Curtains from King’s country retreat transformed into festive stockings

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One of the stockings will be a Christmas gift for the King himself

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Old curtains from the royal residence of Sandringham House have been given a new lease of life, transformed into festive Christmas stockings for a charity auction.

A dedicated sewing bee meticulously repurposed the luxurious fabric, crafting 25 unique stockings ahead of the festive season.

The skilled members of the sewing bee operate from another stately home with royal connections, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Meeting weekly, the group has spent recent months meticulously working on the Sandringham material, turning it into bespoke items for a charitable cause.

Twenty-four of the individually numbered stockings are now being auctioned to raise vital funds for The King’s Foundation, while the final stocking is destined to be a Christmas gift for the King himself.

Each piece required over six hours of intricate work, with the sewing bee members employing traditional techniques such as hand embroidery, piping, and precise seam matching.

The King’s Foundation, headquartered at Dumfries House, is dedicated to providing opportunities for individuals to acquire practical heritage skills.

The sewing bee, which has been a fixture at the residence since 2016, is one of the charity’s key initiatives. Reflecting much of the foundation’s broader work, the sewing bee’s activities strongly emphasise sustainability.

Christine Wilson, 72, and Andrea Middlemiss, 63, both from the nearby town of Cumnock, are testament to the bee’s impact, having never sewn before joining the Dumfries House group.

Ms Wilson, a retired finance officer, joined at its inception, with cafe worker Ms Middlemiss signing up six months later.

"It’s been absolutely great," Ms Wilson remarked. "It’s a great atmosphere in the sewing bee, a great group of friends, and we do a lot for charities as well.

“Over the years we’ve done a lot of different ideas, and we’ve learned so much from the tutors that are here as well. They’ve been excellent. It’s a great community-based organisation."

Ms Middlemiss, who discovered the sewing bee online, said: "I really wanted to get involved.

"I couldn’t sew a thing (at the start) and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it and I’ve learned a lot from the tutors. We’ve made so many different things – dresses, jackets, and done a lot for charity along the way, and the stockings, of course."

She conveyed her pride in the latest project, saying: "It’s an honour to be doing it. Because of the curtains, because of where they’ve come from and the story behind it and the thought that they’ve been hanging up in this palace for goodness knows how long."

Sarah McClymont, 31, the lead tutor for the bee, described the stocking-making as an "exciting project" for the members.

"Being given the opportunity to work with such historically significant fabric was a real honour for them and they are so proud of how the stockings turned out," she commented.

"The sewing bee transforming the Sandringham curtains into 25 luxury Christmas stockings really demonstrates The King’s Foundation’s commitment to craftsmanship, responsible design, and sustainable fashion and textiles," Ms McClymont added.

"We hope that whoever is lucky enough to win one of the stockings at auction will pass it down as a family heirloom to be treasured for decades to come."

The King’s Foundation’s 2025 Christmas Charity Auction is currently open and will conclude at 5pm on Friday, 12 December.

Further information can be found at https://uk.givergy.com/kings-foundationauction/.

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