Anniversary Embroidery

I can now reveal the embroidery I gave you a peek at a while ago; I think it is fairly self-explanatory! I stitched it on chambray, and made the hoop into its frame with the help of some fabric glue and this purl bee tutorial. This is pretty much my first attempt at embroidery, and will definitely not be the last. As I believe I already mentioned, I relished so many aspects of the process, from designing the image to choosing colours and stitches.

I got to see some truly amazing professional needlework and garment design this weekend as part of Brit Chic, which we went to see at the Gate Picturehouse in Notting Hill. The film was a fantastic patchwork of  archive footage from the British Film Institute. Every one of the snippets was interesting, though I found especially inspiring the sight of  several women clustered around a frame stitching hundreds of microscopic beads into a leaf pattern for the 'apron' of a 50s couture gown. The cinema itself was the perfect setting for the film, with velvet love seats nestling under a deep burgundy coffered ceiling heavy with Edwardian plasterwork.

It was a most delightful anniversary, and I hope that this piece of embroidery might serve as a reminder of it.