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| Wessex Stitchery Sampler |
I thought I would tell you about my header to my blog. It is Wessex Stitchery and my own design. It was in 2000 that the book "Wessex Stitchery" by Gay Eaton first came out and "New Stitches" magazine ran an article on it. I then went out and bought a copy. It must have been a couple of years later that I got the book out again and thought I would have ago at some of the patterns. I had got some of the new Anchor multicoloured threads and thought they would look nice in this sort of stitching, and I made a Wessex needle case. I was hooked.
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| Wessex Needle Case |
I just had to do some of the different patterns and try out different colour contracts. So my Wessex Sampler was born (see above). When you get into how it all fits, it gets a bit addictive and here is what I stitched next.
I thought I could make this into a large greetings card for a special occasion or into a frame. In the close up you can see that I used some metallic threads to give a bit of sparkle.
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| Wessex Stitchery |
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| Wessex Stitchery - Close Up |
Some of you may have seen these pictures before and wonder where you have seen them. I sent in a letter to "New Stitches" magazine and my letter was published in March 2010, issue 203. A whole page and was also the Star Letter, which was a great surprise to me. A lovely parcel arrived later on with lots of stitching goodies inside.
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| New Stitches Magazine |
In my letter I wrote about showing my Wessex stitchery at the Cross Stitch Guild, and members there who were also from the Embroiders' Guild, were very interested in the Wessex Stitchery as it was something new to them. I told them about the book by Gay Eaton, but unfortunately it is out of print. I was able to give a contact in New Zealand (as Gay Eaton is from New Zealand), Lee, who is also a keen embroider and has a wonderful blog spot "Notes from Under the Mountain" and has written and given patterns about Wessex Stitchery.
There was a comment from the magazine saying: "As to the book 'Wessex Stitchery', I took a look on the internet and there seem to be two copies available - at enormous cost! It would seem that it has become a collector's item already. Let's hope there will be a re-print soon."
After my letter had been printed in 'New Stitches' magazine, I received a letter in July 2010 from them saying "Your fame has spread far and wide and I have been in correspondence with a lady in New Zealand whose friend wants you to have her copy of 'Wessex Stitchery' by Gay Eaton! Please find enclosed a well-travelled copy of this rare book....". "It does both amaze and delight me that something such as embroidery can bring people together from opposite sides of the globe!" Well you can well imagine how amazed and grateful I felt in receiving this wonderful gift.
I have now found that "Nordic Needle" do have copies of this wonderful book.
Also they have a free chart "Wessex Sampler Bookmark" by Debi Feyh.
I've also found a good review with pictures of what the book is like inside by Mary Corbet at Needle'nThread.
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| 'Wessex' Name Badge |
Happy Stitching Everyone
