Crewel Embroidery

This was my first attempt at crewel embroidery.

This project was taken from a magazine called "Victoria", September 1993 issue and the designer's name is Joanna Reed.

There is a little anecdote that goes with this project. I had completed the stitching and was at my LNS (local needlepoint store) to have it framed and the owner was trying to find something suitable for it when all of a sudden, a client who was in the store decided that she was going to help me with this. She started going through the different mats and frames and came up with the frame and mat in the picture.

She seemed to me like a person who had excellent taste, certainly seemed to know what she was doing, wasn't shy of her opinion and all that was required of me was to nod my approval here and there. This has turned out to be the frame I love the most of all. I always think of that stranger in the store each time I stop and look at that framed project on my wall.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Needle Case: Horse

This is the first needle case I made for an exchange.

The person for whom I was making it (Pauline) loved horses and she had a horse that she loved best which was grey and her name was "Suzie" so I tried to stitch one just for her and this is how "Suzie" turned out to look like. Not sure how close the resemblance ended up to be, but she liked it.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Needle case: Lady with flowers

This is the second needle case I made.

I used a cigarette silk print, attached it to some fabric, put some lace that I dyed green and stitched some stems and flowers with silk ribbons and I also emphasized the outline of the lady's dress. I then finished it as a little needle case for my friend Terry.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Fabric vase with silk ribbon flowers

This is the project that really got me started doing silk ribbon embroidery.

It started out with a simple group project that I decided to modify to my liking and it ended up with this big vase full of flowers. One could say that I really got carried away with my little roses.

I had a bit of a problem at one point as my flowers seemed to be just sitting on my vase. I discussed this issue with a few of my friends and one of them (Elsie) came out with the solution of that long stem coming down on the left side of the vase and I also added some little ones in front here and there and this is the end result.

My friend Terry has been working at finishing it as a pillow for me after it has been sitting in my drawer for months and months. It should arrive home next week if all goes well and I will be able to enjoy it :-)

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Teddy Bear

After making the Blackwork "Lace Ribbons" project designed by Dakota Rogers, I decided to try a little project to see how much I had learned and I saw this charming little Teddy Bear in The New Anchor Book of Blackwork: Techniques and Designs (ISBN 0-7153-1929-9) on page 49 and who was I to resist such sweet little bear, so I gathered my material and started stitching.

The finished size is 4 1/4" by 3 3/8". I have made a little ornament with it. I thought it would look sweet in my Christmas tree :-)

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Under the Sea theme postcard

Here is my first attempt at making a postcard for an exchange. The theme was UNDER THE SEA and I use some coloring book drawings and created a little under the sea scene.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Lace Ribbons

I have been wanting to do some blackwork for some time and I was lucky enough to win as a door price this wonderful EGA (Embroiderers' Guild of America) GCC (Group correspondence class) designed by Dakota Rogers. It is called "Lace Ribbons" and is stitched on a white 28-ct Jobelan and is worked with Needle Necessities overdyed floss.

It was just like having Dakota Rogers with me as the instructions are so well done.

I have made a pillow out of this project.

Here is the link for the EGA Guild: http://www.egausa.org/ and the link for the EGA CyberStitchers: http://www.cyberstitchers.org/

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Emerald & Gold Mini Stocking

This "Emerald & Gold Mini Stocking" was a real delight to stitch and really put me in the Christmas spirit.

This is a Kaitlyn Marie design (1994). It was made with a 18-ct white mono canvas and the whole project was all green and gold with lots and lots of beads to stitch and gold threads. That was my first experience with beads so it was quite an experience :-)

The finisher also did a fantastic job. I was also lucky enough to be able to find the same gold ribbon that was on the designer's photo. I could not believe my luck.

I love to see it on my Christmas tree during the holidays.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Drawn Thread

This little project was my first attempt at drawn thread embroidery. It was designed by Sharon Cohen and was worked on 32-ct cream Belfast linen from Zweigart and has a lovely fleur-de-lis darn filling pattern.

It was finished as a little decorative pillow.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

The Iris

The Iris is a stylized interpretation designed by Susan Portra.

This is one of my first needlepoint project made, which I also enjoyed stitching it tremendously because of the different stitches used. It was just a lot of fun to see the Iris come to life under my eyes.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Morris Impressions

Morris Impressions framed (photo above) and before framing (below)

This is another project that when I saw it, I just had to stitch it. It is called "Morris Impressions" and has been designed by Ann Caswell. Apparently this design was inspired by a William Morris's Artichoke panel.

When I first saw "Morris Impressions" it was here at http://www.caron-net.com/aug99files/aug99mag.html and a bit later I also saw it in the Piecework magazine. The instructions are the same at both places.

This is a counted-thread embroidery stitched on an Ivory Zweigart Lugana 20-count and uses the Caron Collection Impressions threads, which I absolutely adore using. They have a luxurous feeling to them.

Instead of making a pillow like shown in the article, I had mine framed.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Bargello Symphony

Bargello Symphony is actually Mystery #8 of a series designed by Loretta Spears.

Both Terry and myself had purchased the pattern a couple years back and had just put it in our pile of UFOs.

This project was always in the back of my mind and I knew that one day I was going to stitch it. Ever since I had seen it on the ANG website at http://www.needlepoint.org/WhatIs/1999/BargelloSym.php it had been love at first sight :-)

Terry and I started chatting one day and we both decided that it was time for us to stitch it and what better way then stitch it together so we could encourage and help each other along the way. It turned out that we needed both during the time it took us to complete it.

There are 6 lessons in this Mystery project and if I recall right it took us about 5 to 6 weeks to complete, working exclusively on this project.

The background was especially long to stitch with all those "Victorian steps", but we were both determined to bring this project to a conclusion and we both did :-)

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus

Gem Storm

Photo of Gem Storm framed above and a close-up below.

Gem Storm is a cyberclass that I took with Marianne Frost in March of the year 2004. This project was made on 18-count black mono canvas. I thought at first that it might be difficult to see the holes working with a black canvas, but it turned out that I did not experiment any problems at all. I just love the Florentine patterns and the different decorative stitches. Working with Marianne was also a delight. She was very helpful through the whole project.

The finish design size of this piece is 7½" by 5".

This cyberclass is still available at http://www.needleartworks.com/cc1/maf/MAFC1intro.htm and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who loves this kind of project.

Pierrette =^..^=
http://community.webshots.com/user/sunshineplus