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Crewel EmbroideryCrewelwork in America Crewel (crewell, crewle, cruel, croole, croull) meant slackly twisted, two-ply worsted yarn. As such, as long as this yarn was used, crewelwork was being done, on hand-woven linen, mostly, and occasionally, twill or fustian. In some of the original colonies of America the growing of flax was mandatory, such as in Connecticut in 1640. Since everyone was involved in the yearly task of preparing flax for weaving, and time was at a premium, professional weavers advertised their willingness to weave linen threads, and charged 6 pence a yard for this. Wool work was divided into three categories: canvas work (needlepoint), Berlin work-popular from 1820-1879, and Turkey work, where woolen yarns were knotted on the warp threads of a loom and a coarse linen weft held them in place. Some of the best evidence of needlework from our past comes to us in the form of very detailed inventories taken after the death of a homeowner. Since furnishings were scarce, lists of items left to the family became very long and involved with descriptions. Diaries and news ads for suppliers also contribute to our knowledge and gives us some insights as to what types of work were popular. Design sources were many. Much of the work done was designed simply by looking out the window at the garden. This was very economical for the less well to do. Designs were simple and less fussy than in England, where anything less than perfect was shredded and burned by the guild members. ( sigh ) Patterns from London were perhaps the most popular in the bigger cities. They could be "pricked" and pounced onto available fabrics. Designs pre-printed on linen could also be ordered from England, and used for furniture covers as well as hangings and upholstery. In this way, whole rooms could be decorated in matching patterns. Many designs were available in the latest magazines and books, so embroiderers could mix, match, and change whatever they chose, without depending so heavily on teachers and designers as they had before the 19th century. In 1872, The Royal School of Art Needlework was founded in London. Four years later, many beautifully designed and embroidered panels and hangings were sent to America for the Centennial exhibition in Philadelphia. This provided much inspiration and encouragement for American embroiderers and helped energized efforts to start up schools in the states. It's very hard to imagine how treasured the sewing tools of colonial women were! Needles were expensive and imported. Needle cases were items well tended and kept dry. Pins were a luxury. So those fancy pincushions we have seen with names and sentiments spelled out with pin heads were very costly gifts. Returning the pins to the original design not only taught patience but also made certain the stray pins were accounted for! The style of American crewel was more open than English work, showing off much more of the lovely and lovingly made hand woven linen. The work that went into making the fabrics was very much appreciated and wools to do the work were costly. Linen fabric could be purchased, and came in different grades. Holland and Kentings were types of linen as were cambric and lawn, which are now cotton fabrics. Fustian was a popular twill used in England but rarely used here. Dimity was an all-cotton ribbed fabric, used in the late 18th century and on. Crewel stitch is stem stitch worked in wool. It is worked to the end of the line, following the design grain, and every stitch is made in the same manner. At the end of this line, turn the work and place a line of stitches close to the one already made, keeping the wool always to the right of the needle. A lovely filling with definite direction. *Mark Twain made a comment on Berlin crewelwork in Life on the Mississippi: "Over middle of mantle, engraving--"Washington Crossing the Delaware": on the wall by the door, copy of it done in thunder-and-lightning crewels by one of the young ladies--work of art which would have made Washington hesitate about crossing, if he could have foreseen what advantage was going to be taken of it."
For further reading: Caron has a great website (as if you didn't know) and here's a great link to their crewel work page: http://www.caron-net.com/feb00files/feb00gal.html The Historic Needlework Guild has a good website. Sign up. England's Embroiderers' Guild has a free pattern on their website, with historical notes to boot. America's Embroiderers' Guild has lots of information, too. See the Deerfield Site. Their book is wonderful, and I believe it represents the work of the first women in the US who tried to duplicate embroidery from our history. Since America isn't very old, it's easy to see that this could be so! (Gee, just go to google.com and run a search on crewel embroidery. You'll be happily occupied for days!!!!) Books: First, see Creative Crewel Embroidery, Traditions and Innovations by Judy Jeroy. The book is full of many photos and are all in breath-taking color! And she's the EGA teacher of the Independence study course in Jacobean Crewel embroidery! This excellent book is a treasure to own no matter what kind of embroidery you like. Then go to Erica Wilson's Embroidery Book I'm referring to the FIRST edition, 1973. EVERYTHING is in this one, and they're available on occasion on eBay. It's worth it! Lots more color plates than her later editions, which leave out the crewel work. Her history is informative and fun and includes a section on color. A very intelligent read! An up-to-date edition is available, too. Her other books on crewel work (that I've discovered) are: Say It with Stitches, The Animal Kingdom, The Art of Crewel Embroidery, and Crewel Embroidery. This last one has a good section of history, too. A Taste of Crewel by Pat Allen. Ms. Allen used to teach an EGA course with this book, and still offers commentary on your work. Check out her website! Beginner's Guide to Crewel Embroidery by Jane Rainbow. Lovely book for any wishing to begin. Crewel Embroidery by Sue Hawkins. This is getting harder to find, so if you're interested in the topic, start looking! American Crewelwork, by Mary Taylor Landon and Susan Burrows Swan, (1970) This book is loaded with history, photographs and diagrams of stitches most popular. American Needlework. Georgianna Harbeson A great guide with plenty of black and white photos, as well as some in color! A Handbook of American Crewel Embroidery by Muriel L. Baker (1966) Every page is glossy, lots of black and white photos and history, with a great bibliography. (Which means I hadn't heard of those books...) Wool Embroidery by Ruth Redhead. Wonderful fun from Australia, color photos of finished projects such as a stuffed giraffe, doll clothes, patterns included and lots of stitches explained. Reader's Digest Complete Book of Embroidery by Melinda Coss. This book has lots on Crewelwork, especially Jacobean. (It's featured on the cover) Modern Embroidery by Mary Hogarth Mostly counted work, but some lovely black and white photos...find a library copy! Mary Thomas' Dictionary of Embroidery Stitches. Awesome reference. A Primer of New England Crewel Embroidery by Catherine A. Hedlund This is a small book from Old Sturbridge Village, Massachusetts, with stitch diagrams, line drawings of designs and photos with historical comments throughout. Love it. American Needlework 1776/1976 by Leslie Tillett (1975) This is full of needlepoint patterns that have been redone, with one or two brief paragraphs referring to some period of history. Stitches In Time by Hilda Kassell This was a great, albeit, short, history, easily readable and enjoyable. The Dictionary of Needlework by S.F.A. Caulfeild and Blanche C. Saward. This is a facsimile of the 1882 version. There is lots of history in this book, which is also available in two volumes, with lots of sketches of needlework at the end of the second. It's inspiring and a great read for those of us who enjoy history. The terms are at times confusing, but fun to read about…and hunt for. The Embroiderer's Story Thomasina Beck…and others of hers. Her books contain history from different perspectives, and this one has plenty of patterns and examples of English work. The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is well-known for their tireless research. Look into the many links and enjoy all the hard work
Kits and supplies:
http://www.waterfrontjunction.com/crewel.htm http://needleworkcorner.safeshopper.com/3/cat3.htm?558 http://selmasyarns.com/crewel.html (Not affiliated with any of the above mentioned stores, just trying to help.)
See the bookshelf. It takes a while to come up, do please give it a chance!
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