Sunday, February 23, 2014

The Art of Embroidery

In our family, my mother-in-law is known for her expertise in needlework. 
From sewing to quilting to embroidery, her art is superlative. 

 (Clicking on photos will enlarge them so you can see even more detail.)
Here she is adding finishing touches of grass to an embroidered *barn. 
Y'all know I ♥ barns, right? 


And she has incorporated a Cardinal in the design, too. 
Oh, I love birds!


I love how authentic the Pine Tree looks.


When she is finished, there will be four designs and she will quilt them 
together to form the wall hanging. Isn't this awesome?! The first square is finished. 
It's so much more dramatic in person. I can't wait to see all four pieces put together.


 Did you know the earliest surviving embroideries are Scythian and date back to the 5th-3rd centuries BCE? There's a form of embroidery called Blackwork, where they only use black thread to make the designs and twist it in a certain way to give it dimension. I'm not sure what technique my MIL used on the barn but it seems awfully close to Blackwork. 

And look at this finished wall hanging...


Isn't it phenomenal?!

It's an ancient art form of Embroidery called Thread Painting or Needle Painting.

And the detail is absolutely stunning.


Can you tell that my mother-in-law's reputation is well deserved? 
But being the humble woman that she is, she'll be the first to tell you that it is a gift from the Lord. 

: : : : :

When I started writing this post I was only intent on sharing how much I admire and love my MIL's ability with a needle. I was going to attach a Scripture verse here but I have to say that after knowing her for 33 years, she is truly the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman. She is an awesomely dedicated wife, mom, MIL, grandmother and great grandmother who aptly fits the description. She has always put the welfare of her family first. Her faith in the Lord and love for hearth and home is what is to be admired. Her handiwork with a needle second. She may or may not read this post but I want to say Thanks, Mom. I love you. 

Have a blessed day in the Lord, my friends!

*The barn pattern is by Beth B Dix/ Primrose Lane, Black Mountain, NC. 

Sharing with
The Chicken Chick

16 comments:

  1. i love the oranges & those tones ... lovely!! ( :
    thank you for sharing her handy work. so amazing!! i am always amazed by folks that do work with their hands.

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  2. Wow! Her work is truly amazing! The embroidery looks like a drawing and the wall hanging left me speechless! Such beautiful talent :) Hugs to you!

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  3. What gorgous stitching your mother-in-law does! I love embroidery along with quilting and many other needlearts. You're so fortunate to have a mother-in-law who is so generous with her talents, Anne!

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  4. Your MIL's work is stunning! I have done a little embroidery and enjoy it, but I have none of this expertise.

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  5. Beautiful work! She is very gifted!

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  6. What a beautiful post and tribute to your MIL's handiwork!

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  7. oh my gosh, these are amazing, the NP picture looks machine done it is so perfect...I wonder who taught your MIL to do needlework?

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  8. Such talent exhibited by your MIL -- gems.

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  9. I enjoy doing a bit of needlework so always enjoying seeinng the work of someone who has really master it. Thanks for sharing her gift.

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  10. What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful woman. I do love the needle work. It is beautiful! I love my mother in law too. She has been mine for 35 years.

    I am so excited to meet you. I feel like I'm getting a new friend. I don't know if I'm supposed to say this, but I am your new tea-cup friend:) So expect a surprise in a few days. I am looking forward to blogging along with you. Your blog is beautiful. I am excited about learning more about you,Anne. BTW, my middle name is Anne and spelled the same way:)

    Bonnie

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  11. Hi Anne! So nice to meet you today, thank you for visiting me on the blog and FB page too.
    Your MIL is really talented. And I am sure she gets so much pleasure out of using her talents for her family. Like you said, she is a real Proverbs 31 woman. You are a very blessed DIL!
    I look forward to getting to know you better :)
    Ceil

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  12. Beautiful stitches and a beautiful woman. She has truly been blessed - and so have you.

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  13. Thanks for sharing your MIL's work, it is truly lovely.

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  14. Oh Anne! Your MIL is so talented! I am inspired by her work. The barn, the cardinal...And those gorgeous orange and greens? Wow! She is blessed to have a DIL who honors her and loves her as you obviously do. So wonderful!

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I am so delighted that you've taken time to come by and comment. Blessings for a joy-filled day!

1 Corinthians 1:3 ~ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.