Little Birdie Valentine - free design

I'm really  a hardened old cynic who says that  Valentines Day is for the big card manufacturers to make loads of money, and I don't do cute - or hearts and flowers. That said  - ( and it must be an age thing)  this lovely brooch design by my very talented friend Jo May  - plus the pair of  robins currently courting in our garden, inspired me to do  a little Valentine's embroidery. No red or tea roses here though!

I was interested to find out that the first recorded association of Valentine's Day with romantic love was in 1382! It is from the Parlement of Foules  by good old Geoffrey Chaucer.

'For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make' .

"For this was Saint Valentine's Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate."

These birds started off as Scandinavian inspired but ended up with a more medievial flavour because of the  rather nice ribbon I had secreted in my stash.
I  used  a  purple and a pink/blue variegated Perle cotton, and outlined the birds in split stitch,  then I used chain, satin,  back stitch and Chinese knots to decorate them. They could be stitched in lots of different ways though - or  maybe used for applique?

This is my original drawn design, in case anyone is looking for a last minute make that you can embroider or stitch quickly.

To print actual size:
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Happy stitching!