The brightly coloured dogwood stems in the winter borders at RHS Harlow Carr Gardens always uplift my spirits. I feel starved of colour in the winter. I think the shrubs make lovely abstracts - as, indeed, I suppose is the intended effect.
The colours were echoed in an exhibition in the library there. These were panels made by the Richmond and Leyburn Embroiderers' Guild. They had taken four seasonal photographs of the gardens and chopped them each into 48 squares. Members of the Guild had then interpreted each small square using embroidery and fabric collage. The resulting squares were then collected into wall hangings. The one pictured depicts 'Autumn'. In close-up, the work was exquisite, with a huge range of stitches and fabrics. Viewed from further back, the resemblance to the photographs was amazing.
I can't embroider for toffee... school needlework lessons sadly killed all my enthusiasm for such crafts. I can recognise good work when I see it though.
My wife's mother was a great embroiderer. Her speciality was tablecloths. At Christmas and Easter we lay out her work throughout the house, and think of her.
ReplyDeleteOh, how beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThat is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteGreat project, the embroidery is amazing.
ReplyDeleteThose were truly gifted women...and I like that the canvas also seemed to have the photo as background upon which they stitched.
ReplyDeleteLooks like David Hockney has taken up embroidery! What incredible skill and patience is on view there (my mother and grandmother were both keen embroiderers at different times and I remember how long they spent on each piece).
ReplyDeleteQuite photogenic.
ReplyDeleteMy mother did embroidery, until arthritis slowed her down.
The dogwood shrubs do make a fabulous abstract Jenny. Oh my goodness the autumn embroidery piece is stunningly beautiful, so much patience 💛
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