How about a short little tour of needlework-related “stuff” going on out there in the Great Big Needlework World? Just a few little stops that have caught my eye recently…
First up is Hannah’s new blog, Enbrouderie, which is filling up quickly with a bunch of useful information, beautiful embroidery, and all kinds of delightful needlework-related topics. She’s currently working on a crewel project that has captured my interest – I’m enjoying seeing it develop.
This crewel bird is quite a looker – and the shading on the wing is particularly nice. It’s so pretty! Stop by Enbrouderie to see other elements of the piece – and if you bookmark it or add it to your feedreader, you’ll be able to check back to see Hannah’s progress and to read her other interesting needlework-related content.
And speaking of her needlework-related content, Hannah highlighted a great website dedicated to crewel embroidery, but not your typical crewel embroidery. I spent a good hour just browsing this site, soaking it in, examining the various gallery pieces, and I think you’ll enjoy it to. The site is called Talliaferro, and there you will see some of the most beautiful crewel work pieces!
Under Works In Progress on Talliaferro, you will find this gorgeous piece in shades of scarlet and pink. The shading is magnificent!
And in Gallery 7, I found this gorgeous blue pomegranate, with taupe foliage – the foliage is stunning! I love the way the shades work together, and the little shadows here and there under the tips of leaves are perfectly placed, to make the foliage seem as if it is in relief. It’s so beautiful!
The idea that this line of crewel work may soon be available as transfer and instruction packets is quite exciting. You can read more about this in the Coming Soon section on Talliaferro. I definitely plan to keep up with their news, and I’m looking forward to seeing what they offer in designs and instructions in the future.
Are you familiar with Birdbrain Designs? They have a terrific blog that occasionally highlights some really darling free patterns for surface embroidery, perfect for fun tea towels and so forth. Well, they’ve announced the release of their Redwork Sampler, and it’s really cute!
It’s got all kinds of surface stitches featured on it, and named, too. So it’s kind of like stitching a darling displayable stitch journal in the “Primitive” style. It looks like heaps of fun!
Carol-Anne at Threads Across the Web is displaying her progress on her beading project. Every time I see this project pop up on her website, I’m amazed by it. Is it the blues? The shading? The sparkle of beads? The precisely perfect stitching (Carol-Anne is a precisely-perfect stitcher!)… I don’t know. But I love this and I love to see it progress. If you haven’t seen her photos of this project, do stop by and take a look!
So those are some things out there that have caught my attention recently. What about you? Have you stumbled on some good embroidery-related websites recently that are worth hoping over to visit? If you have – or if you have a particular favorite – feel free to let the rest of us know, by leaving a comment below.
Tomorrow’s the start of the work week – time to get back to business. I’ve got some posts lined up for this coming week that include book reviews for a couple interesting finds I’ve come across lately, some scissor talk, a little tutorial on a goldwork tray, and … what else? I suppose you’ll have to wait and see!
Hi Mary,
Firstly, thank you so much for introducing me to Talliaferro! What a beautiful site with gorgeous crewel work designs and finished pieces. Also tahnks for the heads up about the sale at Hedghoghandworks…even though my monthly budget will now be spent all in one place!
Kathy
Mary,
Thank you so much for the two crewel work websites, Enbrouderie and Talliaferro, for we crewel embroidery enthusiasts! Both are fabulous and inspiring.
And, so happy to see a Sampler that uses traditional embroidery stitches! I’ve never encountered anything but cross stitched samplers and have always felt a little “left out” as a surface embroidery stitcher.
And I’ve already “cracked” for the Hedgehog Sale – linen and lovely needlework accessories.
thanks a lot for the very interesting information and links…I go and visit them immediatly
This is wonderful. What amazing work. Couldn’t keep my eyes off those beautiful designs.I would like to make these in my future plans. The beaded work is fabulous. I haven’t done bead work in years, too busy with other things. Should think about it also. Thank you for sharing.
Josselyne
I love Hedgehog Handworks! I am new to your blog….one of my students told me about it and you now have a faithful follower! There is such and amazing wealth of infomation here. Thanks Suzie, for telling me.
Just spent an hour perusing the Japanese butterflies at threads across the web and then back to your site where I decided last years spring design is just the thing I needed. Now off to get some actual work done! Thanks for the wonderful sites!
As a wildlife rehabilitator I found the bird project fascinating. The first thing I want to do is identify the species LOL. But the subtle shading and smooth stitches are just as magnificent as you would find on a real bird. You want to reach out and touch the softness.
The other designs are wonderful but I won’t take up pages explaining how and why I love them so much. The perfect beading must take years to perfect. I did a Mill Hill kit once and I had trouble keeping even a few beads lined up properly.
You share such wonderful things here. Thank you.
Hi Mary, love all your new sites you had in your last email. Love to see what is out there and learn of new sites. Love all your work and all of your great information.
Mary,
How did your classes with students end up for the year? Maybe I missed the post, but I haven’t read about them for a while.
Hi, All! Thanks for your comments! They’re pretty fun websites, aren’t they? The crewel work at talliaferro is really stunning, I think!
Lindi – the class went well for first semester. At the end of the semester, the students took their samplers home over the break, hopefully to add more to them. I won’t know until tomorrow how successful they were! Next quarter, we’re exploring whitework, mostly, and they’ll be working a small whitework project after practicing various stitches on linen with various whitework threads. Then we’re doing a spot of crewel, and we’re finishing the year with a small silk project with a little bit of goldwork on it. It should be fun! I’ll keep you posted as the year progresses!
~MC
Hi Mary, an interesting read as usual. I was wondering about Gold n’ Stitches. She has not updated her blog since April 2010, when she began her Enchanted Forest project.
Thank you for finding these websites! They’re gorgeous.
OK – I’ve been looking around at Crewel Design companies for awhile, for my first crewel project (to do in, erm, a couple of years).
And Terrafino is THE company, I’ve decided. It seems to have very lovely L&S stitch – more than the average crewel design. And I love it.
And Enbrouderie’s blog is added to my feed – what a talented lady. Thankyou for pointing me to them both 🙂
Thank you so very much for all the new places to subscribe. I just love seeing new designs as well as old ones. I want to do a crewel and cotton combination also and now I see it can be done as in the lovely embroidered bird. I thought you had to stick to either wool or cotton only in each project. Now I can branch out too!!
Have a blessed day!
Hi Mary
It is always an honour to get a mention on your website but to be called a precisely-perfect stitcher by you, well, can there be a higher accolade. I wish I were a precisely-perfect stitcher but thank you greatly for your kind words. Credit for the beautiful blue beads and fabulously flowers must go to Matsukawa-san who designed this and all of the beautiful beaded projects offered by the Japanese Embroidery Centre.
Thank you also for the links to Enbrouderie and Talliaferro. Those go straight into my RSS feeder. The crewel work on both is breath taking.
I sure do appreciate the link, Mary. I had quite a few people come through!