Celebrating with
Needlework
by Rita Vainius
June's Feature Story celebrates
unique and truly exceptional needlework garments and accessories
made especially for the most special and momentous family milestones
such as weddings, anniversaries, births, christenings and the
like. We are thrilled to be able to share with you needlework
items made by four adventurous, creative and accomplished stitchers
and designers to commemorate the special occasions which have
been celebrated in their own families' lives.
Proposal Pillow
Carmen R. Wyant is a designer with her own line called "Columbine
Designs" which includes a series of sewing and needlerolls
with floral motifs and the first 2 in another series called "Sunday's
Child" and "Monday's Child." Carmen specializes
in designing heirloom pieces which can be handed-down, such as
her innovative "Proposal Pillow," which can easily
be converted into an "Anniversary Pillow." It is constructed
from a hand-dyed linen and consists of a series of embroidered
"petals." When "closed" the outermost petals
contain the inscription:
Come my love, Come sit with me,
Come sit beneath, The sweetheart tree
Open the outer "petals"and one reads further:
Be my best friend, Through trouble and strife,
Be thou my helpmeet, All the days of my life
These inner petals unfold yet again to reveal the actual proposal:
Sweetheart, will you marry me?
At the edges, around a circle of flowers the message continues:
"For better, for worse, in sickness and in health"
with 2 heart eyelets for attaching the rings. To convert the
Proposal Pillow into an Anniversary Pillow, below the original
question, "Will you marry me?" is added the
word, "Again." Now if the hopeful bridegroom-to-be
made this pillow and presented it to his own true love, is there
a woman anywhere who would say no?
Purses for the
Wedding Party
Presenting an exquisite collection of purses designed by Tanya
Ilnicki, June's Online Class teacher, for the members of her
brother's wedding party. Tanya created each one specifically
to suit both the occasion and the individual for whom it was
made. The intriguing story of how Tanya became a beaded purse
designer can be found in the introduction to this month's Online
Class. The images show her sister-in-law's bag, known as "Crystal's
Wedding Purse," which is constructed using white perle cotton
and over 11,000 white seed beads. It is additionally embellished
with rhinestone rondells and blue Austrian crystals. The purse
is finished with a tafetta lining and accentued by a reproduction
Victorian style silver frame and chain. Also shown is the purse
made for Tina Waite, named the "Mother-of-the-Bride Purse,"
fashioned from chocolate brown perle cotton, amber silver lined
seed beads with a reproduction gold frame and chain. Tanya's
sister, Melissa, a bridesmaid, carried the purse called "Black
Beauty" knitted with black perle cotton, hex cut black/purple
beads, Austrian crystal embellishments and topped with a gold
reproduction frame. Last, but certainly not least, we present
Tanya's purse for her own special role as the Maid of Honor,
named "Valentine's Day Remembered." It features avocado
green perle cotton, hex cut black/purple beads, amethyst Austrian
crystals and a gold Victorian reproduction frame. It is further
enhanced by a removable broach as an added embellishment.
The Tale of the
Wedding Gown that turned into a Christening Gown
 Can
a creative and competent stitcher be both eminently innovative
and practical at the same time? Meet Nancy Kerwin who embodies
both attributes and more! When Nancy's daughter, Laurie, decided
to marry, Nancy resolved to make her wedding gown. Nancy used
a Vogue pattern to make a Victorian Wedding Gown from white bridal
satin. The dress featured a high- necked collar, fitted bodice,
full skirt and leg-of-mutton sleeves which came to an elegant
point down the hand. The entire dress was lined and finished
with French seams. The embroidery took 8 months of intensive
stitching and consisted of vertical rows of a repeating pattern
of combination needlepoint stitches, done on fine linen with
silk thread and blending filament covering both the front and
back of the bodice, as well as the bottom of each sleeve. When
completed, the verdict was unanimous: the embroidery was absolutely
impeccable. Nancy's stitching complimented the style perfectly,
each setting off the other to maximum advantage. Nancy had created
a truly remarkable heirloom.
 But
the story continues: Nancy began to wonder how the gown might
again be used. Way before there was even a grandchild in the
picture, Nancy began to entertain the idea of transforming the
wedding gown into a christening gown. Approximately 4 years later,
when Laurie conceived, Nancy was ready to overcome Laurie's obvious
initial opposition to the idea! Nancy, her trusty stitch-ripper
in hand, proceeded to undo every French seam. The embroidered
bodice and sleeves formed the bodice and sleeves of the baby's
gown and newly added were a slip and some lace with the palest
pink ribbon running through it. When Nancy's new granddaughter,
Casey Marie, was christened, she wore a gown which indeed told
quite a tale. Looking ahead, Nancy rejoices that she still has
enough fabric leftover from the original gown to make a suit
for a future grandson and continue the tradition. Talk about
a labor of love - that doesn't yet seem to have any end.
Two Weddings and
a Needleworker
Genevieve Hartigan is a dedicated stitcher and her family has
long since grown accustomed to always seeing her with needle
in-hand. Genevieve was blessed with 2 lovely daughters and each
of them have been blessed in turn by a mother whose stitching
talents have borne fruit as extremely unique garments and accessories
made for their respective weddings.
Elder daughter, Jane, received a marvelous Engagement gift: a
box with a thread "bejeweled" insert with the design
"Ice Crystals," by Susan Kerndt, For Jane's wedding
Genevieve resolved to make something extravagant and out-of-the-ordinary
- a pair of Victorian wedding slippers which rival even Cinderella's.
Genevieve used a Berlin Needlework pattern, circa 1850, working
it in needlepoint and adding an additional embellishment of tiny
pearls along the "tongue." She found an artisan who
specialized in soft leather work to finish them and when done,
fit Jane like a pair of kid gloves. And talk about classy; the
picture in this case says it all!
Lest you think that her younger daughter was slighted when it
came her turn, never fear; Genevieve is one resourceful lady!
Ever since Martha was a child, she had insisted she would one
day have a Christmas wedding. True to her word the affair was
flush with all the richly luxuriant trimmings of the season.
The bride was a vision right out of Doctor Zhivago in her gown
trimmed with white fox. Genevieve stitched a spectacular cummerbund
for the bridegroom, Robert Joseph Morley, bearing his Family
Crest against a plaid background. She also made her own husband's
cummerbund using a painted canvas design, "Holly."
Genevieve carried a bag she had stitched with an elaborately
adorned tree, called the "Merry Christmas Purse". It
was a glorious and unforgettable Yuletide wedding and best of
all, Genevieve's needlework is imbued with all the beautiful
memories of both marriages forever.
Resources:
Carmen Wyant's Proposal Pillow:
For more information contact Columbine Designs, 56560 Hwy. 83,
Swan Lake, MT 59911
phone: (406) 754-2821
fax: (406) 754-2821
e-mail: cnd2821@montana.com
More Columbine Designs can be viewed at http://www.creativehand.com and http://www.elegantstitch.com
Tanya Ilnicki's Beaded Purses
To view Tanya Ilnicki's Beaded Bag Collection go to http://www.globalairphotos.com/thebeadedbag/
For more information contact Tanya Ilnicki at
34917 Harris Road, Abbotsford. B.C, Canada V3G 1R7
phone: (604) 859-6696
e-mail: ilnicki@uniserv.com
Genevieve Hartigan Wedding/Christmas Accessories:
Ice Crystals Design by Susan Kerndt available from the Caron
Collection
Box from Sudberry House, 12 Colton Rd., East Lyme, CT 06333
phone: (860) 739-6951
e-mail: sales@sudberry.com
website: http://www.sudberry.com
Victorian Slipper Pattern - For more information contact:
Elizabeth Creeden at The Sampler
address: 84 Court St., Plymouth, MA 02360
phone: (508) 746-7077
Slippers Finished by Donna Zendler, 201 Timber Lane, Marstons
Mills. MA 02648. Donna also offers custom finishing for belts,
purses and other items.
Morley Family Crest Design by Hillcroft House, P.O.Box 800, Newtown,
PA 18940
phone: (215) 968-4299
Over 2500 Coats of Arms designs are available. For further details
see their website at http://www.hillcroft.com
The Holly Cummerbund by Designer Belts Unlimited and the Merry
Christmas Purse are available from the Wellesley Needlepoint
Collection, 22 Grove Street, Wellesley, MA 02481
phone: (781) 235-2477
Finishing for both cummerbunds done by Marcia Brown of The Binding
Stitch
address: 8 Taunton Ave., Dennis, MA 02638
phone: (508) 385-2444
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: No part of this feature story nor
the included designs can be reproduced or distributed in any
form (including electronic) or used as a teaching tool without
the prior written permission of the CARON Collection Ltd. or
the featured designers. |
