wren

The wren is a bird often associated with mid-winter celebrations. Particularly with St Stephen’s Day on December 26th which is also known as ‘Wren Day’. On that day you might once, and perhaps still, encounter a group of people parading a (hopefully fake) wren on the end of a pole. They may ask you for a penny to help bury it. In this, the wren is probably a symbol of the old year that is passing. He is sometimes called ‘the Winter King’, apparently because he sings even on the darkest days of the year. I don’t know any actual human kings, so I’ve no idea what their singing habits are.

This little needle felted wren is perched on a natural wooden plinth. He stands six and a quarter inches (15.8 cm) high, including his plinth. He is fashioned from local fleece and supported by a wire armature. His feathers are New Zealand and Merino wool.

My birds are handmade so each one is totally unique. Every piece takes many hours to complete and thousands of stabs with a tiny needle.

Please note, they are not toys and are unsuitable for small children.