This rare treasury of original embroidery designs dates from early days of the Republic. Nearly 200 beautiful and functional floral, vine, and basket motifs are featured in repeat patterns, spot designs, and more. While most of the patterns were probably intended for use with silk threads, several are particularly effective worked in wool.
Winterthur Museum is world renowned for its decorative arts collections and its exceptional educational programs. Adapted from the training materials developed at the museum, the revised and enhanced Early American Decorative Arts, 1620-1860: A Handbook for Interpreters is an indispensable guide for anyone involved with interpretation of decorative arts collections. Early American Decorative Arts, 1620-1860 elucidates the principles of public interpretation, explains how to analyze objects, and defines the concept of style. Eighteen chapters provide comprehensive descriptions of decorative arts including furniture, ceramics, textiles, paintings and prints, metalwork, glass, and other objects. Many museums and historic sites display such collections to thousands of visitors annually. Guides, interpreters, educators, and collection managers will find this book a helpful summary and a guide to further research. This enhanced edition includes now includes a CD featuring beautiful color images of the more than 170 black-and-white photographs in the book, bringing the Winterthur collections to life on your computer and in your classroom. Published in cooperation with Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library.
Learn to create stunning needlecraft projects inspired by traditional fairy tales, including The Wizard of Oz, Karolcia, The Wild Swans, and Cinderella. This magical collection takes as its central theme a magnificent embroidery depicting the “Tree of Happiness.” Each part of the embroidery is then explored in detail through stitch diagrams, explanations of the threads used, and alternative ways of working. There are seven wonderful designs in total, each dedicated to one of Tatiana’s favorite fairy tales, and all illustrated with gorgeous photographs and informative diagrams. Over 90 stitches are described in the book, all worked using stranded cotton and cotton pearl thread rather than traditional crewel wool, which gives the embroideries a fresh, modern appeal. Whether you are new to embroidery or an experienced embroiderer looking for inspiration and expert guidance, Tatiana’s beautiful book is one you will turn to again and again. “Tatiana Popova is a major craftswoman in her art, and what she does is beautiful. She not only demonstrates the techniques of crewel, she simplifies and breakdown each design into small achievable parts.” —Postcard Reviews
Keeping to a theme started in Crewel Twists, this book continues the concept of using non-traditional techniques and materials in crewel or Jacobean embroidery. It showcases four large projects, each with an accompanying small project similar in technique, and shows needle workers how to be creative with threads, alternative stitches and beads. Traditional techniques are explained but are extended with the use of bead embroidery, needle lace techniques, and stitches not normally used in crewel work. Many new needle lace and bead embroidery techniques are incorporated, and the book also explores weaving techniques used to create textures like twill and lace weaves, as well as patterns similar to tartan and houndstooth check. Every project is clearly explained with step-by-step instructions and lots of photographs, and the completed embroideries are once again displayed in ways that are both decorative and functional in the home. Templates of the original designs complete this magnificent source for creative embroidery.
Crewel--the art of embroidery with wool--is a perennial favorite with embroiderers. Here's a comprehensive and up-to-date treatment, with designs that range from the traditional to the truly innovative. All the basics are there for the beginner, including 68 stitches and 11 projects. Then, for adventuresome stitchers, there is inspiration: 55 pieces from today's most talented and best-known embroiderers.