I had an unusually busy weekend, but I managed to fill in a few spots on my March block. I found a bit of sparkly thread to interlace with running stitch, and I added some fly stitch to the center image of the block. I used outline stitch to sew the doves motif, which I found in this old embroidery pamphlet I've had for awhile. Since it has 55 cents penciled in on the cover, it must be a garage sale or thrift store find.
The pamphlet is undated, but it brags that, although it it written in English, it was printed in France, and it has the imprint of Thiriez & Cartier-Bression of Lille-Paris. It also announces that a series of these "albums" is available "in Stores, Habersashers' and Ladies' Needlework shops." Oh my.
The designs are charming and not snooty at all.
It gives illustrated directions for stitches, and some sweet projects.
Some of my favorite on-line sources for embroidery motifs are: Vintage Transfer Finds, where florecita has started posting again, and the mother lode: the Hoop Love Vintage Transfers site on Flickr, which you have to join to access, an easy process. Once you're on the site, be prepared to spend some time browsing.
Have a great week everyone. I'm on Spring break this week, which means I'm doing my taxes, car maintenance, and other deferred projects.
13 comments:
I wish there were some "ladies needlework shops". They seem to be closing right and left. So sad.
Nice progress on your block!
Amen on the needlework shops.
Nice stitches this week. The fly stitch really adds to the center block and the little birds are sweet and fit the theme nicely.
Your fly stitch seems to hold the birds just a little longer before they fly out of the frame, the movement is lovely and the whole group of stitches echo the "fly", if you know what I mean!!
I like the threaded stitch - it has a nice even curve to it that I haven't achieved yet. The birds are wonderful, and I so appreciate seeing the book pages. I love books like that.
Ditto on the book pages! Thank you for sharing such a glimpse of your treasure!! The stitched birds are adorable! good job with those. I always find simple outline stitch/stem stitch very difficult to work around curves and corners. Yours looks really nice! I also like the way the curves of the flystitch lines around the geese echo the curves of the black lines on the brown cloth in the lower right corner. cool.
:) Just commented on your blog! The little birds with the running/seed stitches in their tails are great!
Beautiful work, I'm still loving that bug! I like the dancing girls in your book, too cute.
The fly stitch chain has become one of my favorites. I think it looks like a fern.
I like the way the fly stitch is a bit of a joke in a piece about birds, and I think that's one reason I like to use it so much. Thanks for picking up on that, and for stating it so eloquently.
If only I could think of a reason to use those dancing girls in this piece!
Wouldn't those dancing girls make a very pretty seam treatment? Your book looks like a great resource for stitching.
love the birds, and the fly stitch.
Another lovely piece. I'm loving these birds.
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