Before the great uglification that was the 20th century there was a brief period of aesthetic hope led by the prophetic John Ruskin and his followers, most notably William Morris. A 2017 exhibition and catalog brings some much needed recognition to his daughter May Morris.
May was a gifted designer and artist and worked in many mediums including fashion and jewelry.
You can read her embroidery manual Decorative Needlework online.
Are Root Simple readers also avid embroiderers? Leave a comment!
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I am a very avid embroiderer, and I use embroidery to decorate both my modern clothing, and the historical clothing I make for my activities in the Society for Creative Anachronism. I have been sewing since I was a tiny child, so at this point for well over fifty years. (Embroidery is one of two things I do to unwind, not my primary vocation/avocation which is metalwork and enameling)
I love to embroider, but I’m certainly nowhere near the level of May Morris. Grandma taught me to sew before I went to school and I made all of my kids’ clothes (except underwear) when they were growing up. Can’t tat, but I do make bobbin lace. I’ve made a couple of quilts and I can knit socks like nobody’s business, but just don’t have the patience to make anything big like a sweater. I wish I knew how to crochet; Mom and Grandma were experts at crochet, but I never learned from them when they were alive.
I haven’t embroidered in a long time, but I used to do a lot of it when I was active in Renaissance Fairs and SCA. Her work is gorgeous and represents my favorite era of decorative arts.
My husband does cross-stitch as something to help his anxiety.
Also, there’s this amazing artist: http://digg.com/video/photorealistic-embroidery
Avid embroiderer, no. Obsessive knitter, yes. But speaking of embroidery, here’s a story of how an artist uses embroidery to create portraits. Stunning work. http://www.thisiscolossal.com/2018/02/interview-cayce-zavaglia/
Yes, I am an avid embroiderer and May Morris is one of my heroines. For a long time I was stitching about environmental themes and sharing them in contemporary art galleries. In the past year my work has taken new direction, more aligned to the work of May Morris I think. Here’s a video I made this week about the latest developments in my embroidery practice. #sacredseamstress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c60cq_gxIqA
I do embroidery, cross-stitch, and crochet. Now that I am retired I am doing more of it.
I’ve dabbled, but MAN! This is a whole new level! My first piece was a freehand little bluebird. It turned out the best of anything I’ve made. Beginners luck? Or maybe I just overthink it now these days….or think I need a pattern to follow.