Precious Pansies by Joanna Jakuszewska

Every family has that go-to person whose skills inevitably come into play at life’s pivotal moments.

The lawyer is called when legal troubles arise, the IT expert keeps everyone’s devices running smoothly, and the handy person in the family always has a project on the go.

As embroiderers, our shining moments often come during life’s most meaningful celebrations such as births and weddings.

These are the times when needle and thread are called upon to help mark the occasion with something bespoke, beautiful, and enduring.These are the times when needle and thread are called upon to help mark the occasion with something bespoke, beautiful, and enduring.

So, when Joanna Jakuszewska’s design Precious Pansies from The Handpicked Collection 5 first arrived at our office, we were thrilled at the thought that this duo would make a perfect wedding project.

Readers are often looking for wedding-specific pieces like embroidered gloves, monogrammed hankies, ring pillows etc. and Precious Pansies fits into this category perfectly.

Joanna has created two exquisite versions of her pansy motif using Richelieu embroidery. Sometimes known as cutwork, Richelieu has all the appearance of delicate lace yet is far more robust and durable, making it ideally suited for heirloom pieces intended to be both admired and handled.

The pansy, with its distinctive petal formation, lends itself beautifully to this technique, remaining instantly recognisable even when worked in pure white rather than its usual palette of vibrant hues.

Part of the beauty of Joanna’s design lies in the way the pansy petals and leaves are arranged so they overlap and interlock, forming a circular wreath.

Each bloom is tethered to the central circle by fine bars of lace-like stitching, creating an openwork effect that is delicate yet structurally strong.

The motif appears in two variations. The first is a table mat, with the circlet worked onto medium-weight linen using three strands of thread for a bold yet refined finish.

The second is a dainty cushion, ideal as a ring pillow, where the design is reduced in scale and stitched with two strands on a finer linen. The cushion is then backed with contrasting satin and fastened with neat white buttons, completing a piece as practical as it is beautiful.

There is no doubt that Precious Pansies is an ideal project for a wedding with its quiet elegance perfectly complementing the romance of the day.There is no doubt that Precious Pansies is an ideal project for a wedding with its quiet elegance perfectly complementing the romance of the day.

Yet its beauty extends beyond a single occasion, with both pieces equally at home as timeless accents in everyday décor.

This project demonstrates how embroidery can transform life’s special moments into lasting keepsakes while also offering universal appeal in its application.

Ready-to-Stitch kits for Precious Pansies are now available, with all the materials you need to create both the mat and the cushion (excluding the contrasting thread/fabric for the insert) included in one kit along with printed instructions.