Beginner's Crewel - Lesson Two

Two weeks later and I am back at Embroidery House for Lesson Two of my Beginner's Crewel Class. 

To get this far I practised on my doodle cloth if I was unsure of a stitch. This did involve re-visiting one or two stitch techniques so I used the two Crewel Embroidery books I had already bought as my sources of information. I found the books to be great memory joggers of what Marj had taught us.

I did struggle getting the Coral Knot Stitch to come up as well as I would like, it is a stitch that still challenges me to this day. I think it is my 'nemesis' stitch - the one that if it can go wrong, it will go wrong!

Anyway, I stitched as much of the design as I could. I did redo some parts I had done in Lesson One and became quite proficient in 'reverse stitching'. I have since learnt that this term is for fussy stitcher's like me who will undo, then redo their work to get it just right.

In Lesson Two Marj then taught us:

• Chain Stitch
• Seeding
• Squared Filling Stitch
• Couching
• Buttonhole Stitch
• French Knots
• Whipped Spider Stitch

During the lesson and over the next 10 days I thoroughly enjoyed stitching the design.

Thank you to Marj for a lovely design, expert tuition and the warm and friendly classroom. 

If you recall though, that is not all we were to be taught in the Beginner's Crewel Class. So while the stitching may be finished the piece is not. It still needed to be 'Blocked' and 'Laced'. 

And while we did receive instruction on doing these tasks we didn't get time to see them demonstrated so I was still unsure of how to do them. So next, I set about looking for other opportunities at the EGV* to learn about them.

* EGV = Embroiderer's Guild of Victoria (http://www.embroiderersguildvic.org/)

What is a 'Doodle Cloth'?

I went to my first Guidance Group Meeting at the Embroiderers Guild of Victoria in February 2011. Known as 'Shelagh Amor's Group', some 20 or more delightful ladies turn up on the third Wednesday of each month to 'chat & stitch'. I have to admit some months are more 'chat' than 'stitch'!

This Guidance Group has been running for over forty years and has seen many members come and go. The one constant of course, has been Shelagh.

"I joined the Embroiderers Guild in 1968 after seeing an exhibition of members’ work. I was inspired by everything I saw at that exhibition. The work of some of the early members such as Phyllis Strangward, Ethel Oates, Lesley Uren, Edna Wark and Merle Whittle was magnificent. From then on, a needle was never far from my hand. The Embroiderers Guild, Victoria has been a means of learning many embroidery techniques but above all it has lead to many firm friendships." Shelagh Amor http://www.embroiderersguildvic.org/

As we settled in on that first evening Shelagh asked me what I planned to do and out came a tumble of words about the Majestie piece I had started. After listening patiently Shelagh just asked "Do you have a doodle cloth?". Well that stopped me in my tracks, "A what?" was my reply.

Before you know it, I had a piece of inexpensive calico sitting in a 6" inch wooden hoop as tight as a drum. A simple curved line was drawn and on it Stem Stitch was started. The hoop was handed back to me with the needle ready to do the next stitch. My turn to try out Stem Stitch on my 'doodle cloth'. It actually takes no more than that to start Crewel Embroidery.

I have retired that doodle cloth now as it is pretty much full but I have just prepared another for a friend about to try out some Trellis work. So a number of things became apparent to me that night:

• that I wanted to be able to stitch Crewel Embroidery like Shelagh Amor
• I should start with something simpler than Majestie as my first piece
• and never be without a doodle cloth!

Footstool designed and stitched by Shelagh Amor

Inspired, encouraged and taught by one very fabulous lady, thank you Shelagh.