About

Mary Corbet

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I learned to embroider when I was a kid, when everyone was really into cross stitch (remember the '80s?). Eventually, I migrated to surface embroidery, teaching myself with whatever I could get my hands on...read more

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A Link to Beautiful Embroidery – and News

 

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I was squizzing about the other day, looking for some online goldwork inspiration, when I came across a terrific article with some stunning photos of needlework. The article’s on the website of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Unfortunately, the media kit titled “Embellished Textiles – Absolutely Art!” announcing the exhibit of the same name, is rather out of date – the exhibit closed in October of 2006. Still, I’m glad that the article is still online!

It looks like the exhibit was accompanied by several textile classes, many of which sound terrific! Did anyone out there attend? If so, how was it?

The biggest attraction about the article is the collection of pictures at the end of it! Wow – some stunning works of art there!

Czech & Slovak Textile Exhibit: Embroidery, Lace, Goldwork, and Leather Goods

Don’t miss the high resolution images of this lace cuff accented with goldwork. It’s really unusual to see goldwork applied like this to lace. They wrapped leather with the gold, then applied the design to the lace, removing the goldwork for laundering and then re-applying it!

You’ll probably want to take a look at the colorful embroidered headscarf right below the goldwork, with its strangely obvious carried threads here and there throughout the piece.

Czech & Slovak Textile Exhibit: Embroidery, Lace, Goldwork, and Leather Goods

The whitework embroidered scarf is worth taking a close look at, too – it’s only half done. The site surmises that the unfinished half was folded under the finished half, and since it wasn’t seen anyway, why put the time into the embellishment? Sounds reasonable to me!!! To me, what’s amazing on this piece is not just the beautiful bobbin lace around the edge, but the variety of techniques included in the whole thing – some filet lace, some cutwork, some eyelets, satin stitching and other whitework stitches, and the bobbin lace to boot! Nice!

So, if you have the time, do check out these exquisite works of textile art – they’re worth looking at!

Upcoming Events on Needle’nThread

This week, the November stash contest will be posted, so keep an eye out for that! I’m planning on a book and supplies again. I’m debating between two books, though. I have a spiral bound huge volume of Sublime Stitching transfers that I will probably never get around to using. Or… should it be something more instructive like the Anchor embroidery book I gave away last summer?

Also, before the week is completely over, I hope to have the front of my goldwork and silk Christmas ornament finished. Here’s hopin’! Keep your fingers crossed that I don’t run out of thread!!! I’m also going to move on to working on a couple decorative towels and a tea cloth (small table cloth). I hope to get those all decently underway so I can show them to you.

And, finally, I’m hoping to get some filming time in on videos this week! Keep your fingers crossed on that one, too! I’ve got a list of 28 stitches I want to do. A little otpimistic, but optimism never hurt anyone!

Hope you’ve had a great weekend!

 
 

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(4) Comments

  1. Unfortunately, I did not get to the Embellished Textiles exhibit. I did get to the Kroje exhibit I think it was in 2005. The embroidery, gold work and beading was amazing. I think I took about 4 rolls of pictures, unfortuately (but understandable) I could not use flash, so many of the pictures are on the dark side, but there is enough that I have the colors, patterns, etc. I am so glad that those were not here when the flood hit….I hope that when they get re-built that they bring another exhibit of the kroje back – this time I will have a digital camera!!!

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  2. Forget the needlework projects…we want more videos! (Just kidding. But the videos are tremendously helpful.) I’ll look forward to seeing your finished ornament.

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  3. They are beautiful ethnic european designs. There are not much anymore, just for the tourists.

    I think the scarf is finished. it is the design and done with the intention.
    thanks for sharing!!
    vince

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