Pattern: Peace Tree from The New Crewel
Materials: Kona Cotton fabric; DMC 2 ply crewel wool #8341 and #418
Techniques: Lots and lots of satin stitch, split stitch border
So one of my bestest friends brought me The New Crewel for Christmas last year off my Amazon wishlist. I loved this book but never got around to making anything from it. About June I went to my local needlework store and bought the supplies which quickly got stashed away in the pile of other things to do. Finally after taking an embroidery workshop at Felt Club and seeing the gorgeous work of cauchy09 on Flickr I knew I was hooked.
I actually started on the sampler from the book, but what I really wanted was all the beautiful designs that drew me in the first place so unlike me I forewent the practice stage and dove into the Peace Tree pattern. It was fairly quick and a good learning experience for satin stitch. I got a little better at my blending to change direction once I read more of the instructions (eh hem…I would have know this if I finished the sampler…).
I blocked the work the traditional way as described in the book to get it nice and straight or at least as straight as possible because I noticed later that my outline work is a little crooked…woops!
Next I framed it using an Ikea frame and added a quote by John Muir to the bottom to break up the vast white space. Many pieces of paper went up in flames trying to get this paper burning right, but this one got my stamp of approval
which resides on the back of the frame, stamped in permanent stamping ink.
Lastly, I leave you with just a perfect picture I snapped during my picture taking session. It is perfect because it shows both my trees and the real trees of nature. It definitely brought me some peace and made the quote all that more befitting. 🙂
“Tug on anything at all and you’ll find it connected to everything else in the universe”
-John Muir
How very pretty! NIce work.
Just when I think my list of things I want to do next is manageable, you go and do this, forcing me to add this to my now a little overwhelming list of things I want to make. 🙂 It’s really beautiful! Great job!
It’s beautiful and I am glad you didn’t burn the house down. 🙂
This is so well made! I’ve loved seeing all the sewing crafts you’ve done lately.
ooooo, I have to try this crewel thing. I like how the trees are almost abstract.
This is beautiful! I love trees and the quote makes it perfect!
This is gorgeous! I look forward to seeing more crewel from you soon…
Very nice job!
Wow, this is so pretty! Gorgeous work.
Oooh, pretty! Ah man, don’t get me into embroidery now…
It’s beautiful! I just got that book in the mail today, and am very excited to learn to how to make something like that.
This is just beautiful! And such a moving quote to choose, too. I bet you giggled a bit when it came time to set it aflame time and time again!
Wow! Beautiful!
Beautiful. That is an absolute perfect photo.
How beautiful, Monique!
Beautiful! I haven’t tried crewel before, i’m a bit intimidated 😀 But it looks so pretty framed with the quote. I LOVE your stamp too!
I actually just saw this book a couple weeks ago and was contemplating getting it for this very design. GORgeous!
Gorgeous! I love hand embroidery.
Beautifully done! Aren’t you glad you stuck to it and pulled it out from the hinterlands of craft storage.
Beautiful sentiment! And great work.
Absolutely gorgeus!
REgards from Tuscany.
Cata
Gurl now that is just some awesome work all the way around!!!!
Happy Blessed New Year!!
I just found your blog, very happy I did! Your work is simply beautiful 🙂
Awesome work and awesome pic–but that’s to be expected from your super crafty hands! Happy New Year–looking forward to seeing more of your work!
So Beautiful I would love to hang this in my house! Hint. LOL