I take inspiration for my long stitch needlepoint patterns from design styles from the medieval period through to mid 20th Century retro. Sometimes I'll come across an interesting shape or a repeating pattern in a book of historic designs, on a door frame in one of the UK's many amazing historic buildings or even in the repeating pattern on an old manhole cover in a road. I seem to have a hyper awareness for patterns and shapes but I won't give a second glance to a sentimental, objective pastoral scene no matter how well it's executed.
The inspiration for this pattern came from a drawing in a book of a marquetry ornament from a Bavarian castle door dated 1582. I took some of the somewhat more curvy meandering line shapes from the marquetry, simplified them and built the rest of the design around them so that it worked on the size of wall hanging that I wanted to achieve. The drawing was in dark grey and white which I thought worked really well for the style of design so I kept that look, I added the bright red highlights for interest. The stitcher could, of course, decide to change the red shapes on their tapestry to any colour they fancy.
