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NEEDLEPOINT
Needlepoint was called tent stitching in the 1700s and differed chiefly from cross stitch in that it used only half of the stitch. One slanted stitch is all it took to compose portraits and landscapes, real and mundane to fantastic and faraway. Hundreds of shades of thread could be used to transform plain canvas into the dreams of the needleworker. The popularity of portraits just about gave out in the 1840s, and were mostly replaced by landscapes, (with or without people, animals, birds and pets,) and/or Biblical themes. These were usually copies of extant paintings, though some households were fortunate enough to have skilled artists who were only too willing to put paint on canvas. Berlin work, starting approximately in the 1850s, became extremely popular in the 1870s, when a colorful graph was all that was needed to create a picture, and less creativity is in evidence since then. Anyone could use a graph, and the choice of wool shades was only dictated by the number on hand, and many women gathered together to sew and compare, sharing the different shades that were available to them. Size meant nothing to the needleartist. Paintings could be measured in feet or inches and could take years to complete. Not only were these lovely works hung on the walls, but many of them were used as cushions, bell pulls, (oh, to have a servant to call with one pull!), upholstery for furniture, fire screens, benches and footstool tops. Rugs were made as well, though the fact that they exist in good to excellent condition shows that they were NOT to be walked on, but admired, at least from the edges! Near the end of the 19th century, some work shows pictures done in more than just the standard cross or half cross stitch in wool. Silks were used in a satin stitch, and color took on texture in this manner. Old Berlin graphs are part of collections all over the country today, and we see many contemporary graphs printed in color in various magazines and leaflets today. Raised Berlin-work was described in 1858 as a raised stitch, making some or all of the design raised, and any remainder done in cross stitch. Plain background and other areas that weren't to be so prominent were done first, and the raised stitches were begun on the cross stitch, beginning in the upper left corner of the canvas, at the lower edge of the cross stitched piece, and the work proceeded down. This was done on fine flat netting meshes with the wool thread doubled. "Take a tapestry-stitch to the left, bringing the needle out in the same hole. Put the wool round the mesh, and take one to the right, the needle coming out again the same x. Thread round the mesh, and take a tapestry-stitch from the hole of the last down to the right, the wool to the right of it. Thread round. One to the right x. A figure V is thus constantly formed on the wrong side. When done, wash at the back with gum; cut the loops, and shear them into shape from the pattern, giving proper thickness and form to each part." Turkey work?? Directions like this lose me.
Berlin Embroidery Lots of embroidery/canvas work designs and kits! |
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Copyright 2008 5220 US Hwy 6 No brick and mortar store. Online only. |
