham she has her own red neckerchief. The mice in the print are carrying out Christmas tasks including carrying apples with a little moss and a candle which I remember doing as a child during advent.
She sports a tiny sampler pillow in counted thread work and a rose hoop brooch that can be removed and worn. Finished with leather shoes, tiny buttons and organza ribbon, she has a tiny piece of river glass to her heart for the frost with rosemary and cinnamon bark in her stuffing. A very festive winter mouse.
Just a note, I am so busy with commissions that there will be only a few Christmas mice and two Christmas robins this year.

Rowan, A Bullfinch Doll

Rowan, named for the berries they are now eating! Is a tiny bullfinch doll dressed in Liberty Lawn called Wildflower in the autumn pink and orange colourway. It is an archive print and one of my favourites. It always seems just right for a bullfinch. Beneath her dress she wears tiny cotton lace drawers with her tail peeping out. Then two layers of petticoat, one in woven pink gingham and one in cream tulle lace.
Rowan's plumage is heavily embroidered to her body and her wings and tail in dark greys, greys and pinks. I use a random cross stitch in three shades of cotton with feather stitch or fly stitch making her feather patterns. She sports a tiny bullfinch brooch that can be removed and worn with a counted thread work sampler pillow on hand made cord to match her dress. She is finished with tiny buttons and organza ribbon. She has the spun cotton birdy legs too.
To her stuffing is rosemary with rose quartz at her heart for love.
It is lovely to have the bullfinches back, there are two pairs this autumn! They are very present in spring to eat the buds off my apple trees and then return in autumn to eat all the berries in the garden. I occaisionally see them on a bird feeder but mostly they come for natural foods. Rowan being their favourite with Fire Thorn coming a close second!

 

Araminta Sprat, Eaten by the Cat 1894

 

This is the ghost of Araminta Sprat eaten by the cat in 1894. To bid farewell to September and welcome October I am sharing this little ghost.
Dressed in the Libertyt tana lawn print The Collecter with a sheer silk voile shroud so you can see her pale pearl eyes and tiny whiskers. Her ears peep out through her ghostly shroud! She is a gentle soul who haunts the study where the vicar kept his specimens and jars. While cleaning and tidying the study this little mouse was suprised by Mr Jinx the cat and met her end as his supper.
Undaunted her ghost still roams the study she called home, enjoying the new curios to be found there.
Her dress is finished with tiny buttons, organza ribbon and tiny leather shoes all in the palest grey. Her dress has underskirts in pale grey dotted cotton and white tulle lace. Carrying a tiny sampler pillow with the palest little brooch to wear. At her heart she has a piece of quartz crystal to see into the present and thyme in her stuffing for memory. She is a OOAK doll just for the spooky season!

Sappho, A Goldfinch Doll

 

Sappho is now finished and on the Folksy Shop. She is a gentle soul with a kind heart. Her plumage is heavily yet delicately embroidered with emphasis on accurately portraying her plumage.
I chose the dress fabric to compliment that plumage and her overall colours.
This little goldfinch is dressed in an organic Liberty tana lawn called Donna Leigh. Taken from a print designed for muslin by William Kilburn in the 1700's. His print were usually on a dark background but I love the lightness of this soft yellow colourway.
Her dressed is trimmed with organza ribbon, tiny buttons and she carries a sampler pillow. She also has a tiny hoop goldfinch brooch you can detatch to wear yourself. Her underskirts are a yellow gingham cottom with a cream tulle lace. She has the new birdier feet that I prefer and gives the bird girls a lightness I enjoy.
The deep red of her face is stitched with three different colours of red in a random cross stitch with the rest of her plumage in feather or fly stitch.
I was a great fan of Michael Oakshott shot cotton fabric. Wonderful weight and a great depth of colour. Sadly this British business closed down when Michael retired. I am gradually coming to an end of these fabrics and starting to use Westfalenstoffe Oeko Tex Standard 100 woven cotton. It is such a great weight and the colours are truly sublime. Check them our at Elmhirst Fabrics online.

Sappho, A Work in Progress

 

.A few shots of whats on my worktable this Work in Progress Wednesday.

Sappho is a tiny goldfinch, inspired by my constant visitors to the garden. They are one of the most numerous birds we get, which is so lovely.
Her plumage is heavily embroidered with fly or feather stitch and random cross stitch in three colours, which is so satisfying. I try to reflect the birds' plumage as accurately as I can and they are a joy to make.
Sappho has citrine to her heart with lots of chamomile and she is dressed in Donna Leigh by Liberty. This is an organic tana lawn and has a wonderful feel. A little heavier than regular tana lawn but super soft.
The patter Donna Leigh is an old original from the late 1700's by William Kilburn. Kilburn was a prolific pattern maker usually for muslin. His signature was floral abundance on a dark ground. But the butter yellow is just right here.
I will finish her today and as soon as Reuban works his magic she will be in the shop.
The absolutely joy I get from making these little birds knows no bounds and I am at my happiest embroidering their wings, their bodies and all the tiny embroidered details that goes with them.