I think it has been two months since I have shown you progress on my crewel work project, how time flies. I have this evening finished the first motif – well I still have some beads to add to the two tendrils to finish them but I am waiting on a delivery of beads.
I hadn’t really taken on board how many beads there are in the project. If you look at this close up (sorry I struggled to get it in focus) you can see the range and number of beads. You can also see my irregular stitches and slightly wonky shapes. I did spend some time beating myself up about this as it isn’t perfect.
However I have reminded myself that I haven’t done bead-work before or even many of the crewel work stitches; plus the pattern didn’t transfer very well so I am having to draw in some of it which has upset me. I also have been reminding myself that the pictures above are blown up and few people’s eyesight would be able to see all my imperfections. It reminds me of when I did botanical illustration where you are peering closely at your work thinking this is rubbish but then you stand up and step back and actually from a normal viewing distance it looks alright.
So I am off to start the next motif now which is a sort of pomegranate and starts with instructions for a stitch I have no idea about! This motif only has 1 page of instructions unlike the one I have just finished which had 4 so should be simple – I doubt it! The pencil in the photo above indicates the left hand end of the overall design and it goes as far the other way so you can see how much I have to do.
I am enjoying it though as you can break it down into small elements which in themselves are satisfying to complete.
Very nice!
Beads can be very difficult to control, and I think you’ve made a very good job of it!
Thank you Rachel
So many old crafts fallen by the wayside! Lovely soft colours!
I think it is exquisite – and will be a treasured heirloom one day,
I love crewel work and the beads add a lovely dimension. Are you stitching each bead twice through the hole? Looks lovely to me.
Hi Cathy
No Im not stitching the beads twice through the hole. I am probably doing it wrong but in most cases they are couched so I thread a group of say 6 on the thread and then couch them down in groups of 3 or 2 depending on the size of the bead. Where they are individual they are just sown on with double thread.
Amazing. It’s beautiful. What patience you must have!
This is lovely and such a good antidote to gardening. I love sitting down with a needlework project having scrubbed my hands clean. I wonder what your plan is for the finished piece or is it enough to simply enjoy being in the moment whilst sewing? Your stitching and beadwork look perfect to me.
You really are patient in all ways, Helen! And it’s beautiful (to an admittedly uneducated eye).