E is For Embroidery (Including Tapestry and Cross Stitch)

 I remember the first ever embroidery I attempted - a VERY long time ago. Maybe I would have been about 8. Someone gave me some handkerchiefs that had a printed design on them with embroidery threads and hoop for Christmas. I had no idea what I was doing and the handkerchief ended up a grubby, muddle of stitching. But at primary school at much the same time we crossed stitched on Binca and then lined and folded and added press studs to make something like a large purse or make-up bag or pencil case. I kept it for ages.

I had no interest in any sort of stitching after that and we didn't do much needlework at Grammar School. All I can remember doing there was stitching ties in House colours onto our cookery aprons and making a cotton summer dress. My Mum didn't do much sewing either so I didn't learn "at mothers knee"!

Next attempt was a small long stitch embroidery on a printed canvas that came as a kit with a frame. I was given it to do when recovering from a major operation in about 1984. Then I don't remember doing any more until about  1992 when I bought a set of 3 small 18 count cross stitch kits on offer from a magazine. They came with small round frames and were vases of flowers. Goodness knows why I picked something so difficult for my first attempt at counted cross stitch. The little pictures have long gone.

After that I made several wool tapestries and we had a friend in the Smallholders Society who did picture framing in return for just the material costs and fruit from smallholding that he could use for Jam making.

I haven't kept everything and all that are left are these.................

Counted cross stitch fashions with embroidery threads (Pete - the picture framer didn't cut his own mounts and he said the man at the place he got them from almost had heart failure trying to do 4 ovals in one mount and keep them level)

Wool Long Stitch of a steam train crossing the Ribblehead Viaduct. This was Colin's favourite.

Collies and sheep - half cross stitch wool tapestry

Below is a wool long stitch that was  rescued  from a charity shop, and the colours are probably all wrong as there were lots of skeins of wool and numbers marked on a instruction sheet but  which colour went with which number wasn't always clear.

I think this was the most difficult to do. I had to dye the Aida first and it's 16 count cross stitch so quite fiddly to do with the different shades.

Most recently all I've stitched are small cross stitch pieces for cards and one or two that are mounted in things (coasters, key rings, trinket pots, book marks) for gifts. 

And the little sampler I did during lock down.

If ever I had a fancy to do something new (but I probably won't!)it might be this, which I saw online, although I would miss out the yellow sun, which spoils it in my opinion.

Edited in to say - if you can't see the picture the link is HERE

Back Monday

Sue