Pages

Friday, May 25, 2012

Lovers Of Blue & White - Free Embroidery Pattern

“Where a wind ever soft from the blue heaven blows”
Johann von Goethe


What Inspires You?....Color? Fabric? Images? Or all of the above?  


I'd love to hear from you, so please share what inspires you!







Recently, I was inspired by a bargain I found at Marshall's, Blue & White bone china mugs.











They feature Elizabethan looking flowers & insects...  




Do they remind you of 17th c. engravings?












You may recall a project I started for a class I was asked to teach at Hand Dyed Fibers. The project was a Tudor rose on a pinwheel. Vikki, of Hand Dyed Fibers, cancelled the needlework conference she had planned for this year, so the class hasn't come to fruition yet.


I decided to re-work the rose pattern and embroider it in blue on white.  I will be making a pinwheel like the one pictured on the cover of Erica Uten's book.  Later I plan to make a matching sweet bag with a peony on it, and possibly some other embroidery accoutrements.  All the pieces will feature posies worked in Speckling technique.



Here you see the design transferred on to 50ct white Kingston linen, ready to embroider.  If you would like to stitch this rose with me, here's my PDF Pattern.


When I re-worked the pattern, I made it like the Tudor rose that appears in this early 17th century block printed linen at the V&A Museum, Acc No. T.174B-1931.  I love the idea that 400 years ago someone printed this rose on linen for embroidery and today, I can transfer that same pattern on to linen and embroider it!  How's that for connecting with embroiderers of the past?!




Stop by later to see my progress....




9 comments:

  1. I really *need* those mugs! :-) Absolutely they remind me of the period engravings!
    Images inspire me, btw.
    oooo....can't wait to see you make a Swetebag

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you collect Blue & White china? I wouldn't have guessed you for a B/W girl! : )

      Delete
  2. It will be fascinating to see the project grow..

    ReplyDelete
  3. Absolutely LOVE this! I was going to send this to Elmsley, but I see she has already been here. :)

    ReplyDelete
  4. I have been to the V&A and seen and photographed that printed linen frame. It never occurred to me to take it and make one of those particular motifs into a design. And BTW, I am a pretty hardcore B/W girl myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've seen the piece at the V&A - I'm envious! I've only been to London once and with my Mother. Her health wasn't good the day we were scheduled to go to the V&A and I never got to go : ( Maybe another time.

      Have you seen the current issue of Victoria magazine? It's their annual Blue & White issue.

      Delete
  5. so lovely project.I really need this mug.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I bought them at TJ Max last summer (2012) and picked up another for a friend on ebay. The bottom of the mug is stamped "Rose of England" Fine Bone China England.

      Happy Hunting,
      Kimberly

      Delete

Thank you for your interest in my blog. I'd love to hear from you...