Watbo Blackwork Christmas ornament

Hello everybody!

Some embroidery from me, for the first time in a while. On Saturday I went to a lovely workshop at Spode museum in Stoke on Trent. The Stitching @ Spode workshops and talks are organised by Mary Chadwick and our tutor for this one was Vanita Roberts. We made these little hanging Christmas tree ornaments.

The embroidery is mostly based on blackwork designs with a small amount of cross stitch. We were all given these kits to work with.

And of course, being at a pottery museum in Stoke, the tea service is a beautiful blue willow.

I got most the blackwork elements finished in the class. The rest I had to finish off at home.

All the blackwork part done

Here it is with all the embroidery and bras done before joining the sides together.

And here it is finished! I even did a mini video so you could see all the sides.



The shape is called a watbo. It's named after  Wat Bo in Cambodia, which means 'Temple of the Lotus' in the Khmer language. I haven't been able to establish why the shape is associated with the temple. I also haven't been able to find out the mathematical term for this unusual shape, despite my extensive research (Google and asking my Maths Professor Dad) so if anyone happens to know - it has 3 square faces, 6 edges and 5 vertices  - do tell me!

I do really enjoy these workshops at Spode when I can get to them, I will try to write them up on here a bit more often (and actually finish the things I start!) And Spode is a cute little museum, well worth a visit if you are in the area and like pottery and ceramics.

Thanks for reading!


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