Pergamano

Pergamano is the ancient art of paper pricking and stretching to produce beautiful delicate patterns and pictures. It requires lots of patience – not something I am good at – to gradually build up the patterns by rubbing the back of the parchment to produce a white image. Colour can be used, producing differing effects, and the parchment is pricked with a sharp tool to produce geometric patterns. The finished results are incredibly dainty and beautiful. There are lots of books with patterns “out there”, giving inspiration and encouragement! The pictures below are all ones done in the last few years, and most of the patterns are commercially available. The delightful Advent calendar pyramids are a design by Alison Yeates, and hang each year at Christmastime in my home. The cracker pattern I have in my folder- but have no idea to whom to give the credit (sorry), likewise the Christmas tree. The small rectangular design I made up myself, using parchment grids.

Christmas card using purely the traditional white design work.
A design from a parchment craft magazine workshop, teaching me how to use colour, building up layers to create the finished look of the robin.
An Alison Yeates design – a Christmas card made for hubby, which now is used as a tree ornament every year.
Made on a pergamano craft holiday run by Alison Yeates, where Christine Coleman came to show us this technique of building layers of colour to create the finished effect.
Standing about 4 inches tall is this lovely little Christmas tree.
My Advent Calendar, designed by Alison Yeates. It is used every year. Each pyramid opens up for the chocolate inside!
The year I finished the advent calendar, I ran a competition to see whether anyone could guess what I was making. This was the prize. The winner came from Australia – so now I am an international artist!!
Designed as an ATC for our blog group annual celebration.