I'm hearing an old siren call lately.  It's been years since I've worked on an embroidery project as I have focused almost exclusively on cross stitch for the past twenty years or so.  But embroidery was the first needle art I learned.  My mother and her friend Marion Green both patiently taught me the back stitch, the chain stitch, the running stitch, the beautiful satin stitch and the bane of my existence, the frustrating french knot.  My favorite stitch was the lazy daisy.

Marion helped me prepare several gifts for my mother, and I was so proud to give them to her!  I remember embroidering little flowers on baby clothes as a special surprise when my brother was born, and working feverishly to finish a pink apron that had flowers stitched on the pocket.  My mother loved it and then carefully packed it away so 'it wouldn't get anything on it.'  (Kind of defeats the purpose, doesn't it, Mom?)

I worked really hard on an embroidered covered bridge picture and couldn't wait to give it to her on Christmas morning!

As I grew older I left embroidery behind and was fascinated by the world of counted cross stitch, but lately I feel restless, ready to tackle something new.  And because the beautiful big world of blogging can connect you with so many creative people, I've decided to branch out a little and tackle a few new needlework projects.  Who can resist with patterns like these?

I just ordered this pattern from Crabapple Hill Studio...who can resist a pattern that promises to Stitch Winter Away?!

 

And I ordered this book.  I've fallen in love with the designs and can't wait to try some of them!  You can find this book on British designer Aneela Hoey's  blog http://comfortstitching.typepad.co.uk/

Which one do I make first?!

Oh, it has to be this sweet little girl.  Isn't she lovely?

And since I live by the motto 'more is better' ( I really don't, but it was a catchy way of confessing I bought TWO embroidery books instead of one), I was so excited when this book arrived in the mail, fresh off the press!  You can check out Kristyne's awesome creations at http://prettybyhand.com/

Here's a little poem for today, titled Embroidery by Margaret Widdemer:

SHE sits and makes pink roses with her thread
And wonders what to do, her heart astir,
What road to take, where roads branch close ahead,
And how to know her true love calling her;
Whether to follow thorny paths (but sweet
The young wild heart's way!) or to fling the door
Wide to love's placid tread with wonted feet,
And how to build her life forevermore.

The rose-sprung needle keeps its darting deft . . .
When life has gone whichever way it goes,
Of all her wonderings shall be only left
The texture and the pattern of this rose:
And when her old eyes see its flowering spread,
Dull-faded, a known decking of her room,
(Wherever that may be then– all words said,
All life made certain then until the tomb!)

Something shall clutch her still of youth and pain,
From that far-thrilled girl-day, and she will see
Its shape grow in that breathless hour again
With all her ordered years were still to be;
From that brown silken flower shall flush in death
Youth with its rosy terrors quivering gay,
And she shall think, set free for one swift breath–
'Ah, yes, I made it on that very day!'

You know I'm going to have to embroider this TEA CUP, right?!