Since the very first embroidery session, Tokens & Trifles has been donating a small commemorative needlework project designed by Wendy White to each new embroiderer. The back of the needlebook, which is stitched on Thistle Threads’ perforated card with cotton floss, has the date of the session the embroiderer attended. Many participants have completed their needlebooks; our 2007 summer intern, Laura, stitched hers as her very first needlework project.

Carli was here for the first time two weeks ago, and this time she brought her completed needlebook for show & tell. Carli didn’t just stitch as written, though, she made improvements. First off she chose different, more vibrant colors. You all know how different the same design in a different colorway can be.

She was afraid she’d smash up the corners of the perforated card, carrying it around with her, so she decided to protect them with – - detached buttonhole stitch. Yes, really.

There is no end to the ingenuity, creativity and ambition of needleworkers.

For Susan, who wrote in the comments asking about stitching on the ‘oes’: yes, thank heaven, we can carry the thread. They are sewn on with a fine silk, and it doesn’t show. I’m so relieved – tying off each and every oe would have been a nightmare.

(There is, however, an end to my patience with this program. I’m having a lot of trouble with the newest version of WordPress; anyone out there know how to wrap text? What am I missing? Send me a note at jhall@plimoth.org if you can help. I have tried the WP documentation page, but I’m not finding the secret key.)

I just had to add my two cents on this piece of ’show and tell’ that Carolyn Wetzel brought in at the last session.  I had close-up pictures that I really wanted to post as they showed the gilt sylke twist used as bobbin lace.  It was very exciting to see her piece.  I had been thinking about begging someone to try it out.  Carolyn had a few comments on working with it from a ‘how-to’ point of view. I hope we can convince her to add her experience to the blog as a record.

There are others out there trying this thread for a number of other stitches and uses that were not historically found.  Please let us know what you are doing with it.  I can tell you that I made GST silk purl by hand about a month ago for a project I will be teaching.  I will try to post a picture of it soon.  Another very, very strange twist is that the thread is conductive.  Of course, if you wrap a copper-silver-gold wire around silk, it is basically an electrical wire.  My main occupation is in a field called electronic textiles which is now growing rapidly.  One of the big problems in that field is that all the yarns we use are gray (stainless steel or silver based).  The industry has been very excited by this GST development and many researchers are trying the thread to see what other textile processing techniques can be used without destroying the wire wrap.  I hope we can find some good ones, for both the historic and modern users will help provide a market to keep the thread alive.

Tricia

Wendy sent this entry:

Of the many things that happen during a session one of the most interesting is the general conversation, exchange of ideas, favorite books, food, movies and music. To continue the exchange and sharing here are a couple of things:
At the last session I mentioned several books that deal with the women who accompanied their husbands to sea and the life that they and their children led. It’s an eye opener to contemplate: a ships kitchen in a boiling sea, all the forks and spoons going overboard, dentistry and childbirth to name but a few issues and all while wearing a skirt and petticoats.

So for those that asked here are a few titles to look for:
Sail Away Ladies by Jim Coogan pub 2003
Hen Frigates by Joan Druett pub 1998
Captain’s Daughter, Coasterman’s Wife by Joan Druett pub 1995
Petticoat Whalers by Joan Druett pub 2001
Captain Ahab Had Wife: New England Women and the Whalefishery, 1720-1870 by Lisa Norling pub 2000

Who among us doesn’t look for new ways to store and keep tidy our stash of stitching supplies?
The boxes or “Thread Chests” we are using to store needles, silk perl and the GST have gotten quite a bit of attention and many questions regarding where to get them. Tricia found them and used one for a project she created called “Pandora’s Sewing Box” published in Just Cross Stitch magazine. They are the perfect solution for this project as well.
The one we use is called ”Travis” and is available from Creative Imaginations – www. CreativeImaginations.us
Here is the stock number and description – #16333 Travis Case-3 Tray Inserts
Here is the direct link to the page – http://www.creativeimaginations.us/store/16333.php

Here are a few more treats Carli brought for us to see.

She makes both knitted lace and bobbin lace. The knitted lace is draped across the small pieced and appliqued quilt she made – entirely by hand – for her grandfather.

The bobbin lace she “just learned to make in March, so this is all I’ve done.” Hmm. Seems like a lot of lace to me.

This embroidery session was also Carli’s first time with us. She comes from New York, but I can hear behind me as I write this that another of our new embroiderers is offering Carli a place to stay if she wants to come back. I think we’ll see her again soon.

Carli is a very accomplished needleworker, in a whole variety of different techniques.

Here are only a few pictures, one is, as Carli said, “the reason why I can do detached buttonhole stitch OK.” It is a mussel shell in detached buttonhole. Wendy’s holding it. It is beautiful, especially the way she imitated the streaking in real mussel shells.

Also here is a gorgeous applique, of flower and butterfly motifs on changeable silk. Carli’s applique technique is beautiful, her stitching is really invisible.

And here is Nicole holding up a small quilt Carli made for her grandfather. I personally am partial to the vintage prints and I love the colors in this little piece.