The Mary Stuart Hussif

 I have stitched yet another Mary Stuart Hussif for a gift, I think it’s possibly the seventh one I have made over the years. Way back in the 198’s a visitor to the guild in Tokoroa  brought one to show us, then I  found the instructions and history in a ANZEG Threads Magazine. It’s history in New Zealand dates back to early 1960s before the Association of guilds ere formed in New Zealand. Lone packets were sent out from England  for embroiderers to mull over.  A packet featuring blackwork contained a small hussif and later Mary Sturt president at the time of the south Otago Guild set it as a small project for a year, with the result in the south it became known as the Mary Stuart Hussif. And it was introduced to us as the Mary Stuart Hussif and I still refer to it as that today, this one was stitched for my Christmas gift for the Guild Christmas party exchange of gifts this week. For this one I used 40 count permin linen and stitched harebells in cross stitch, the lining is a liberty fabric.