Four knotted birds

This long, narrow embroidery really is stunning. At more than 1m long it could either be a wall hanging or a table runner. It consists of two pairs of birds, one at each end of the cloth, connected by series of five complex knotwork shapes. The tail feathers interlace with other, separate, coloured strands, finally linking the birds together.

The tail feathers are elements of elaborately stylised and decorated birds with entwined necks. Each has an elongated crest feather of gold wrapped around the two necks and then held in the other’s beak.

The strands that form the birds are worked in satin stitch and feather stitch. Other parts of the design use fly stitch and french knots. Every element is outlined in black, as if the design was a drawing. But the embroiderer has cleverly used shades of different colours to produce an almost  painted effect.