'Our' Auld Alliance ... Stitchers Party in Charente

The Prince Left France for Scotland in Disguise ...

Telling the story of Bonnie Prince Charlie's campaign to eventual Victory at Prestonpans begins, at Panel # 1, in Rome early in 1744. But by June 1745 he has finally arrived in disguise at St Nazaire via Navarre and Nantes [Panel # 3]. He makes ready to sail on du Teillay, heading for La Belle Isle by Quiberon Bay. There the Prince makes the planned rendez-vous with his second ship, L'Elizabeth, which takes on board 700 French soldiers [Panel # 4]. This done, his invasion force is ready to sail at last to Scotland.

What better place to see Panels # 3 and # 4 stitched than in France itself. Under the leadership of Jenny Unwin that is precisely what is taking place. And it was this webmaster's 'onerous' responsibility to check out progress at Feuillade in Charente, close by Angouleme, - where the embroidering is taking place. The pictures below show Feuillade first and then a plenitude of stitchers gathered for supper at Chez Jenny on a delightfully warm evening last week.

click to enlarge each image




Progress is pleasingly good and well on schedule!

Jenny herself is embroidering the scene at Nantes and St Nazaire, whilst Susan Meadows has already completed the scene at La Belle Isle.





.... but embroidery is also in hand on additional panels ...

Jacqui Fawcett has been ensuring Cope's embarkation at Aberdeen on his barges to hasten to Dunbar is accomplished [Panel # 44] and Laurence Boxall depicts the Highlanders skirting Fort Augustus to reach the Corrieyairick Pass [Panel # 33]. Meanwhile Avril Wills was there too with her black outlines completed for Panel # 30 depicting the Prince's rain drenched march to reach Invergarry Castle for an overnight stay [at top of this NewsNet] - which panel features immediately before Laurence Boxall's work. Laurence had a 'handicap' for her embroidery by the way! The first Stitcher's Tube with all its contents got lost in the AngloFrench postal system.





P.S. Feuillade is of course where the Tapestry book is being designed for publication on July 26th

The man in the photograph below serving what is clearly a splendid supper is Jenny's husband John Unwin, publishing designer for our forthcoming Tapestry book. Your webmaster took some considerable time with him hammering out several of the 'finer' points of the book as well as collecting the four black and white photographs above of the French stitchers at work - a vital element for the book let it be remembered!



[And the evidence for John's publishing house name appears alongside his wife Jenny in her black and white picture - Chat Noir itself!]