Reader’s Embroidery: Modern Icon using Japanese Embroidery Techniques

Anne sent along the following little masterpiece that she embroidered – it’s an icon in a modern style, worked with Japanese techniques. Take a look…

The original picture that inspired Anne’s embroidery is found in the John Paul II Center. The icon is a modern rendition of the Good Shepherd. The bold lines and bold colors are really enhanced by the techniques used in stitching. In fact, I can’t imagine the picture painted. The embroidery just “fits” it, if you know what I mean.

Here, the piece is still mounted on the frame. The colors are so vibrant, aren’t they? I love the red and the blue background.

Here, you can see the work a little closer. The two stitched elements that really grab me are the red robe (the honeycomb stitching in flat silk) and the wool on the lamb. Now, I would try to explain how the wool is done, but the truth is, although Anne described the process to me, I can’t figure it out yet because I haven’t had the opportunity to play with it. But I want to! I love that wool. While you’re looking at it, check out the expression on the lamb – startled, to say the least. He’s caught!

And here’s the piece, in a very nice frame job.

The piece is certainly brilliantly stitched, isn’t it? The stitching is so precise, the bold lines are so perfectly caught, and the colors are so vibrant – overall, a pleasing combination of technique and color.

Thank you so much, Anne, for sending along the photos!

If you have a project you want to show us, do feel free to contact me, and I’ll send you my e-mail address so you can send pictures of your masterpiece along. Personally, I like seeing what others are doing out there in the needlework world, and it sure serves as inspiration for the rest of us!