Crewel embroidery patterns

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I promised to show you this, my crewel embroidery piece 'Tree of Life' started and completed in the mid 1970's. I recall it took me perhaps a couple of years, picking it up now and then between family and work commitments when we lived in Massachusetts. I bought it as a kit - complete with the skeins of wools in beautiful colors, printed Belgian linen, and stitch instructions - offered by one of the most admired American stitchery women ever, the late Elsa Williams. After a lengthy search…

The last time we visited Party in Provence, an embroidered kaleidoscope project that we’re working through step-by-step here on Needle ‘n Thread, we worked the big petals in the center of the design and the little flowers between them. Originally, I was going to start the week with some beadwork on Party in Provence, but ...

So after I finished my RSN Crewel piece, I wanted to practice crewel some more. I also thought that if I put a new piece on my frame it would mean that I would not be able to redo anymore of my RSN piece (I'm only halfway serious!). Basically, I wanted to do a new piece that I could have a bit of fun experimenting with while practicing. I designed a Lily of the Valley layout and picked my colors. I wanted to stick to greens and whites. I thought that since most Jacobean crewel flowers are…

Today, I'm going to point you to a resource for free Jacobean embroidery patterns and fillings. I've pointed out this free online embroidery book before, but it's been a few years, and many of you might not know about it. I've been playing with Jacobean Embroidery: Its Forms and Fillings by