Have Your Say

For some us Christmas 2018 seems a lifetime ago, but for others (especially those of us who are yet to pack our decorations away!) it seems like only yesterday!

Before the memories of another Festive Season are all but behind us, we thought we’d share Joan Wilson’s account of how her local Embroiderers’ Guild made the most of 2018 as they prepared for this special time of the year with needle and thread…

‘Last year, 13 members of The Embroiderers’ Guild, Queensland Inc. met every Thursday afternoon at the Logan North Library to embroiderer our own versions of Noël, the Schwalm Christmas stocking featured in Inspirations issue #96.’

‘Of the 12 who completed the project in Schwalm, four members created a stocking, six decided to work the design as a wall hanging, two as a table mat and one member opted to work the design in conventional embroidery stitches.’

The Schwalm wall hangings, edged in Hemstitching by Irene Leis, Kaye Wheat and Kay Lambley.

‘As many were not familiar with the Schwalm techniques, the various elements were taught in structured classes over the first four months of 2018 with everyone practicing on a sampler. Members then worked at their own pace, with some finishing their embroidery in six months whilst others took 9-10 months and only a couple remain unfinished.’

Table mats by Coral Cassidy (top left) and Jenny McMahon (bottom left) and the wall hanging by Cathy Adam who worked the design in conventional embroidery stitches.

‘Barbara Kershaw’s design was modified slightly – the bell openings were left unworked and the band around the base of the bell was worked in solid stitching using parallel rows of Chain or Stem Stitch or filled with French Knots. The stocking design still had five bells like Barbara’s original, however an additional bell was added to both the wall hangings and table mats. My Swiss Bell was used to redraw the bell shapes and to relocate the clappers. Some of the fillings in the original design were replaced with lighter fillings such as Honeycomb, Wing, Satin Stitch Squares with Flower Filling and Needle Weaving over Ground Stitch.’

Joan Wilson’s bell pull, with Swiss bell attached and stockings worked by Louise Cummings and Denise Wilson.

Joan, what an incredibly fruitful year you each had with needle and thread! We look forward to seeing what’s produced in 2019 and thank you for sharing your Noël stitching journey with us.

If Joan’s inspired you to make sure Barbara Kershaw’s Noël graces your Christmas this year, why not start stitching today before time is against you?! The links below will point you in the right direction.