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18 Articles

from the editor

season’s greetings is a phrase traditionally related to Christmas and the associated holidays and the festive season is certainly one worth acknowledging and celebrating, especially as it provides wonderful opportunities to work embroidery to decorate our homes and give as gifts to those we love. But are there any other seasons that we can and should be celebrating with embroidery? The most obvious ones would be those that are determined by the weather and hours of daylight–spring, summer, autumn and winter. For those of us lucky enough to live where there are definite changes, positive and not so positive, the gentle evolution of one season into another provides endless inspiration for stitching–the bold colours and elegant shapes of spring bulbs, the lush foliage and flowers of early summer, the changing leaves…

from the editor

Animal Instinct

Today georgina bellamy’s frogs sparkle and are much shinier than those she hunted in her neighbourhood pond, but they still hold the same fascination and still keep her busy for hours. Although Georgina comes from a creative family who instilled in her a love of creating things by hand, her interest in stitching only came later in her life. Her job at a dry cleaner was to prepare clothes for the tailor. That meant unpicking seams and taking clothes apart. Out of pure boredom, Georgina took some leftover fabric home one day and made a jacket for her young son. That one random decision set her life on a course she would never have imagined. “My son’s embroidered jacket got many compliments and I decided to go for a short course in…

Animal Instinct

BUILDING STITCHES

Even as a child jessie deane asked for craft kits, model aeroplanes, Lego, and Meccano sets–anything that meant she had to use her hands to make something, attracted her. Which explains why she was fascinated by the needlepoint kits stitched by the older women in her family. They chose to depict birds, flowers, cats and other traditionally feminine designs–the only things available at the time. These did not interest Jessie and prompted her to create her own designs. Today, as a textile artist based in Yarraville, in Melbourne’s west, Jessie is still fascinated by objects that are constructed and built. Her art practice is heavily influenced by her obsession with capturing the surrounding decaying industrial landscapes. This juxtaposition and what it means to use a traditionally feminine medium to create a…

BUILDING STITCHES

BETWEEN THE COVERS

Embroidered Textiles Sheila Paine | Thames & Hudson 2008 Softcover 240pg | ISBN 9780500288580 | RRP $39.99 From the magnificent cover right through to the last page, this book is richly illustrated, showing embroidered garments in a museum setting, embroidered textiles in everyday cultural settings, in historical black and white images, and in detailed close-up shots. Embroidered Textiles, published in 2008, is an updated and expanded version of a book that first appeared in 1990 as Embroidered Textiles: Traditional Patterns from five Continents. The book begins with a short introduction to embroidery techniques and traditions, followed by the bulk of the content divided into four parts: 1 Guide to identification: This section looks at the different regions and cultures across the world and gives some context to the styles of embroidery from each region. 2 The…

BETWEEN THE COVERS

A Bird in the Hand

jill ffrench is like a weaver bird. Those industrious little birds who build their nests strand by strand, knot by knot, until they have a unique creation that only they could make. They work without a plan, a kit, a teacher or a guidebook, yet they create an organic, sensuous, sculptural work of art that is just the right size, the right shape and in the right position to attract the right mate. Jill remembers how, even as an 8-year-old, she spent hours sewing toys next to her mum who was an avid sewer, too. “I was not interested in buying the hottest toy on the market – I wanted to make one for myself, add my own ideas and revel in the basic challenge of turning a flat 2D shape…

A Bird in the Hand

A Kingfisher CHRISTMAS

Worked with gleaming filament silks onto a background of black fabric, flowers, berries and foliage often associated with the festive season marry easily with the spectacular plumage and natural surround of this magnificent bird. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the embroidery design All embroidery is worked with THREE strands of thread unless specified requirements Fabric 45cm x 35cm wide (18" x 14") piece of black polycotton Supplies Frame or stretcher bars to fit fabric Lacing thread (frame) Thumb tacks (stretcher bars) Stylus or spent ballpoint pen Tracing paper White or yellow dressmaker’s carbon Sharp HB pencil Needles No. 8 crewel No. 10 crewel Threads, Sequin & Beads Anchor stranded cotton A = 2 white B = 399 lt steel grey C = 1031 ultra lt antique blue D = 1045 vy lt chestnut DMC fil métalissé metallic E = 284 gold F = 285 silver Kreinik…

A Kingfisher CHRISTMAS

Stitching in a spiral from the centre of the large flower, gold passing thread is couched with varying shades of stranded cotton to create the design, allowing the subtle sparkle of the gold to shine through, even in the most densely stitched areas. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the embroidery design and couching guideline template All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread requirements Fabric 30cm x 60cm wide (12" x 24") piece of calico (muslin) Supplies 5cm x 20cm wide (2" x 8") piece of felt 15cm (6") embroidery hoop, inner ring bound Coloured pencils 10cm x 20cm wide (4" x 8") piece of acid-free tissue paper Beeswax Tweezers Mellor Stylus or spent ballpoint pen Tracing paper Circle template Ruler Fine black pen Mechanical pencil Fine permanent marker (optional) Needles No. 18 chenille No. 11 sharp (pkt) Threads DMC stranded cotton A = 319 dk pistachio…

› Work the couching stitches with the needle held at 90 degrees to the fabric at the edge of the passing thread. Allow the lines of passing thread to have tiny spaces between them, the width of the couching stitches, so that the stitches do not distort the smooth curves. › The couching stitches should be laid straight across the passing thread, at 90 degrees, to prevent twisting the passing thread off the desired placement line. › Use the mellor to help nudge the passing thread into position for couching. › Take care not to pierce the passing thread Beginning and finishing the couching threads › Begin with a waste knot outside the design area so that, when the thread is carried to the required position, the thread tail will be secured on the wrong…

My mother was a Domestic Science teacher with an interest in embroidery. With 5 children at home, she had little time to do more than dream about embroidery, but as a young girl I spent hours poring over her Needlewoman and Needlecraft magazines. My secondary education was at a Technical College where for the first 3 years, needlework (dress making and embroidery) were favourite subjects. I still have the embroidery samples that I created in those classes. We were introduced to a wide range of embroidery techniques, including historical English styles, such as blackwork and crewel, both of which fascinated me. I finished my secondary education having specialised in science, but retained an interest in the creative arts. This led to a year studying fashion design, but in the end I…

Christmas Spirit

Traditional festive motifs include a partridge in a pear tree, holly, mistletoe, snowflakes and a selection of Christmas trees, stitched in a variety of counted thread techniques. The needlebook covers are laced together along the spine with red silk ribbon and the scissor fob and etui cord are finished with snow white tassels. requirements Fabric 25cm x 50cm wide (10" x 20") piece of white 32-count linen 33cm (13") square of red silk dupion Supplies 8cm (3") square of red wool felt 10cm (4") square of gold wool felt 25cm (10") square of lightweight fusible interfacing 5cm x 15cm wide (2" x 6") piece of heavyweight fusible interfacing 23cm x 56cm wide (9" x 22") piece of interlining 15mm ( 5/8") 2-hole mother-of-pearl button White sewing thread Beige sewing thread Red sewing thread to match silk Dressmaker’s awl or large needle Craft glue Ruler Craft knife 6cm x…

Christmas Spirit

Mushrooms, with smooth golden caps and frilly cream petticoats, rise on ivory stalks amongst the tangled stalks of grass. The lush green foliage of wild blackberries surrounds the gleaming, jewel-like clusters of luscious fruit, waiting for a sharp-eyed bird to snatch the juicy globes away. Worked in surface embroidery, needlelace and stumpwork on a background of silk, these fragile treasures are artfully captured with needle and thread. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the embroidery design and templates All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread unless specified this design uses Beading | Blanket stitch Chain stitch | Fishbone stitch Ghiordes knot Corded detached blanket stitch Long and short stitch Needlewoven picot Raised stem stitch Satin stitch | Split back stitch Stem stitch | Straight stitch Williamson stitch | Wrapping requirements Fabric 35cm (14") square of…

EMBROIDERY, IN MY CASE, IS IN MY GENES. My great grandmother was a bobbin lace maker and embroiderer, my mother was a Court dressmaker (she made clothes for the Royal family) before the Second World War and my aunt Bertha enjoyed embroidery as a hobby. In the winter of 1952, at the age of 4½, my parents moved house and decided that I would be better going on holiday to Bertha’s house in Sussex for a couple of weeks while they moved. Apart from embroidery my aunt had a love and interest in the birds, animals and countryside around her home, something she passed on to me. As it was winter, we did not spend much time on the beach! Instead she taught me very basic embroidery stitches, and on…

Worked onto cream silk dupion with a selection of metal threads, all leaves are shaped from gleaming kid leather with some appliquéd onto the silk while others are worked as detached elements. A cluster of golden berries finishes the central holly motif and the candle is crowned with an eternal, golden flame. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article and instructions in the pattern download See the pattern download for the embroidery design and templates All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread this design uses Blanket stitch Couching | Whipping requirements Fabric 25cm x 30cm wide (10" x 12") piece of cream silk dupion 30cm x 75cm wide (12" x 30") piece of quilter’s muslin Supplies 15cm (6") square of soft gold kid leather 10cm x 15cm wide (4" x 6") piece of gold wool felt 15cm x 20cm wide…

Although the style was short-lived, superb examples of art, jewellery and architecture are still treasured and admired, and this beautiful study of a carnation perfectly captures its elegance and immense appeal. Against a background of ivory satin, coral flowers and curving, blue-green leaves are stitched with cotton threads and embellished with tiny beads and lines of lustrous gold. this design uses Blanket stitch | Couching | Detached chain | Lattice couching | Long and short stitch | Satin stitch | Stem stitch before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the embroidery design and templates All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread unless specified requirements Fabric 35cm (14") square of ivory duchess satin 35cm x 95cm wide (14" x 38") piece of quilter’s muslin Supplies 15cm x 20cm wide (6" x 8")…

From the fresh green of summer, leaves slowly warm to gentle yellows, burnt orange and rich reds, clothing trees in a glorious array of stunning colours. Celebrate the season with this striking embroidered study, capturing the transient shades with silk and cotton threads on a natural background. Each stem is worked as a three-dimensional piece and could easily be adapted to be worn as a beautiful pin or placed in a small vase. this design uses Blanket stitch | Long and short blanket stitch | Long and short stitch | Needlelace | Outline stitch Overcasting | Satin stitch | Split stitch | Stem stitch | Straight stitch | Wrapping before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the embroidery design, placement guide and leaf templates All embroidery is…

Each bloom consists of a number of long, velvety bracts surrounding a tight cluster of yellow flowers made up of hundreds of tiny florets. Captured here in a symphony of gentle shades, the smooth surface of the threadpainted bracts and leaves contrasts with the delicate flowers, worked in knotted stitches with stunning highlights of tropical blue and lavender. before you begin We recommend that you read the complete article See the pattern download for the embroidery design and stitch direction guide All embroidery is worked with ONE strand of thread unless specified this design uses French knot | Ghiordes knot Long and short stitch Satin stitch | Stem stitch requirements Fabric 30cm (12") square of fine ivory linen Supplies Slate frame or stretcher bars to fit fabric or 23cm (9") embroidery hoop Lacing thread (slate frame) Thumbtacks (stretcher bars) Fine black…

ready-to-stitch kits

A Kingfisher Christmas Page 18. Silk embroidered kingfisher in a setting of festive foliage Kit contains: Fabric, embroidery threads, sequin, beads and needles Subscriber price: $170.00 Regular price: $200.00 Paisley Page 24. Exquisite design to explore the goldwork technique of or nué Kit contains: Fabric, felt, embroidery threads and needles Subscriber price: $39.10 Regular price: $46.00 Christmas Spirit Page 32. Christmas-themed counted thread etui Kit contains: Fabrics, felt, interfacings, interlining, button, embroidery threads, ribbon and needles Subscriber price: $130.05 Regular price: $153.00 Forest Floor Page 42. Stumpwork scene featuring mushrooms and blackberries Kit contains: Fabrics, felt, interlining, wire, embroidery threads, beads and needles Subscriber price: $95.20 Regular price: $112.00 Golden Glow Page 56. Ornamental candle with goldwork holly, ivy and flame Kit contains: Fabrics, kid leather, felt, wadding, wire, mount board, embroidery threads, beads and needles Subscriber price: $76.50 Regular price: $90.00 Carnation Tile Page 64. Elegant stumpwork carnation using silk…

ready-to-stitch kits

FOR MOST OF US EMBROIDERY IS A HOBBY, an activity we indulge in for relaxation, enjoyment and as a creative outlet. We make things that we find beautiful and that will bring joy to us and to those who receive them. We stitch pleasing motifs, pretty designs and delightful pictures. But some people use embroidery not to make an item, but to make a statement. It might turn out to be beautiful or aesthetically pleasing, but that’s not the point. The point is to make people think, to start (or continue) a conversation, to create awareness, or to protest. Clare Hunter, in her book, Threads of Life, describes the banners used by the suffragette movement in the UK in the early 1900s: “The banners paraded at these rallies were sewn in ravishing…

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