Sunday, April 5, 2015

Happy Easter!........

Happy Easter!!!



Yesterday I did laundry and tried to clean out a closet.  This is the kind of things I have saved, sentimental items.  In the late 1960s one of the paper towel companies made paper placemats with designs printed on them.  I liked the design on one so well that I traced it and used it for an embroidery design and did it with wool yarn (crewel embroidery).  The top one was done in 1970 and the bottom one in 1973 - I had so much fun the first time that I had to do second one but I changed a few of the flowers the second time.  I did a lot of crewel embroidery in the 1970s.  One of the other things in the closet was stretcher bars like artists stretched canvas on.  We also used them to mount the larger crewel embroideries.

17 comments:

HollyM said...

Oh yes, I remember. I did a fair bit of crewel myself but none so beautiful as those.
My daughter and I did a little cleaning out ourselves yesterday.
Happy Easter!

Anonymous said...

I love crewel embroidery. If you decide to sell them I would love to have the top (light ) embroidery. It would go with the ones I own. Miriam in Texas

Hedy said...

I did crewel work too. I love your work. I did cross stitch and have it all over my house

Angie said...

Your crewel embroidery really made me smile! I remember doing a crewel wall-hanging in the early 70s - worked on a big chunk of it when I missed two weeks of school due to mononucleosis!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

I too did crewel when I began stitching. I remember a scene of daffodils that hung in my kitchen for a long while!

Happy Easter.

Sylvia Anderson said...

Happy Easter Wanda...I've never been tempted to do any kind of embroidery, but this is so pretty and you were so clever to turn a freebie into yet another piece of art. Enjoy this special day with your family!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

I used to do a lot of crewel work also, it has been years now and I only know where one piece is now - on my granddaughters wall - I noticed it when I was visiting last month and mentioned to Ciera that I didn't realize she had that piece I had made years ago (a unicorn) and she was surprised as she hadn't realized I had made it - it had been in her mothers things and when they were decorating her room last time she was going through some boxes and asked if she could have it - it used to hang in Jessica's room when she was a kid.

Roxanne said...

Happy Easter, Wanda! I love your embroidery and the inspiration for it.

Nann said...

A blessed Easter to you, Wanda.
The crewel pictures are so cheerful! There's something about the graphic art of the early 70's that has a zany appeal. I am attuned to that period because I was caught up in the stitchery craze (needlepoint, mostly, but some crewel as well).

Pat said...

The crewel embroidery sure brought back some memories. I did quite a few pictures and pillows back then. Remember how popular owls were back then also? Who knows maybe it will come back again. They say "What goes around,comes around". I am wishing you a very blessed and Happy Easter.

Marie said...

Oh, Wanda, these pictures are beautiful, I love them. You should display both of them in your home, they would be great to enhance your quilts!

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter, Wanda! Those lovely embroideries bring a smile to my face. I don't remember those paper towels at all.

Nancy J said...

Both are lovely, maybe hang them up, Too much precious stitching to throw away. There will be a home that loves them out there somewhere.

greeneggs said...

They are lovely. You are so creative!

magistra said...

I love those crewel works! You were so wise to use the paper towel design. Sadly, I don't remember those paper towels. I love it when I do see something that clicks with me and I have that fun, "I know that!" Moment. I loved growing up in the seventies. I graduated High School in 77. Anyway, back to your art, those crewel works are really something. Just gorgeous. I agree with the person wanting to buy them. They would look beautiful on anyone's wall. I've been wanting to do both embroidery and take back up my crocheting, but I've been too busy in my "good health" times trying to finish quilts. But these works really add flame to the desire to do needlework. I did needlepoint during the 70's and 80's. Well, just wanted to check in. I haven't started anything with my Liberty scraps yet, but when I do something I'll send you a picture!
Beth

suzanprincess said...

Thanks for the trip down memory lane; I used to use those paper place mats, and remember that design! Your crewel interpretations of it are lovely, and I think would fit in nicely with much of your current work with their retro/modern look.

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

I did crewel embroidery, too, Wanda. I was a young married mother of a little boy. So long ago. Crewel is so pretty, too bad it has fallen out of favor. Yours are beautiful!