Needlepoint progress

Over the last week and a half I've managed to get the top border of the tapestry done. This does not include the green band that runs around the outside, I will do that when the rest is all done. It has gone surprisingly quickly. I attribute that to the manner in which I work. Firstly, I work on a small area at a time, maybe four inches square and I will fill it in completely. This size is just about doable in one day. If the area is much bigger it seems to drag on, if it's much smaller it's too fiddly. About a four inch square works well for me and makes the work progress--or at least seem to progress--faster. Secondly, within the area  I work one color at a time, filling in all the gold, then all the raspberry, followed by all the burgandy, then all the yellow.

Here is the new section to be working on now. I'm glad to be working on the lilies now. I'll start with the right edge border then proceed with an area as described above which I've outlined in red, and continue r to l across the canvas. Then on to the next 4 or so inches until I reach the bottom.

The crewel wool I ordered from England arrived last week. It sat around a few days until I reminded myself of the importance of starting. Once a project is started it's on it's way, but if it never starts it never gets finished!

I am working from this book from 1962, "The Art of Crewel Embroidery" by Mildred J. Davis.

A sample spread showing some different stitches:

So I dug out some linen--black--that I had purchased some years back with the intention of sewing a shirt. But that didn't happen so I cut a 12" strip off one side. It's very long, 3 or 4 yards long. I will practice the crewel stitches and exercises on this strip. It can be rolled up and will become my crewel scroll. I've already drawn a couple of small leaves and made my first attempts at satin stitch. One successful, the other, meh. I will be doing a whole series of leaves over the next few weeks, exercising several different stitches and techniques, along with other motifs.

The Husband's Complaint

by Mary Eirwen Jones

I hate the name of German wool

In all its colours bright

Of chairs and stools in fancy work

I hate the very sight!

The rugs and slippers that I've seen,

The ottomans and bags

Sooner than wear a stitch on me

I'd walk the street in rags.

Oh, Heaven preserve me from a wife

With "fancy work" run wild

And hands which never do aught else

For husband or for child.

Our clothes are rent, our bills unpaid,

Our house is in disorder,

And all because my lady-wife

has taken to embroider!

😀