Golden Lilies by Di Kichner
9th June 2023
The Arum lily. Colonies of thick lush dark green leaves congregate together and at the appointed time shoot forth long stems with a mysterious furled end hiding a beauty within.
As the stem reaches its peak, the tip begins to unravel to reveal an elegant piercing white spathe surrounding a striking yellow spadex.
Hardy, long lasting and instantly recognisable, you would never guess this flower could be so controversial.
Many of us would have heard the stories of a poor unsuspecting Romeo courting his Juliet by presenting her a posy of Arum lilies, only to be sent packing, guilty of the fatal faux pas of gifting his beloved the funeral flower.
Why are lilies known as funeral flowers? They are symbolic of innocence restored to the soul by way of their peace, purity and majesty.
Speak to those living in the Margaret River and South West Capes area of Western Australia, and they’ll tell you death is an apt topic for the Arum lily. Left unchecked, the plant has spread through the natural bush and farmland killing off native vegetation and is now officially declared a pest.
With all this talk of funerals and pest certification, if the Arum lily was a brand, it sounds like it might need some help with a positive PR campaign. Enter Di Kirchner.
Golden Lilies is Di’s latest piece of stitched art that adorns the pages of Inspirations issue #118.
Every bit as striking as the real thing, Di has replicated the sophistication, elegance and majestic nature of this flower through the use of goldwork.
The sculptural shape of the spathe has been captured beautifully thanks to the dramatic skeletal outlines that create a bold contrast against the richly gilded areas.
Di has assembled a wonderful collection of techniques and materials in such a way that this piece can easily be used as a goldwork sampler. It really covers off the gamut of all things working with metal threads.
Example of Turning Rows technique
Within this design you’ll find chipping, couching, purl cutwork, stab stitch and padding, worked using a glorious range of metallic threads.
If you are considering stitching your own Golden Lilies, it might be worth checking out the Ready-to-Stitch kit to help take the hassle out of sourcing some of the harder to find materials.
There is nothing like the luxurious gleam of gold thread and its irresistible warmth and richness. Di has most certainly done the Arum lily a great favour here, by presenting this remarkable flower in the best light possible.
Make Your Own Golden Lilies
Step 1 – Purchase Project Instructions
Golden Lilies by Di Kirchner is a rich gold study of Arum lilies.
Inspirations Issue 118
Golden Lilies – i118 Digital
Step 2 – Purchase Ready-To-Stitch Kit
The Inspirations Ready-To-Stitch kit for Golden Lilies includes everything* you need to re-create this luxurious flower: Fabrics (unprinted), wool felt, dressmakers carbon, embroidery threads and needles.
Golden Lilies – i118 Kit
*Please Note: To cater for flexibility of purchase, instructions are not included with our kits. For step-by-step directions on how to create this project, please refer to the magazine/digital pattern.