Enabling, Jacobean Style - For Dianne
 

Hi ya guys, I just had to share this site. My crazy aunt who quilts, and
used to do NP, has decided that she wants to do embroidery. As in a counted
thread sampler. Next thing I know, after I've sent her a bunch of links to
look at so I have an idea of what types she likes, she picks the most
difficult Drawn Thread piece. Well, she has good taste - but I told her I'll
kit her up something a little simpler, in the same vein, and send it on.

This is followed by a phone call "You have to see the Berlin Embroidery" -
sill my - thinking it's Berlin Woolwork - and questioning her - to find out
she's talking about Jacobean style embroidery- she now wants to do this. And
has found some truly gorgeous stuff. So, I'm sending these links - the kits
here at the Tanya Berlin site seem gorgeous. And I thought of Dianne!
Because, of course, I'm convincing my aunt (who has only done petit point
and NP) that she should get a more basic beginner-intermediate crewel piece
to start with, then move on to one of these with the more complex filling
stitches. The other part of this, is that while I've done goldwork, I
haven't done this kind of work in ages, and now it seems that I'm going to
do a piece in tandem - or more likely ahead of - my aunt.

Anyhow, this site (going back to the home page, and exploring it all) has
some amazing things. Thought I'd share.

http://www.berlinembroidery.com/modernjacobean.htm

I think the dragonfly is calling to me. And Tanya Berlin offers "on-line
critiques" if you buy a kit thru her. A great teaching, customer service
thing. So, I just thought I'd enable a bit. There is an amazing amount of
gorgeous stuff and information on this site.

Oh, we also found some more gorgeous Jacobean style embroidery kits at an
Australian site:
http://www.lynsfineneedlework.com.au/Kits3.htm

So, Dianne, as our local surface embroidery expert - what do you think? Of
course, all other opinions are welcome. Should I guide her to a more simple
piece, then on to working on silk, with many filling stitches? I'm concerned
that if it's too much, her early stitching will be not up to par, and then
she'll be frustrated, etc. My rationale was do a simpler piece with a few
stitches, as a practice to get the feel for tension, stitching, and then
move on to a more complicated one. I found some simple little Jacobean
pieces at Jenny June. This site also had a lot of crewel pieces. At the
bottom of the link page there is a quartet of small pieces for learning
"filling stitches".

http://www.jennyjune.com/jacobean_kits.asp

Dang, I new I'd come up with something new to do after finishing that
sampler.

Ellice

On 12/18/03 11:29 AM, in article , "Ellice"
wrote:

Hi ya guys, I just had to share this site. My crazy aunt who quilts, and
used to do NP, has decided that she wants to do embroidery. As in a counted
thread sampler. Next thing I know, after I've sent her a bunch of links to
look at so I have an idea of what types she likes, she picks the most
difficult Drawn Thread piece. Well, she has good taste - but I told her I'll
kit her up something a little simpler, in the same vein, and send it on.

This is followed by a phone call "You have to see the Berlin Embroidery" -
sill my - thinking it's Berlin Woolwork - and questioning her - to find out
she's talking about Jacobean style embroidery- she now wants to do this. And
has found some truly gorgeous stuff. So, I'm sending these links - the kits
here at the Tanya Berlin site seem gorgeous. And I thought of Dianne!
Because, of course, I'm convincing my aunt (who has only done petit point
and NP) that she should get a more basic beginner-intermediate crewel piece
to start with, then move on to one of these with the more complex filling
stitches. The other part of this, is that while I've done goldwork, I
haven't done this kind of work in ages, and now it seems that I'm going to
do a piece in tandem - or more likely ahead of - my aunt.

Anyhow, this site (going back to the home page, and exploring it all) has
some amazing things. Thought I'd share.

http://www.berlinembroidery.com/modernjacobean.htm

I think the dragonfly is calling to me. And Tanya Berlin offers "on-line
critiques" if you buy a kit thru her. A great teaching, customer service
thing. So, I just thought I'd enable a bit. There is an amazing amount of
gorgeous stuff and information on this site.

Oh, we also found some more gorgeous Jacobean style embroidery kits at an
Australian site:
http://www.lynsfineneedlework.com.au/Kits3.htm

So, Dianne, as our local surface embroidery expert - what do you think? Of
course, all other opinions are welcome. Should I guide her to a more simple
piece, then on to working on silk, with many filling stitches? I'm concerned
that if it's too much, her early stitching will be not up to par, and then
she'll be frustrated, etc. My rationale was do a simpler piece with a few
stitches, as a practice to get the feel for tension, stitching, and then
move on to a more complicated one. I found some simple little Jacobean
pieces at Jenny June. This site also had a lot of crewel pieces. At the
bottom of the link page there is a quartet of small pieces for learning
"filling stitches".

http://www.jennyjune.com/jacobean_kits.asp

Dang, I new I'd come up with something new to do after finishing that
sampler.

Ellice



You enabler you! I saw something at all of them!

Cheryl

Ellice wrote:

http://www.jennyjune.com/jacobean_kits.asp
I liked the quote at the bottom of this page!!! :)


--
Joan

See my first-ever design he
http://www.heritageshoppe.com/joan.jpg

"Stitch when you are young and poor, frame when you are old and rich."
- Elizabeth's (rctn'r) sister's MIL (Barbara Marr)

the kits
here at the Tanya Berlin site seem gorgeous. BRBR

They *are* gorgeous and very well put together. I have several and have
completed one, the small Modern Jacobean flower. It came with a generous cu of
the silk, already backed with interfacing and with the design traced in pencil,
enough cotton floss to stitch the design twice over, and a full spool of the
Krenick silver metallic. Directions were extensive and detailed. She also
encourages free expression in the stitcher -- giving at least a half dozen
choices other than those in the model for the couched fillings in the leaves,
for example. At the time I tackled this kit, it had been about 20 years since
I had last done any non-counted embroidery and the applique was totally new to
me, but I found it very easy going thanks to the quality of the materials and
the instructions.

Annie

On 12/18/03 12:45 PM,"Joan Erickson" posted:

Ellice wrote:

http://www.jennyjune.com/jacobean_kits.asp
I liked the quote at the bottom of this page!!! :)


For the curious, it's
"The World is in need of beauty; embroider!"

Seems a great quote for this group.
ellice

On 12/18/03 1:19 PM,"FKBABB" posted:

the kits
here at the Tanya Berlin site seem gorgeous. BRBR

They *are* gorgeous and very well put together. I have several and have
completed one, the small Modern Jacobean flower. It came with a generous cu
of
the silk, already backed with interfacing and with the design traced in
pencil,
enough cotton floss to stitch the design twice over, and a full spool of the
Krenick silver metallic. Directions were extensive and detailed. She also
encourages free expression in the stitcher -- giving at least a half dozen
choices other than those in the model for the couched fillings in the leaves,

Thanks, Annie. Since I have such a stash room here - dropping a hint for a
kit, well - DH would be very disappointed if it wasn't up to expectations.
They just look so nice, and she does seem quite the accomplished and
dedicated needle artist. I guess I'll send him the link - it's a good hint.

for example. At the time I tackled this kit, it had been about 20 years since
I had last done any non-counted embroidery and the applique was totally new to
me, but I found it very easy going thanks to the quality of the materials and
the instructions.

So, do you think that someone with good dexterity - but not experience doing
this type of stitching could tackle one? Or do you think my suggestion to
try a slightly more basic piece - say on other than silk - would be a good
first piece? My aunt used to be a surgeon - but, her stitching experience
(regardless of what tales she might tell/think, is limited to NP, some petit
point - 30 years ago - and doing hand quilting/applique work (which she now
does on machine).

ellice

On 12/18/03 12:09 PM,"Cheryl Isaak" posted:

On 12/18/03 11:29 AM, in article , "Ellice"
wrote:

http://www.berlinembroidery.com/modernjacobean.htm

I think the dragonfly is calling to me. And Tanya Berlin offers "on-line
*snip*

Dang, I new I'd come up with something new to do after finishing that
sampler.

You enabler you! I saw something at all of them!

Well, at least I was sharing. After someone yesterday pointed out their Xmas
wish for the Drawn Thread Marriage of Minds - enabling me ;^) Honestly, I
don't know why I like these Jacobean designs so much, when in general I'm
not into the more modern, or cutesy or landscape Crewel. But, guess I'll
have to find a way to get DH to understand a hint to order the little
dragonfly piece for me.

I sent him a link for a great sale on a mat cutter - for his sister to get
us. Who knows.

ellice

You enabler you.

The items on the Berlin web site are gorgeous, particularly the dragonfly.
Did you absolutely have to post it. Are you just trying to make sure
everyone spends all their money so they can help the economy?

I'm definitely going to go back later for a better look and I expect I'm
going to have to give in and buy myself a gift.

Lucille.

"
http://www.berlinembroidery.com/modernjacobean.htm

I think the dragonfly is calling to me. And Tanya Berlin offers "on-line
critiques" if you buy a kit thru her. A great teaching, customer service
thing. So, I just thought I'd enable a bit. There is an amazing amount of
gorgeous stuff and information on this site.

Oh, we also found some more gorgeous Jacobean style embroidery kits at an
Australian site:
http://www.lynsfineneedlework.com.au/Kits3.htm

Hi,
I was surfing through the site and fell in love with the Etui Boxes. They
are so cool. What a neat idea. I had never seen those before. Now, do you
think that I can sneak one more piece of stash in before January?

Seaspray

So, do you think that someone with good dexterity - but not experience doing
this type of stitching could tackle one? BRBR

Sure. Berlin's small kits are meant as introductions to a technique. And,
they are better than many into kits I've seen on the market -- more
sophisticated design, a generous supply of first quality materials, plus those
detailed instructions. Many kits marketed as "easy" aren't because in an
effort to make the task seem simple, instructions are too brief.

Or do you think my suggestion to
try a slightly more basic piece - say on other than silk - would be a good
first piece? BRBR

I don't think she'd find the silk a problem. The backing provides a nice,
stiff surface on which to work, so the slitheriness that makes sewing silk
garments a pain isn't an issue here. This was my first experience of
embroidery on silk, and though I found that the needle didn't glide through the
fabric as easily as it does on unbacked wool, linen, or cotton, I doubt your
surgeon aunt, with experience making complicated stitches on human organs would
have a problem with that -- or the metallic threads, either.

About a year ago I managed to slash a finger so badly that it required six
stitches to repair. I had a fascinating conversation with the resident who put
them in. He said so far he'd only perfected six different stitches, but was
eager to learn many more -- there are over 1,000 in use today. Hmm, so come to
think of it, even that complicated Drawn Thread Sampler could be well within
the range of your aunt's existing skills. And, maybe after she does that one,
she could design her own sampler using stitches from her surgical repertoire.

Cheers, Annie