This year’s summer exhibition at Chawton House is called Chawton in Stitches and features the work of Emily Barnett.

Local hand embroidery artist Emily graduated from the Royal School of Needlework in 2023.

Her multiple award-winning graduate collection The Chawton House Project was inspired by the house’s grounds and unique literary heritage.

It is being shown alongside historical artefacts from Chawton House in the exhibition which runs until August 27.

Working in the Tea Room at Chawton House from the age of 18, Emily was given ideas by her surroundings.

For her graduate project at the Royal School of Needlework she created three large hand-embroidered panels which took 1,500 hours to complete.

Emily combined Chawton House’s links to Jane Austen and its use as a research centre for historical women’s literature with key areas from the gardens in the panels.

The first panel illustrates the Library Terrace, through the use of majestic wisteria, with the names of women writers beneath, some well known and others now almost forgotten.

The central panel recreates the Rose Garden alongside 18th-century botanist Elizabeth Blackwell’s Curious Herbal, written and illustrated by Blackwell to educate on medicinal uses of plants.

The final panel looks at the Orchard at Chawton House, depicting the seasonal change from blossom to apples, alongside embroidered text from the Knight Family Cookbook.

Emily said: “I am delighted to be able to exhibit my graduate collection at Chawton House. What better place to share my pieces than the location which inspired them?”