Daffodil

There is something so cheerful and unassuming about a daffodil. One of the first signs that spring is on its way, and a flower I have always had a particular soft spot for.

Daffodils tend to appear around Mother's Day, and my little boys do love presenting me with a bunch. They aren't especially grand or extravagant flowers, which is perhaps exactly why I love receiving them. There is something so simple and lovely about a handful of daffodils, especially when they're given with such enthusiasm.

When it came to creating my Irish Linen Daffodil, I wanted to celebrate both the beautiful simplicity of the flower and its more intricate details.

Most of my designs don't attempt much in the way of perspective. They tend to be rather naïve and simple in their shapes, which I think is part of their sweetness and charm. They're not intended to be entirely literal representations. This was one of the exceptions. Without the trumpet angled slightly to one side, I felt the design risked looking like a generic flower, or perhaps a little too similar to my existing Flax Flower. It's that distinctive central trumpet flaring out that makes a daffodil, or narcissus, instantly recognisable.

The trumpet is heavily embellished, bringing a little glitz and texture to the centre of the flower, while the surrounding petals are deliberately left relatively untouched. The contrast between the decorative centre and the naturally matt finish of the Irish Linen allows the beautiful colour and texture of the fabric itself to take centre stage.

I experimented with an array of yellow Irish Linens, from the palest ivory and softest cream through buttery yellows and sharper, almost acidic shades, right up to rich ochre and deep golden tones bordering on orange. It's quite extraordinary how many different personalities a daffodil can have, simply through a change of colour. In the end, I settled on a strong but still muted yellow, alongside a fresh white, for the final production pieces.

Our little linen Daffodil makes a lovely addition to a Spring or Easter Tree, bringing a touch of the garden indoors without having to wait for the bulbs to make an appearance.

You can read about my own adventures growing over twenty varieties of daffodils in my journal, A Daffodil or Twenty.

And if you're gathering a little linen garden of your own, you might also enjoy our Dewy Rose, Tulips and Flax Flower.

Our Irish Linen

Our luxury artisan decorations are handcrafted from beautiful Irish Linen, thoughtfully sourced from a mixture of vintage fabrics, local mill deadstock, repurposed antique tablecloths and offcuts from our own cushion making. We also work with a small number of wonderful Irish linen mills, including one of the last remaining linen mills still active in Ireland today, carefully selecting fabrics for their colour, texture and character.