Good morning!

Yesterday was my first day back to scheduled work and to getting any stitching done, so today, I’ll show you a little progress on this ecclesiastical embroidery project on linen that I started many weeks ago.

In my last article on this project, I mentioned the easy stitches I’m using on this particular piece of embroidery. Using basic stitches is working out really well, because I’m able to progress quickly on the embroidery whenever I can get a stitching session in. This piece doesn’t take long to embroider if you stick with basic stitches!

That said, I’m mulling over more complex choices for other types of embroidery with this same design.

For me, one of the most difficult things to do, embroidery-wise, is stitch the same design twice in the very same techniques and colors. If I’m working out a different approach to the design, I don’t mind stitching it twice, but if I had to embroider the same design over and over again, using the same threads, colors, and stitches, it might just drive me nuts!

While I’ve been working on this particular design, my mind has been playing with other approaches to it. I would love, for example, to enlarge it slightly and work it on silk or velvet with real metal threads, to use on the back of a vestment or on a pulpit fall or altar cloth – or even much larger, on a banner or something similar.

I think it would interpret well into goldwork embroidery!

I’ve also been mulling over white-on-white with this design. It would be easy enough to use the same stitches in an all-white version, on white linen. There’s enough variation in texture in the stitching to pull that off.

But I could also see working more of the embroidery in satin stitch techniques (like trailing, for the outlines), to give nice, tight, smooth lines, and then to seed stitch more prolifically in some of the larger open spaces.

The goldwork and the whitework versions are just ideas that I’ve been playing with in my head. I don’t know that I will actually tackle this design again any time soon, because I have a lot of other pending projects waiting for attention! But I’ll definitely be keeping these ideas simmering for a bit.

I plan to finish the embroidery on this project this morning – there’s such a little bit left to do. Then, it’s just a matter of constructing the pall, a process I talked about years ago in this article.

Thank You!

A Huge Thank You for all the kind support, encouragement, and prayers these past days, on the passing away of my Mom. It was a difficult time, eased by the mutual love and support of family and friends. We are doing well and adjusting. Each day is a little better. I’m glad to get back to work and to a routine – it helps.

I wish I could respond to each of your emails and to the lovely sympathy cards many of you sent! Please know that your kind words went a long way to help ease the sadness! Thank you so much!

Coming Up…

As I get back into routine, I’ll have a few treats for you here on the website.

Right now, I’m starting to put together some ready-to-stitch sets of these autumn variety towels. They feature some fabulous maple leaf arrangements, oak leaves & acorns, and a nice combination design with a glorious pumpkin thrown into the mix. It’s a fun set! You can look for that in the next couple weeks – as soon as I can possibly get them ready, since autumn is just around the corner.

I’ll have a limited supply of Alison Cole’s Goldwork and Stumpwork books available on the website in the next day or so. Those of you on the advanced notification lists will get an email once they’re ready.

And it’s the perfect time to start some new organizing (I like to start each season with a bout of straightening, organizing, and sifting), so I’ll be sharing some studio organization with you down the road, too.

I hope you’re doing well and that you’ve been able to spend some quality time with your needle and thread lately! See you Friday!