Gardening with Gold by Tania Cohen

Ever since we had the pleasure of publishing our first Tania Cohen project a few short years ago, she’s continued to delight us with an exceptional array of designs that have captured the imagination of the global needlework community.

Today, we’re excited to unveil a new project that not only delivers more of Tania’s signature brilliance but also marks the beginning of a triptych of garden-themed designs.

Tania Cohen is an Australian embroidery artist renowned for her intricate goldwork and dimensional designs that often draw inspiration from the natural world.

Her work is celebrated for its technical precision, imaginative use of materials, and the sculptural quality she brings to both surface and raised embroidery.

At first glance you may be wondering why this piece, appearing in Inspirations magazine issue #127, has been titled Gardening with Gold.

To help answer that, consider how a formal garden, or parterre, is made up of symmetrical, ornamental patterns created with low, clipped hedges and carefully arranged flower beds.

Creating a beautiful garden such as this requires a carefully considered plan, appropriate materials and precise execution to obtain the best results, very much in the same manner as a piece of embroidery.

Uniting the two, this exquisite panel is a triumphant blend of what we might typically see in an embroidered knot garden piece, where an overhead blueprint or schematic is re-created, along with some delightful creative embellishments.

When you view Gardening with Gold, think of it like a Google Maps view with layers you can toggle on and off, each one revealing a different aspect of this beautifully imagined garden.

On one layer, Tania has laid out the structure of a formal garden, clearly defining garden beds, edging, and pathways complete with what might be a spectacular circular fountain in the center.

On another layer, she’s overlaid scrolling tendrils, floral emblems, and striking motifs, conjuring a highly coiffured collection of floral beauties that might populate this majestic space should we ever be lucky enough to visit it in real life.

Just as you fall in love with this piece, whether you’re about to stitch it or already have, you’ll be delighted to discover that ‘Gardening with Gold’ is the first in a series of three beautiful designs.

Each of these designs combines the irresistible allure of metal threads, glowing pearls and lustrous silk threads, all worked onto a background of ivory silk.

We’ll be bringing you the second instalment of this triptych in Inspirations magazine issue #128, until then if you’re planning on making all three to complete the set, make sure you purchase a kit for the first one, Gardening with Gold, sooner than later as we’re having a hard time keeping them in stock already!

Until we garden together next…