I gladly accepted it and have it in my quilt room, but think I'd like to display it in our living room when I find just the right spot for it.
It's 16" wide and 10" deep and is meant to be placed hanging over a shelf. Possibly with a silver tea service on the shelf above or maybe some special porcelain figurines. In our house, it will most likely have books on the shelf above it.
It's done all in cross-stitch except for the edging around the two sides and bottom.
No doubt about it, whoever did this piece was an expert with needle and thread. But the remarkable part of it to me is the back side.
Those of you who have done this type of stitching will recognize the unbelievably well thought out execution of the stitches on the front so that the back looks as perfect as it does.
Wooo-eee. Something for which I could strive . . . but I know it's highly unlikely I'll ever achieve the talent of this unknown handwork artist.
18 comments:
I can't believe the perfection ON THE BACK! Not to mention the front. I can guarantee that my needlework looks nothing like this on either side! What a treasure!
Susan - I KNOW! My mouth actually fell open when I first looked at the back side. The back side of my own cross-stitch work looks like a chicken with glue and thread on its feet walked across the cloth, back and forth and then hopped around a bit leaving long dribbles of various colors. :o/
Wow!
Nancy - Yup, kinda amazing!
It is lovely.... Front and back....
I have done a wee bit of embroidery, but nothing like this. My daughter has done it, though. And knits. And spins yarn.
Nope, didn't get it from her Mama. ,-) From her paternal grand mother.
My Mother sewed beautifully! But all I ever did, was Jiffy.
Oh wellllllllllll..... -grin-
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My daughter has done cross stitch, I meant....
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wisps of words - I know how certain things do seem to skip generations. My mother was fantastic when it came to crocheting. She could look at something quite complicated and go home and recreate it without a pattern. I do a little (very little) crocheting but not much. My daughter is like her grandma. Never uses a pattern . . . just does it!
Spinning yarn fascinates me but I've never tried to do it. I'm thinking that takes real talent. :o)
I used to cross stitch like that sigh Now these old eyes aren't capable. I just will spin my yarn and knit. Beauti ful piece.
Cockeyed Homestead - Don't say "just" spin your own yarn and knit. Spinning takes a lot of talent in my book!
Beautiful piece of work, it will be interesting as to how you use it.
My mother used to do embroidery, and the back of her work used to be as neat. You could reverse the pieces and there was hardly any difference between front and back. I wish I had some of her work now, but her house was cleared out by my brother after she died, and since there was friction within the family I had to leave him to it, which is perhaps why I will buy and willingly rehome any piece of sewing work which is homeless!
What a treasure! Beautiful handwork & I can't even imagine how meticulous she must have been in order to have the back so even.
What a talent! Beautiful work. My daughter does counted cross stitch and her's is very neat. I do crewel embroidery and regular, but the backs always look messy to me. So lucky to be given such a lovely piece.
Vera - I wonder if "in the olden days" women learned how to do cross-stitch so beautifully by being taught by their mothers or grandmothers? That doesn't seem to happen any more. I've never seen a piece done so well as this one is.
DFW - She obviously knew just how to do it. But, oh, it must have involved starting and stopping with your thread A LOT as there are no areas visible when she carried the thread over. Wow.
Lynne - Yes, I very much appreciated getting this piece. I would be happy if no one ever saw the back side of my embroidery!
It is beautiful and the stitching is impeccable! I too could never stitch anything that perfect but I certainly can appreciate when I see it. Lucky you! So nice that it is going to someone who appreciates that fine craftmanship.
Sam I Am - Seeing a piece like that gives us all something to work towards, doesn't it? I love to cross-stitch but don't think I have the patience to create that perfection on the back side! (I guess patience is not one of my virtues. Hmmm, I wonder what IS one of my virtues?? :o] )
Those old pieces of handwork are absolute treasures. Such a shame our society has gotten away from handwork of most kinds. It at least makes TV watching productive!
Leigh - The most amazing thing about these beautiful, old pieces of handwork is that many of them had to have been created before electrical lighting became available. How many were done while the handworker leaned close to a kerosene lamp?! Oh, my.
What a sweet friend to pass this on to you... it is beautiful! Yes, perfect stitches indeed!
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