Friday, January 30, 2009

Old Fashion Embroidery



Old Fashion Embroidery



gold embroidery scissors and a threaded needle




It's a skill I learned from my Grandmother when I was nine years old.

On an old pillowcase she drew a flower design and taught me the basic stitches - outline, satin, cross, chain, and the hardest for me - the french knot.

She put together a small round tin that was big enough to hold the beautifully colored threads, the needles, the metal hoop, and my most cherished tool of all - the gold colored embroidery scissors that were shaped like a bird.

I still have the scissors, but they are in a bigger case now. I still have the skills, but not as much time to use them.

When I purchased a new sewing machine, shortly before my children were born, it came with an embroidery tool built in it.

My clothing and crafts soon had these beautifully designed custom embroidery patterns on them - all created in the blink of an eye with this machine.

Today, there are websites, like, Threadsmith.com, where you can design your pattern online, and they will send you the clothing with your design beautifully embroidered on it.

Yep, embroidery has come a long way over the years. I am still glad to have this skill though. The joy that a handcrafted gift brings is unmeasurable.










12 comments:

  1. Very cool you like embroidery, my wife has done some very beautiful work with it, some that has taken years.

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  2. Hi Bob - I also have some large projects that have taken years. It's a skill that seems to be dying - my daughter wasn't the least bit interested in learning it.

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  3. Embroidery is the one and only needle art skill that I was any good at as a kid. I think I've only done it once in the last 45 years though. Love your fancy sewing scissors!

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  4. Needle work was taught to me by my Grandmother, a joy I so enjoy.It does seem like it is becoming a lost art.
    I so enjoyed the pictures of the daisies, the roses and even the bird prints in the snow, helps brighten these long grey winter days.

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  5. I have always wanted to do embroidery and it was something I wished someone had taught me but alas, never was done. I did do cross-stitching but that was easy to do but always admired the talents of those embroidering!

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  6. I was taught embroidery by my Grandmother when I was a small child too. I always loved the summers where I could spend a week or two with her. She would teach me something new. She also taught me how to make the old time pot holders using a loom frame. I made and sold many a pot holder while I was growing up.
    I still do all kinds of embroidery and needlework.

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  7. Thanks, Aiyana - I loved those scissors the minute I saw them - and my Gram knew I would take care of them for years.

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  8. Hi Rosemary - I agree the winter has been long - but I have noticed the days are starting to get long. That is a good thing!

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  9. HI Michele - I enjoy cross stitching too - in fact I think I have done more of that then the embroidery. All of it is quite relaxing!

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  10. HI Wanda - thank goodness for our dear grandmothers. I am hoping that someday when my children have children, I can pass this along to one of them.

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  11. I learned embroidery the same way you did, and I also had trouble with French knots. My Gramma would tsk, tsk at the lumpy ones I produced. She was a perfectionist, but in the best sense of the word.

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  12. Hi Bobbie - funny about the french knots - it took years before I could form them nicely.

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