What Are You Stitching?

It seems very fitting this week that we’ve been talking about stumpwork, because a scan through our ‘What Are You Stitching?’ cupboard has made us realise just how many of you love doing it! We’re so impressed with the variety of projects and styles you’ve sent us… here are a few stumpwork pieces that caught our eye.

Denise Kelly

‘A few years back I was fortunate enough to attend a class at a convention with Susan O’Connor here in Southern California. It was my first stumpwork class, and I have loved the technique ever since.’

‘This project is ‘Loves Me’ from Inspirations issue # 70, which I completed as a gift for my brother and his wife to celebrate their marriage. I loved it so much, I did another one for my niece and her fiancé. My second attempt includes a few of my own touches with a new colour and letter stitching.’

‘I especially love to give hand-stitched gifts to my family and friends. Sometimes I prick myself with the needle while stitching my gifts and as hard as I try to prevent it, there’s sometimes a wee spot of blood to soak out. My sister tells me that’s my love literally flowing into my work!’

What a beautiful thought and a beautiful finish, Denise. We’re sure both couples would have been honoured to receive your magnificent embroideries.

Audrey Bruno

‘Since finishing my nursing career, I have had more time to concentrate on my love of embroidery. The basket of native flowers, ‘Old Friends’ was a kit I purchased many years ago from Inspirations, and I managed to complete it for our last exhibition.’

You should be very proud of finishing this detailed project, Audrey. We’re sure it would have received many admiring comments at the exhibition.

Lee Winter

‘I started this Peter Rabbit embroidery nearly three years ago. I had not gotten too far when there seemed to be Peter Rabbit embroideries everywhere in various techniques. So, he got ‘consigned’ to the UFO box!’

‘Shortly after this my sight deteriorated until I had to give up doing detailed embroidery last September. After several months of treatment and two operations my sight improved.

Being impatient to see if I could do stumpwork again, two days after the operation I dug out Peter and started to do some of the background to give my eye a test. Over a couple of weeks, I was able to stitch for longer and do more delicate needlelace. Success! What an amazing surgeon I had.’

What an inspiring story, Lee. We’re so glad you persisted and Peter stands as testament to your determination and your wonderful surgeon too!

Carol Hughes

‘About five years ago at a Kay Dennis workshop, it was decided that an A-Z of insects would be a good project. It then took just over two years to complete.’

‘I used cream silk for the background fabric and, working from an oval template, I cut each one out and mounted it onto a piece of green silk. It was only after they were all mounted that I realised how large a frame would be required, and the amount of wall space I would need on which to hang it!’

‘With this in mind, I took all the insects off the background silk and, using mount-board cut to the size of some Perspex drawers, I cut ovals out of green paper and sandwiched them together with the insects. Five drawers and 26 insects later and I have a brilliant bug hotel.’

What an incredible project and a truly unique way of displaying it, Carol. It really is worthy of being in a museum.

Do you love stumpwork or any kind of three-dimensional embroidery? Or are you much happier working on a flat surface? Perhaps you can’t decide between the two, so you work a bit of both?