Her profile talks about how much she likes books featuring animals as heroes (!), so I wanted to make her something featuring one of my favorite books, Margery Williams' The Velveteen Rabbit. My favorite version of this book features illustrations by David Jorgensen, so I did a little embroidered wall hanging based on one of the drawings. I used thin corduroy and wool blend felt for the body and sewed it onto grey cotton cloth (which used to be one of my husband's nice dress shirts). I used masking tape to tape down the embroidery to cardboard backing and slid everything into a thrifted frame, and it's on its way to France now along with official adoption papers. This isn't the first time I've made rabbits into wall hangings, but I think it's my favorite.
If you've never seen the beautiful film version of this book, by the way, you really should check it out. It uses the Jorgensen illustrations, is perfectly narrated by Meryl Streep, and also includes gorgeous music by George Winston. You can watch the first part of the movie here...but the film is so wonderful, it's really worth adding to your collection or perhaps even tucking into an Easter basket. I just love that it was done by Rabbit Ears Productions! At the 5 minute, 30 second mark in the clip, there is a brief flash of the drawing upon which this embroidery was based.
Sweet! I'd love to read the book. I'll watch the first part of the film now.
ReplyDeleteYou can read the book online through the link! I really love the film, as the illustrations and music and narration are just so perfect for the story. I think I once had it as an audiobook, too.
ReplyDeleteSuch a perfect present, thank you so much. I'll go read the book through the link, I've heard of it of course, but I am not familiar with the story. The baby is going to have such a lovely nursery, and the adoption papers are perfect :)
ReplyDelete