Stitching Witches

Embroidery Stitches

Sometimes we forget the things we think we know- we become complacent in what we do and how we do it and need to revisit the instructions.  Yesterday when I was researching for Art of Fashion I came across one of my old needlecraft books- not where this diagram came from, another one- and I started to look at the stitches.  I have embroidered forever and ever, Mother taught me when I was very young- and I've kept it up more or less.  I don't use kits, I make my own designs up, and the embroidery has changed over the years.  When I first started I used the heavy wool crewel yarn on heavier fabric- I still have skeins of the yarn hanging in the studio- but now it is more for decoration than use.  I've grown attached to it hanging there- especially since some of that yarn is leftovers from Mother's projects- the Partridge, Window with flowers, others.  I love to use silk or pearl cotton, but it is expensive and snags on my hands, which are artist rough.  For the most part now I use the basic cotton floss, and I embroider on felt because I love the way the textures look.  

My style of embroidery has changed as well- I always used my own designs (except for an eagle I tried once and never finished- Mother ended up finishing that one) and a variety of stitches.  Over the years though I developed a loose style that is much more like the way I draw with a pen rather than the tapestry style stitching I did before.   I use lots of chain stitches, blanket and fly stitches, and not much else.  Truthfully, I have forgotten how to do many of the more complex stitches and techniques...and it is time I remembered them.

So last night I dug a blank of black felt out of the doctors bag and, book in hand, began at the beginning.  I was amazed at how uneven my running stitch was, and that I did not remember how to start a simple back stitch.  The way I embroider now is so quick and loose that this is good discipline- but it is taking me forever.  (Actually, two episodes of Magnum PI, which the manz is hooked on, to complete seven inch long lines of stitchery.  Simple stuff at that.)  I was in bed asleep by 6:30- a combination of exam day, concentration and (yawn) Magnum  (he wears short-shorts).  

I am going to persist and relearn all of this so I can add it back into my skills- I love it so and am tentatively planning a *big* project- a project *without* a deadline, just for the joy of creative expression and because I have things to learn.  It has been far to long.