Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Finish or Fling? - Hardwick Hall



"Hardwick Hall, more glass than wall..." - another UFO from teh last Millennium. Oops! I'm not sure why this became a UFO, although it was probably due to the vast expanses (to me at the time) of the same colour. If I was to pick it up now, having done a number of big projects, it probably wouldn't be an issue...

Hardwick Hall is of course the home of the famous Bess of Hardwick, and was one of the places Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. If you are a fan of historic needlework, there are some amazing examples of stuff worked by Bess and Mary ... and if you can't get to Derbyshire, some more are in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. My dad lived in a local village, and often played in the grounds of the Hall. The building was given to the nation, and thence to the National Trust in lieu of death duties when the Duke of Devonshire (owner of Chatsworth) died. Personally, I'd have got rid of Chatsworth and kept Hardwick, but then again, it is one of my favourite buildings in the world. My dad feels the same way, so this could be a nice gift for him if I finish it?

 

Pros:
  • Love the building
  • I know my dad would appreciate this as a gift

Cons:
  • Miles of backstitching to do
  • Would need a custom frame job
  • Quite a lot of work needed
So - Finish or Fling?


Verdict: Finish. But only because it's for my dad!

2 comments:

riona said...

Glad you decided to finish that one ... I am really going to enjoy watching the progress photos ... for a very long time, I expect.

Unknown said...

The start is awesome, so I know the finished one will be too, and your dad will sure appreciate it, now have to ask, grin, where do your find these awesome patterns of old buildings, I would love to do a few, have a thing about the history of England and all the buildings that have stood the test of time. BarbM