Needlework! It’s a Stitch up!
So on viewing my two latest fashion magazine’s, I spotted a trend in which they can both agree. ‘Needlework’ or ‘Embroidery’, either way it’s a very good ‘stitch-up’ on this ‘handiwork’ of a trend! With beautiful embellishment’s appearing on dresses, tops and jackets, even shoes, and of course bags. My very favourite pastime is now ‘de rigueur’, and about time too!
I have practiced hand embroidery for over the last decade…until recent failings in health, which meant stitching by hand now had to seriously ‘swipe left’ due to arthritic joints…much heartbroken by this disabling, I found a ‘friend’ in the embroidery machine, and thank goodness! I was lucky enough to purchase my first machine in 2009, which was going ‘great guns’ until I dropped it last year…and out of this disaster, I managed to get a brilliant upgrade! So a perfect solution to a needlework woes.
Though I must admit, I miss sitting at my frame, and ‘embroidering away’ like I’m in a historical novel…a very romantic notion, not without its comfort, (a bit like enjoying hot chocolate without the guilt..dream on). Like myself most embroidery (if not all apart from Couture) is done by machine. Hand embroidery is extremely labour intensive, and was a mark of ‘high nobility’ to those who could afford it. Now with mass consumerism and modern machinery, it’s readily available to many.
So let’s celebrate this trend (like it’s not been around before….and will be again..) and make sure that we aren’t a ‘stitch out of place’ in this ‘fashion drama‘. To that end, I am featuring here a few embroidery samples, one a rendition of Vermeer’s The Lace Maker from a kit, (I would ‘never’ advocate kits as such, but I had to start somewhere…) a piece I completed many years ago whilst working on a switchboard…it relieved some of the boredom! Another is of a very ‘fine lady’ courtesy of some junk shop, with a striking look of Audrey Hepburn – check out my postcard picture (though why did have to put the size on the front is beyond me…).
Next are two examples of cross stitch flowers done on the machine, not a bad replica of hand stitching I find… Finally it’s two from my ‘collection’ a Kingfisher and a Daffodil, nicely presented each in an oval, compliments of the charity shop! Of course a ‘pre-made’ piece saves a lot of time, but then you miss out on all the fun…Don’t you?