Life's completeness and riches depend on the things we share with our loved ones and friends.
Helen Steiner Rice.
Welcome to new followers I notice there are several more since I celebrated 150 followers, welcome, I hope you find something in what I share on my blog to enjoy and use.
I did not get to post for IHSW as there was almost a week with Internet problems, it was worse than snails pace and kept cutting out. I did manage a little stitching on the guild challenge this is to be ready by May so sorry there will be a wait till I can show this piece to you and in between times I have been stitching more little bunnies and also this little squirrel. I have put him on the front of a covered retractable tape measure.
Yesterdays stitching was a small piece of Deerfield embroidery, for the next page of my journal. Some years ago I did research into this type of embroider. This is truly an American Embroidery,
The early British Colonists to Colonial America took
with them their knowledge of Jacobean embroidery ( crewel work) Faced with a
shortage of coloured threads one group in New England adapted their work to stitch in 3 shades
of blue. Blue was an easily attainable using indigo dye. Depending on the number of
repeated dips would be how deep the
colour would be. Later other colours were added. A revival of interest in the 1890’s
saw this Blue and White Embroidery become better known and it is now stitched world wide. The story of this embroidery, of the dying of thread and how long lost patterns were found is well worth reading and if you get the chance to read this book I highly recommend it.
Here is my small piece of Deerfield embroidery, the stitches used were stem stitch, herringbone stitch, satin stitch, cross stitch Spike stitch (buttonhole Edge) and New England laid stitch. new England laid stitch ( also called Deerfield stitch) is a form of Romanian stitch and is one of the characteristics of Deerfield embroidery where the thrifty New England ladies devised a method of stitching Romanian stitch that was more economical in the use of their very precious threads.
Today is a new day and I will need to find a new project to stitch
Happy stitching everyone..
2 comments:
Your squirrel tape measure is soo enchanting. What a great idea! And your Deerfield embroidery - lovely. I always learn of new needleworks from you. I've not heard of Deerfield embroidery before. Very interesting. Love Annette
Lovely stitchery on your tape measure. I have heard of Deerfield stitchery before, have a couple of designs in an embroidery magazine I have. Haven't attempted to do one but might do so after seeing your sample.Shirley
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