In anticipation of Spring 2010

Looking at the storms all over the US these past two weeks have encouraged me that Mother Winter is almost at the end of its term and Spring is surely around the corner. At least, I want to think that way. Last December, I had already started the ground work for the first collection for 2010 and what better inspiration than to draw it from my paternal background of Kashmir. Kashmir is known as “heaven on earth” and heaven it is indeed. The snow laden mountain tops overlooking rolling hills of greenery and sweet smelling wild flowers besides lakes of an undescribable shade of blue. I can recall my mother’s stories of summers spent in Srinagar and my father’s youthful adventures while growing up. The stories pulled at me to recreate the legendary Kashmiri embroideries which are famously adorned on shawls and shirts. The Pashmina shawl on the right was embellished with designs from the mono-color scheme of Kashmir.

Most Kashmiri embroidery is self created without any set pattern. It depicts stories of the villages and reflects the beauties of the land. Florals are a constant within the various cultures that exist in the lands and that is what I chose for the designs in the collection.  The designs are separated in two sub-collections: multi-colored and mono-colored. The wool scarf on the left shows the designs in the multi-colored scheme.

I know what some of you are thinking…how does one embroider on wool especially an item where both sides may be seen. What stabilizer should be used and should the bobbins be wound in the same color as the top color. Wool has to be handled carefully and if washed, it does have a tendency to shrink. Years ago, Rachel Stirling of stirlingembroidery.com had introduced me to iron away stabilizer which is ideal to use on items which cannot be laundered. The best way to remove the stabilizer is to place a piece of brown paper bag or paper on top of the embroidered area before using the iron. This way, the stabilizer sticks to the brown paper or paper. As for winding bobbins in the same color as the top color, I recommend loosening the top tension so the top thread covers the bobbin thread and it seems as if colored bobbin was used.

The designs have a distinctive shading and dimensional feel to them and can be used on a multitude of items for adornment. My utmost desire was to embroider and recreate a Kashmiri shawl. I have several, some antiques and handed down through my family while others were purchased or given as gifts. Most of the stitches used in these shawls is an elongated satin stitch or a single long stitch which I have tried to recreate in the designs. The only item in the designs that is different are the candlewicks, which are my own signature. The designs stitch out fast and are for the 5×7 hoop, with special markings allowing the designs to be stitched out cotinuously.

Whiile I was dreaming up shawls and garments to adorn with the designs, my dear friend Carolyn sent off a picture of the most adorable velvet purse she created using the designs from Kashmir. I love her approach to colors and have always been amazed at how she presents them. Not only did she create the cute purse, but followed my instructions to create the scissor case that is included in the collection.

Another collection that has been on my absolutely “to do” list is the Battenburg lace collection. Years ago I had created the battenburg lace but always felt that it was still too heavy, so over the past few months, I have been working on perfecting the concept of the lace. Battenburg is actually a form of tape lace and one of my last posts were about perfecting the open joints of the tape. I am pleased that I left the open joints on the inside rather than on the outer edges. Either way would work in the making of the tape, though.

Hope to release both collections shortly before the Sewing and Quilt Expo Atlanta. I am planning on being there, booth 241, along with Carolyn from Creative Needlecraft.com.