Traditional Embroidery by Penelope
I am very fond of charity shops, when money is tight I can often find just what I need/want.
The other day I popped into my local Oxfam and my eye was immediately drawn to this……………..
It was on special display on top of some shelves. Intrigued I picked it up and quickly glanced through it. I had to buy it – it cost less than £10.00.
There is no date in it. New it cost 3/- and was published by WM Briggs & Co in Manchester, UK. The introduction is written by Lady Smith-Dorien, Principle of the Royal School of Needlework, Kensington, SW7. She starts by saying…
“It has always been an ambition of the Royal School of Needlework to put correct period designs within easy reach of the many needlewomen in Great Britain and The Empire…..”
I don’t think I have ever read the words Great Britain and The Empire in context in my whole life.
The designs featured are lovely and the instructions, such as there are, assume good knowledge of needlework techniques for example for this piece….
… part of the instructions read
“All the stems and leaves in the design are in shade (297) but peacock blue shade (82f) is continued into the serrated leaves in the form of veins. These veins you will notice, take two rows of stitchery in most cases."
There are at least three pieces that I would really like to try and stitch. I’ll need to look up the recommended threads and fabrics to see if they are still available and if not substitute them. I think this may be a really challenging and satisfying research and stitching project.
I have no idea how it ended up in Oxfam but I am very pleased it did.
The other day I popped into my local Oxfam and my eye was immediately drawn to this……………..
It was on special display on top of some shelves. Intrigued I picked it up and quickly glanced through it. I had to buy it – it cost less than £10.00.
There is no date in it. New it cost 3/- and was published by WM Briggs & Co in Manchester, UK. The introduction is written by Lady Smith-Dorien, Principle of the Royal School of Needlework, Kensington, SW7. She starts by saying…
“It has always been an ambition of the Royal School of Needlework to put correct period designs within easy reach of the many needlewomen in Great Britain and The Empire…..”
I don’t think I have ever read the words Great Britain and The Empire in context in my whole life.
The designs featured are lovely and the instructions, such as there are, assume good knowledge of needlework techniques for example for this piece….
… part of the instructions read
“All the stems and leaves in the design are in shade (297) but peacock blue shade (82f) is continued into the serrated leaves in the form of veins. These veins you will notice, take two rows of stitchery in most cases."
There are at least three pieces that I would really like to try and stitch. I’ll need to look up the recommended threads and fabrics to see if they are still available and if not substitute them. I think this may be a really challenging and satisfying research and stitching project.
I have no idea how it ended up in Oxfam but I am very pleased it did.
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Colly