Karen your bonnet is so beautifully made. Lace trimmed brim runs parallel to the stitched words ‘Forgive us our trespasses’. Roses and hearts embroidered around Ellen’s name and her ship of transport add to the attractiveness of the bonnet tribute.

Kindest regards,

Christina

A box of beautifully made bonnets arrived today, just 2 days before Christmas. A great addition to the 15,000 plus bonnets commemorating the lives of our Australian grandmothers.

Kindest regards,

Christina

A cloth signed at the my ‘Blessing of the Bonnets’ held in South Australia at the ‘Beating Around the Bush’ International Embroidery Festival has begun it’s journey around the world being embroidered by a number of wonderful people who have offered to embellish it with hearts and roses.

Eventually this cloth will be part of the final installation of Roses from the Heart(tm).

Right now this cloth is in beautiful, snow covered ‘down town’ Toronto, Canada. It will travel to Aurora, a town not far out of Toronto, with Antonia MacDonald and eventually over the next few weeks to another embroiderer in Canada.

Antonia has sent me images of snow enveloped Toronto streets and I hope to eventually be able to show on this ‘Blog’ a picture of Antonia holding the cloth in Toronto City Hall, Nathan Phillips Square.

Antonia’s mother has given her a 20 year old silk Chinese purse cloth to be used as a backing for the hardanger heart which Antonia is embroidering onto the cloth.

Many, many thanks Antonia for being part of this special commemorative cloth’s journey.

Kindest regards,

Christina

The red threads used certainly highlight Catherine Bannister’s name and the pale blue threads and matching coloured lace with the 2 pink satin rosebuds on Elizabeth Appleyard’s bonnet make a lovely tribute.

Kindest regards,

Christina

Thank you Marie for your 3 bonnet tributes. The use of the lovely lace edged cloth embellished with pink ribbon rosebud makes the bonnets very individual. The baby bonnet will be added to a bonnet for a convict woman who was transported with a baby.

Kindest regards

Christina

Pat thank you for sharing your very special embroidery skills to commemorate the countries female convict ancestors.

You have made 2 stunning bonnets one for a lass from Ireland and one for a lass from England.

Catherine Keane sailed from Dublin 29 Sept, 1849 arriving aboard the Australasia 26 June 1849.

Your bonnet greets the eye with vivid colours. Lipstick pink grub roses and bright green leaves dance around the dark grey chain stitched name and details on either end of the brim.

The dark grey stitching of the heart at the back of the bonnet encircles more of the bright coloured long stemmed roses.

Your second tribute, a bonnet made for Jane Keane who was transported from London on July 21, 1847 is equally as colourful, though different.

The red grub rose embroidery that surrounds the chain stitched name and information matches the blue thread chosen for this work.

Similar red grub roses, at the other end of the brim, work in beautifully with the black thread used to outline the name of the ship. the Asia (7) that arrived in Australia on March 23, 1847.

The circle of red grub roses linked together to create a circle joined by green steams and leaves fills the space at the back of the bonnet beautifully.

Thank you Pat.

Kindest regards,

Christina

Charles and Lynda have chosen a very special piece of lace to cover the entire bonnet brim of Elizabeth Harvey’s tribute.

Pale green leaves and flowers set in a fine netting has been stitched over the top of the brim of the bonnet.

The satin ribbon connecting the sides of the bonnet are attached by small bows.

This is a bonnet that Elizabeth would surely have been most proud of.

Many thanks,

Kindest regards,

Christina

Lynda and Jean’s bonnet is a very special tribute to Elizabeth Beckford, a convict lass who died at sea.
Elizabeth was 70 years old and she did not survive the voyage to New South Wales on the Lady Penrhyn.
Today she is remembered by Jean and Lynda from the State that Elizabeth did not reach.

The use of pale green symbolising calmness works wonderfully well with the pale pink flowers. The entire outside edge of the brim is covered with a ribbon of pink and green flowers. Pale green ribbons fall from the point where the flowers end. The same pink and green flowered ribbon emphasises the horseshoe shaped material at the back of the bonnet. The material that the bonnet is made out of has an overall design of pales green spots, barely noticeable that is picked up by the green satin ribbon. A heart of pale pink grub roses and light green foliage have been placed at either end of the brim. Elizabeth Beckford’s name sits close to the top of one of the heart motifs.

This bonnet is a special tribute to an older lady whose body would have only known the burial ground of the vast ocean through which the Lady Penrhyn sailed.

Thank you Jean and Lynda.

Kindest regards

Christina

Dear Valda,

Each time I open a parcel I say to myself no one can possibly think up another way to embellish their bonnet… after 15,000 bonnets you would think there could be no more surprises, but like the convict women with their individual mannerisms and skills, every bonnet bears its own signature, the makers touch.

Your bonnet tribute to Mary Stratford, transported from Ireland in 1801 aboard the ship the Hercules is an example of individualism.

You have reinforced the brim with a lace insert and added an edge of lace that peeps out from underneath the calico brim. The edge of the brim, that borders with the top of the bonnet, is covered with ribbon lace and the pink ribbon matched the pale mauve thread used in Mary’s name. The mauve and purple flower posies surrounding Mary’s name match those on the other side of the brim and the one at the nape at the back of the bonnet. The cream satin ribbon extends from the ribbon lace and adds to the specialness of the bonnet.

Thank you.

Kindest regards,

Christina