Heartfelt by Louise Spriggs

We’re welcoming back long-time friend of the magazine Louise Spriggs in Inspirations #125, with her latest project Heartfelt.

It’s been several years since we’ve had the pleasure of enjoying one of Louise’s signature pieces, with her very distinct and beautifully unique design style.

As a quick re-cap, or by way of introduction for anyone who is not familiar with her stunning work, you can check out a gallery of projects that we have published by Louise HERE.

Louise’s keen eye for design shines through in the striking motifs she creates, as each one takes centre stage in her projects.

Heartfelt is another perfect example of this as she fashions a gorgeous filigree vine to twirl in and around itself forming a heart that is bursting forth with delicate rose buds and petite daisies.

The heart is a perennial symbol of love and affection and the first record of its use as such was in a French manuscript from 1250. Appealing in its simplicity and pleasing symmetry, it has been a favourite of needleworkers across the centuries.

Louise uses her stunning heart motif to decorate a delightful set of stitching accessories while at the same time making great use of another beloved embroidery motif, the bullion rose.

Worked onto a natural linen blend, stranded cotton is used to stitch the scissor sheath, fob and needle minders in two sizes and each piece is edged with Palestrina stitch worked with perlé cotton thread and a twisted cord and tassel finish the scissor fob.

The scissor fob measures 5cm (2") in diameter, omitting the twisted cord and tassel, the needle minders are 4.8cm (1 ⅞") and 6.5cm (2 ½") in diameter, and the scissor sheath measures 10.5cm x 6.5cm wide (4 ⅛" x 2 ½").

We particularly love the use of Palestrina stitch here, which is a highly decorative linear stitch, excellent for joins, edges and outlines. To achieve the same beautiful finish as Louise, the knots should be evenly spaced.

Great to have you back Louise and thank you for another Louise Spriggs Special!