PAST
MONTH'S ARCHIVES
this
month we are delighted to present...
Linda
Wyszynski
By
Rita Vainius
Click here for her FREE PATTERN
Linda
Wyszynski's family tree can be traced back to rather remarkable
origins. Her father, Perry Coggins, is a direct descendant of
Pocahontas and her mother, Clara, can trace her lineage back
to the King of England. The family still owns a piece of property
in North Carolina which was a direct land grant from the King.
Linda's parents instilled in her the thrill of the hunt; hunting
for antiques, that is, at auctions, shops and flea markets. Clara
collected old bottles and period lamps, while Perry scouted for
vintage clocks and pocket watches. Her upbringing was steeped
in an appreciation for the arts, crafts and nature. Clara was
always involved in some handwork project or another. Perry loved
music and played with friends who shared his passion: the neighborhood
Catholic priest, sheriff, bootlegger, town doctor and Baptist
deacon. Linda's father impressed upon both daughters his belief
that they could accomplish anything they set their minds to.
They were encouraged to take up new hobbies and study in areas
other than the norm. He is still Linda's most loyal fan, saving
every newspaper or magazine that she or her designs appear in.
Linda's
paternal grandmother began teaching her needlework when she was
8. She would take an embroidery and a clean piece of cloth, lay
the cloth over her cast-iron frying pan, place the pattern on
top and, with a wooden spoon, rub over the design. The black
of the fry pan would transfer the pattern to the cloth. True
"Yankee ingenuity" at work! Perry's mother had even
taught him needlework as a boy and Linda still has an especially
appropriate family heirloom: her father's embroidery hoop! Linda's
maternal grandparents, Lucy and Will, also encouraged creative
expression and imaginative play. Linda learned her sewing skills
from her mother who was an excellent seamstress. From the first
lesson she was instructed in the "correct way" (stitch,
press, etc) long before she took any home ec. classes. In high
school, Linda won awards for sewing and even received the Betty
Crocker award her senior year.
After
attending Western Carolina College for 2 years, Linda moved to
Minnesota where she met her husband, Dennis. Linda's previous
work history covers an eclectic mix of voactions: Nursing Home
Activities Director, Public Library Bookmobile Driver and Library
Assistant, Brownie, Girl Scout and Merit Badge Leader, Teacher
of tole painting, reverse glass painting, basket weaving, cross-stitch,
needlepoint, and other crafts to senior citizens and needlepoint,
cross-stitch, painting canvases and silk ribbon embroidery at
guilds, shops and at trade shows.
Linda became hooked on stitching when she salvaged and finished
a kit which her sister had given up on. Henceforth she eagerly
applied herself to learning other stitches. Often while working
a piece, there was some aspect of the design that wasn't "just
right," which Linda would adjust. This led to designing
her own pieces. Linda joined local guilds and studied with national
teachers. She began painting needlepoint canvas. A shop owner,
Pat Trumbull, saw these and asked Linda to paint some. Thus was
Hearthside Creations born. For several years Linda offered custom
hand painted canvas to several local shops, fulfilling their
special orders. Later Pat suggested that Linda publish her own
originals to market through a new mail order venture which Pat
was initiating. After becoming a member of the Society of Craft
Designers, Linda began getting work from magazine editors. When
this design business began to take off, she gave up painting
canvas to free up more time for magazine assignments.
When
Linda met Lois Caron at a trade show, she was encouraged her
to continue her forays into design. While designing "Heather,"
Linda's free pattern, she became enamored of the Watercolours
threads. They were perfect for her geometrics and imbued them
with an added dimension and vitality. Her first paid published
design was a pair of earrings employing Watercolours. She recalls
vividly: "I remember the editor just sitting and looking
at the earrings and saying something like, "I don't know.
I shouldn't, but I just have to have them!' I think I sold them
because of the thread, not the design!!!" Linda also gravitates
toward Rachel especially for Bargello work insisting that the
unique colors and texture add just the right touch of elegance.
Linda continues: "In my freelance work I do many different
types of needlework but try to use the Caron fibers when possible
because of the beauty they add to any design."
Linda draws inspiration from books, both old and new, magazines,
antique quilts and quilt patterns. She can lose herself for hours
poring over stitch dictionaries. Art museums, gift shops and
Sunday newspaper ads are a wealth of information on current styles
and colors. Trade shows keep her abreast of new fibers, fabrics
and other amenities as well a chance to observe what other designers
are up to. Linda explains the importance of being on the cutting
edge in her field: "When working for magazines you need
to know what the current colors are and what trends are current...As
a designer I think I need to keep up with what is currently on
the market yet have my own style"
Linda's
work has a traditional look and reflects her proclivity toward
simple yet elegant designs with clean lines. She favors geometrics
and has to work hard to NOT have everything perfectly symmetrical.
She admits that she finds it impossible to create whimsical designs.
"It is not within me!," she states unapologetically.
Over time her style has become less restrictive and more adventuresome.
She is anxious to experiment more and branch out into other design
areas. One theme appearing in her new work is florals and Linda
has recently completed some designs featuring fruit and flower
motifs, due to be published this coming year. She has a special
flair with silk ribbon and is especially fond of using it for
florals, as they can be created without having to be charted!
She has recently become obsessed with making clothing items embellished
with silk work or crazy quilting. 
Several
vest designs have been sold and she is now working on a jacket.
Shoes have grabbed her fancy as well and several silk ribbon
designs done on bedroom slippers have been published. Each new
design to come off the drawing board presents its own unique
challenges, both in it's creation and evolution as well its adaptation
for a specific market.
Dennis, is an invaluable partner and does all the graphs for
her designs. They can be found toiling together into the wee
hours when working on a magazine deadline. Linda is quick to
acknowledge his contribution to her success. Dennis' own fervor
is reserved for windsurfing and trips are often arranged specifically
so that he can "catch the wind." Linda loves these
excursions as they afford her the rare opportunity to extricate
herself from her otherwise constant proximity to phone and computer
- found time to design away "far from the madding crowd"
and just enjoy life. Also an avid reader, she will devour books
when given half a chance!
Of
her method of designing Linda says: "Patience is an important
thing when designing because ripping becomes a way of life as
you stitch and design. At least the way I design. I start with
something on paper but usually as I stitch it changes."
As a designer, Linda feels she is still in the process of learning
where her talents lie. As a stitcher, she still diligently pursues
new techniques and how to incorporate them into her work. Just
last year Linda began working with wired vintage flowers. This
interest became a design area and she sold several of them. In
a way it is fortunate that Linda has not the time to pursue many
extracurricular hobbies as she tends to become obsessed and over
zealous when starting something new: "If I find a new "hobby...
I will buy all the equipment and as many books as I can find
on the subject. I must have it all! Compulsive??? Or interested???"
Quilting is one pastime she still finds time for and she has
taken classes with designer Patricia Cox. As she judges herself
(too harshly, we're sure) a terrible quilter, Linda engages in
it purely for fun and for the opportunity to enjoy someone else's
designs.
Linda
volunteers at an after-school kids program sponsored by the local
EGA. She is abundantly rewarded by seeing how much the children
enjoy doing needlework. She elaborates: "They are so hungry
for the knowledge of this medium. It is time well spent."
Volunteering in the community also keeps her in touch with the
public. She is now also teaching an EGA Group Correspondence
Course, "Passion's Fancy," a needlepoint piece for
the advanced beginner to intermediate student.
Hearthside Creations offers designs in embroidery, silk ribbon
embroidery, needlepoint, plastic canvas, cross stitch and vintage
wire flowers. Linda has consulted and designed several pieces
for a hardcover bridal book which will be available shortly.
New designs are scheduled for inclusion in future issues of Great
American Crafts, Better Homes and Gardens Needlework Magazine,
Needlecraft Shop's Cross Stitch Magazine, The Cross Stitcher
Magazine, House Of White Birches hardcover Plastic Canvas Books
(there have been designs in six of these to date) and RibbonWorks
Design Club Packets. For information on current design charts
available, please e mail Linda and look for her work in needlework
magazines available at most newsstands.
Hearthside Creations, 7200 Glenwood Ave., Golden Valley, MN
55427-4807
e mail: [email protected]
To order Linda's Crazy Quilt Vest, contact Annie's Attic,
1 Annie Lane, Big Sandy, TX 75755
toll free phone: 1-800-LV-ANNIE. Or for more information, visit
their website at http://www.anniesattic.com
To order Linda's Silk Ribbon Pillow, contact
RibbonWorks Design Club, P.O. Box 345, Gladewater, TX 75647
phone: (903) 845-5000
website: http://www.ribbonworks.com
DESIGNER
ARCHIVES
Click below if you missed our previous
Designer Spotlights and FREE patterns
Jean Smith
Libby
Sturdy
Emie
Bishop
Stephanie
Novatski
Rosalyn
Watnemo
Linda
Reeves
Carol
Tinson
Julie
Pischke
Catherine
Reurs
Charland
Garvin
Martina
Weber
Cassandra
Prescott
Mary
Duckworth
Claudia
Dutcher
Leslie
Levison
Judi
Kauffman
Linda
Connors
Sue
Kerndt
Dawn
Lewis
David
McCaskill
Linda
Barry
Marilyn
Leavitt-Imblum
Pam
Davenport
Sue
Stehle, of Sekas & Co.
Diane
Evans, of Something Different
