Embroidery

Your C17 designs sound interesting! Some years ago (pre-arthritic thumbs!) I got very interested in traditional Irish crochet. Most of my designs were 1880-1930; some were incredibly intricate. You just don't see work like it now - maybe because handiwork now has to be "easy"?
I loved Hardanger too and made a few things in multi-coloured threads. Can't do that now either.
I'd love to hear how you get on with the crewel work, so please keep us posted.

Hello, I have started to do some crewel work too! I joined a group and some of us do ordinary embroidery, and some crewel, another crochets.

I enjoy it very much too.
The stitches are the same as embroidery, but done with wool, and on linen twill fabric - I've been told!
I am using some old linen hand towels to practice on, these are a stronger fabric than napkins etc. The linen twill fabric is expensive - I've been told.
There is an expert who has a YouTube channel "Early Medieval Embroidery', I have watched some of her episodes, she is demonstrating the stitching on the Bayeux tapestry.

I’ve recently started doing embroidery after many years of preferring knitting or crochet and wish I had done so sooner.
I have several crewel work kits to do but I’m doing a small tablecloth at the moment, slow stitching with my own stitches rather than the satin stitch suggested. It’s totally engrossing and I love it.

Are you working with a kit? When it comes to crafts, having good quality materials makes a big difference.
I recently bought a crewel kit, but the wool seems cheap. It takes ages to thread the needle. I might use embroidery silks instead.

I used to do tapestry and embroidery in my 20's. Then 8 years ago I tried cross stitch and am addicted to it . Only wish I had tried it in my 20's instead of when I was 58.
Did a Riolis kit recently which used wool/ acrylic thread while it gave a lovely finish drove me mad fraying plus runout of thread. Riolis wouldn't give me the numbers so I couldn't order extra thread . But the company Stichter got the numbers for me and I ordered them from them. I use DMC threads normally.

My hands tremble all the time but funny enough when I hold the hoop and stitch they don't move . I use Aida as I couldn't use evenweave. My Riolis hedgehogs are on the cross stitch thread. Will frame it to go on my wall.

I’m not using a kit, I’m adapting a design from a book.
I have one trembly hand but it doesn’t stop me doing embroidery.
I found the wool hard to thread through my needle so am using a needle threader, it saves a lot of time. You don’t have to use wool, you can do crewel designs in embroidery threads.
Nice to know others are doing embroidery too. I’ve done years of Turkeywork and Bargello on big frames but my current doorstop is in a hoop so more portable.

I am so pleased that embroidery calms your hand watermeadow and both your hands Whiff. I am very short sighted, and I feel more comfortable sewing without my specs!

I don't have a kit, mostly I use a pencil to sketch something on my cloth, I have traced a couple of leaves from a William Morris pattern on my curtains, and I just add to it. The pencil leaves a light mark, and it fades fairly quickly too.

I find a needle minder a must and a needle threader and a sharp pair of scissors. I use little fabric clips to hold the excess fabric out of the way .

If you are expert in embroidery then you can also try to make handmade diary and do embroidery work in that and make them look beautiful. I do the same and uploaded on my website. You can check here: myindicraft.com/handmade-journal-diaries

That sounds like such a creative and satisfying project! Embroidering a doorstop is a great idea—both practical and decorative. I love the thought of trying out unfamiliar stitches too; it’s amazing how much fun it can be once you get started. Do you have a particular design or theme you’re working on? sprunki phase 5

charley68

I am so pleased that embroidery calms your hand watermeadow and both your hands Whiff. I am very short sighted, and I feel more comfortable sewing without my specs!

I don't have a kit, mostly I use a pencil to sketch something on my cloth, I have traced a couple of leaves from a William Morris pattern on my curtains, and I just add to it. The pencil leaves a light mark, and it fades fairly quickly too.

Do you use a lightbox to trace the design? I recently bought one as I saw a design in a magazine which I thought would make a good subject for embroidery. I haven't used it yet.

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What a wonderful and imaginative project! An embroidered doorstop is such a clever combination of function and style. Exploring new stitches sounds like a fun challenge, and it's always rewarding to learn new techniques along the way. Are you following a specific pattern or creating your own design?

Well done for doing thus wonderful craft.
My mother was an incredibly gifted embroiderer. She learnt at convent school .
I also love embroidery and never use patterns .
I didn't do any embroidery for years until a favourite dress had a very bad stain on the front.
Possibly from curry !
Nothing like turmeric for creating a stain .
I decided to embroider a flower over the stain and then got carried away as I continued the design over other parts of the dress .

Since then I've used embroidery to disguise a hole in a cardigan .
And I've just bought some more thread to embroider a border on a dress .
I find it relaxing-far more relaxing than knitting !

A friend of mine buys cashmere cardigans and sweaters which have holes in them so are very cheap from charity shops.

She embroiders little flowers or leaves around the holes and makes a feature of them. They are stunning.

She is from Tanzania and says everyone she knows back home does embroidery and they never use patterns.

An elderly lady I used to visit had a fantastic embroidered fire screen. She made it herself during the war and it shows a map of The UK and all the industries that parts of the country were famous for. fishing, shoe making, hosiery factories etc. it was a beautiful historical piece and it was sad to see most of these industries had now gone. I often wonder what happened to it.

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