Clever Stitches

Don't you love clever needlework samplers?
Like these...

I think I'll add cross stitching this image to my list of projects:

More State Flowers

 Alaska - Forget Me Not

 Hawaii - Hibiscus

 Utah - Sego Lily

 Arizona - Cactus Flower

 Wyoming - Indian Paint Brush

Five State Flowers

I'm 10% done with the state flowers.  Only 45 squares to go!

Washington - Rhododendron

Oregon - Oregon Grape

Idaho - Syringa

California - Poppy

 

Montana - Bitter Root

Antique Patterns

"The stitches used in modern embroidery are not productions of this age.  They belong to the art of to-day through adaptation.  They have a value because of their antiquity far above any value which new inventions in this line could possess.  Their application has been tried without limit and the extent of expression and delineation through them is well know.  The science of embroidery is established; its methods are perfected.  The art is rich in its heritage."      L. Barton Wilson, Corticelli Home Needlework (1898) 

I just discovered antiquepatternlibrary.org.  This catalog of antique books and patterns (in pdf form) is extensive, with patterns from the 19th and early 20th centuries, and even a reprint of a German pattern book originally published in 1533.

There are so many ideas, patterns, and lessons on crochet, knitting, Irish crochet, tatting, embroidery and more, it's going to take quite a while to look through all of it.  So far, Sherwood's Impression Powder and Perforated Patterns (1865)  is my favorite.

Pink & Green

An unintentionally color coordinated morning...

Colors!

Another one of my favorite gifts from grandma is her entire stash of embroidery floss.  Last year I sorted through the three grocery bags full of it, throwing out all but the DMC.  I thought that I wouldn't need to buy any thread for years.  Then last week, while I was browsing through the craft store, I saw a collection of variegated colors.  I resisted the initial urge to buy it, but then I saw the beautiful effect of the variegated green in this state flower square done by turkey feathers.  Now my Idaho Syringa square is on hold until my next trip to the craft store.

Square One

Last week I came across a set of beautiful state flower squares at patternbee.com.  I spent an entire morning brainstorming ideas for making them into a quilt.  I discovered that the creator of Pattern Bee has been making them herself and is posting each square on her blog as she finishes it.  She's nearly done, but I just started today.  I picked up some natural colored cotton on my way home this afternoon and started my first square.  I chose to start with the rhododendron, since right now they are in full bloom in every yard in the city.