Proud to be an Artisan Member of the International Guild of Miniature Artisans, IGMA
Historically Inspired Crewel Embroidery in Miniature
Using my extensive collection of 17th and 18th century needlework resources, a new line of miniature crewel embroidery kits has been created. These kits may be used to cover a stool, a chair, a fire screen, a tapestry frame or a bed which can be ordered from McQueenie's Miniatures, or simply used as a framed picture. The stitches used are simple embroidery stitches such as chain, outline/stem stitch, French knots, fishbone, long and short and buttonhole as there is no room for a very complex stitch. Included in the kits is sufficient DMC cotton floss, two #10 English crewel needles, along with an appropriate fabric and my hand drawn design. An enlarged color photo with complete stitch diagram and instructions are also included.
My Background in Art and Miniatures:
I'm a history buff and the way I bring it to life for myself is my dolls house collection. I am an artist in full size and miniature and love to learn about history, especially the English Tudor period from 1497 to 1603, including Henry VIII, his son Edward IV, Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I, and Mary Queen of Scots.
Learning to stitch crewel embroidery in the 1970’s, when it was very popular, led me into the world of miniatures when I realized I could stitch petit point rugs for my 18th century American Federal dolls house.
I studied full size watercolor painting for over thirty years and found I could bring this skill into miniature also. I have studied painting in miniature with two Masters in Miniature, specifically watercolor on vellum with John J. Hodgson of England and oil painting with Johannes Landman of Canada, both at the Guild School in Castine, Maine. The Guild School is the teaching arm of the International Guild of Miniature Artisans (www.IGMA.org), where I have achieved Artisan status.
After extensive research, I designed and collected dolls houses depicting periods from the 16th to 20th centuries in England, Holland and the United States. I have lectured at the Museum of the City of New York and exhibited my dolls houses at a number of venues, most notably at the Bruce Museum in Greenwich, Connecticut and at The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. My collections and needlework have been featured in magazines and books in England, France, Spain, The Netherlands and of course, the United States.
Please also visit my blog site, http://cookiez123.blogspot.com. Here you will see my kits as well as my historic dolls house collection and links to many great web sites.
Thank you so much for visiting my web site and I hope you will find just the crewel embroidery kit you have been looking for. Enjoy!