Denise Giles - Contemporary Candlewick Embroidery: 25 Home Decor Accents Featuring Colored Floss & Ribbonwork

Contemporary
Candlewick Embroidery Denise Giles 2004 by Denise Giles
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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2004101563 ISBN: 0-87349-739-2
eISBN: 978-1-4402-2528-4 Designed by Donna Mummery
Edited by Nicole Gould Printed in the United States of America Acknowledgments I would like to acknowledge appreciation to my beloved husband, Gary, for all his support, encouragement, and help; and to my son Daniel for his loving support and enthusiasm. My editor, Nicole Gould, thank you for your hospitality, patience, and hard work creating this beautiful book. Much appreciation also goes to photographer Kris Kandler for her expertise in creating the beautiful images. Thanks go to the expert staff at Krause Publications for their hard work in creating a quality product.

Special thanks goes to Julie Stephani for her mentoring spirit to me and so many other designers. I greatly appreciate the opportunity to create this book. I extend my appreciation to my Society of Craft Designer friends for their network support and encouragement. Most importantly, thanks to the loving God who has given me the talent, opportunities, and strength to run the race. Contents Introduction Researching the history of candlewick embroidery, I discovered that our ancestors used candlewick cottonthe same thread that they used to make wicks for candlesto create hand stitched pieces for their homes. Colonial knots were created on an unbleached muslin background.

Some stitchers went one step further, cutting the thread in between the stitches to make what they called tufts. Traveling across the country in a covered wagon, space and supplies were limited, so early crafters were forced to use whatever materials were available. After learning about candlewick embroidery a few years ago and seeing it done with only white thread, I wondered why no one had tried it with color. I saw many kits that combined colored crewel embroidery with white candlewick. Researching further, I discovered people using embroidery floss or pearl cotton to add color to their candlewick patterns. I decided to embrace this idea and expand upon it.

Modern life now affords so many choices for threads and materials. I loved the look of candlewick and wanted to take this old-fashioned needlework and revive it in the new millennium, with a fresh look. I especially enjoy the texture of candlewick embroidery. It is such an easy craft, with only one main stitch to masterthe French knot. I have added a few other stitches to give greater dimension to this contemporary embroidery. At the same time, I wanted to take it a little further than just adding color.

I wanted to combine it with my favorite needleworkribbon embroidery. In many of the projects in this book, you will find that I have added simple ribbon embroidery embellishments. I also climbed out of the box and tried candlewick on many different fabrics, not just the traditional muslin. Candlewick embroidery really stands out when stitched on linen and even-weave fabrics. I also experimented with other fabrics, including colored cottons, denims, and flannels. To help you get started, this book begins with step-by-step techniques and a stitch guide section.

Next, you launch right into seven project chapters that represent seven rooms of a home. A variety of projects and patterns offer you a wide range of ideas to help spark your own creativity. Greet your guests at the door with a stitched welcome sign in the Entryway. Fruity projects adorned with strawberries and green pears fill the Kitchen. Butterflies and dragonflies surround you in the Sun Room, while an eagle embellishes an oversized pillow in the Patriotic Den. Hearts and flowers fill a Romantic Bedroom and lovely vintage style pillows decorate the Guest Bedroom.

Little baby ducks adorn the edge of a cute baby blanket in the Nursery. Some projects will work up quickly while others will take a little more time to complete. However, when you finish, you will have an heirloom treasure that your loved ones will cherish for many years. I hope you enjoy this contemporary candlewick collection and create many of these lovely projects for your home. Tools and Materials This ribbon bled onto the fabricbecause it was not pre-washed beforestitching. Threads and Ribbons Pearl cotton, size 8, and embroidery floss were used to stitch the candlewick embroidery projects throughout this book. For an elegant touch, ribbon embroidery was added to many of the projects.

The threads and ribbons come in a variety of colors and can be found in your local craft or fabric stores. Pearl cotton balls, are used in many of the projects in this book. Size 8 is the perfect size to make nice French knots for contemporary candlewick embroidery and is available in many colors. Cut the cotton into 24" lengths to work.