Project a Month: Monogram on Cork Fabric

This project is one from the archives - let's travel way, way back to October 2017 - I had just been happily married and was busy working at a project that ultimately didn't see the light of day. It was a seasonal monogram, stitched on DMC gold flecked cork fabric, with DMC perle cotton.

The season was winter, and the letter was "D" simply because I'd stitched A for Spring, B for Summer, and C for Fall - the letter meant nothing to me personally.

I was happier than I'd ever been, married to the man of my dreams, the one I thought would never arrive, and we were just settling into our new life and new apartment together.

That is why, in this photo you see nothing hanging on the walls, things in quiet disarray, as if recently unpacked. I'd just gotten a shiny new desk, all white, and set to work on this project.

I might have never found these photos again, had I not been looking for photos of my sweet cat Dot, after she passed away in October.

All at once, the quiet, happy scene came back to me, and these photos were a time capsule of calm and our beautiful happiness before the storm set in - before either of us were sick and I stitched, and Dot supervised me from her sunlit slumber on our bed - she lay just where she could see me stitching.

I pulled out the project as I was grieving for Dot, and found it languishing in my bin of unfinished business, and all at once I saw the letter "D." D for Dot.

What this project meant to me is this - there is so much beauty in what is happening in this very moment, right now. All around us are lights and treasures, and beauty to be taken in and seen.

We never realize how lucky we are until we have these moments to look back and discern our utter blessedness.

Project a Month: English Paper Piecing - Embroidery

So, I wanted to wrap up this month's Project a Month posts with embroidery - as mentioned this month I was stitching along with the wonderful English Paper Piecing class with Liza Lucy on Creativebug.

The final project in the class involves attaching your completed hexagons to a tea towel, I showed you my completed efforts last week, but this being an embroidery blog, I wanted to take it further and add embroidery!

When using hexagon shapes, it is so helpful at this point to have an acrylic or cut out template so you can line up your embroidered motif exactly!

I saw to my delight that the tiny test motifs I stitched earlier this year fit perfectly in my hexagon shape...

But I did want to stitch something specifically for my project, so I took out my copy of A Handbook of Lettering for Stitchers by Elsie Svennas - I've mentioned this little book before - it is delightful. Do a Google search to find the free PDF out there before you pay too much money on this out of print book!

There are some lovely pages at the back with letters in so many imaginative shapes for monograms - I found a tiny buttonhole stitch "S" that fascinated me...

I used my acrylic template to make sure it fit well within the borders, and stitched it up:

This is just one simple way to incorporate embroidery in hexagonal shapes - there are so many other imaginative ways to do so, as I've been highlighting this month in the embroidery of Emma Jones, the Jam a Month Stitch Club by Mollie Johanson, and so many others!

I hope this month's Project a Month has inspired you to try English Paper Piecing as a way to broaden your stitching horizons! As mentioned before, I highly recommend the English Paper Piecing class with Liza Lucy on Creativebug, but there are numerous wonderful resources out there!

Additional classes on EPP

I am also enjoying 2 classes by Helen Stubbings on Bluprint: Quick and Easy English Paper Piecing and English Paper Piecing: Beyond the Basics. One thing I enjoy about Bluprint (formerly Craftsy) is that they include paper patterns and go into more depth.

That said, I currently have monthly subscriptions to both Creativebug AND Bluprint, and I'm enjoying going back and forth between them both! Again, when you're paying less than a Netflix, Amazon or Hulu subscription, it's hard to argue with the convenience of having inspiring content that keeps you creating!

I have 1 more inspiring resource on EPP to share with you before I close out the month, so stay tuned for that!

Wonderful Wednesday 69: Moody Green Embroidery

Just look at this breathtaking Floral Monogram Embroidery Pattern by Moody Green Embroidery! I've been eying this pattern for months now - I am in love with all the delicate lines and textured stitches. I love the subtle colors and the beautiful take on negative space - but do I dare?

Maybe a good way to test out my tracing skills and make sure I'm up to the challenge is to first tackle this smaller (but still beautiful and complex) Single Detailed Flower Pattern:

For more breathtaking photos of Sanita's embroidery, follow her on Instagram: @moodygreenembroidery

Christmas Countdown #16: Mountains of Thread

I love this sweet, simple Christmas Monogram Embroidery Kit - it's such a fresh, uncomplicated design, with a lovely muted palette.

Diary of an Intern: Julia at Hand and Lock, week 5

According to the Danish Fashion Institute's study in 2013, Fashion is the second most polluting industry after oil. Big fashion designers and individuals are pushing for a more ethical and sustainable industry and the new Fashion Revolution Day promotes this movement. Fast fashion is likened to 'junk food' and consumers are urged to seek out a more ethical product and 'up-cycle' old clothes as well as acquiring new skills to make their own.

The addition of a monogram gives an item a unique touch which seems to appeal to our increasing need for real worth and reflects a rejection of throwaway consumerism as Lizzi Walton, organizer of SITselect craft Festival explains. "In a world of bland mass production, to own something individual is enhancing. It’s a pleasure to have something that is made with love and made by hand. Sometimes to have less is better." This recent flow of consumers towards hand crafted and artisan products (often more ethically produced due to their nature) is a big reason for an increased popularity in monogramming as it gives a garment a refined bespoke finish and by doing so can allow it longevity, as it becomes part of the owner's capsule wardrobe.

In the last couple of weeks I've decided to learn more about monogramming. I was kindly invited to join a weekend course at Hand & Lock where I picked up some of the essentials of this intricate technique. Monogramming work makes up a core element of the business at Hand & Lock, which has led me on a quest to discover what this type of embroidery entails and why it is so popular.

We are all partial to a personalised item from mugs to stationary and linen to luggage. This type of customisation certainly befits fashion and has been trending in recent years. What was once an embellishment mainly adorned by the Savile Row society is now sought after by the many and is certainly a fashionable way to stand out from the crowd. Consumers are less interested in elaborate logos, so the appeal of a monogram also ties into our cyber world of acronyms and avatars and acts as a way to brand ourselves. Moreover it allows the buyer to get involved in the design process and gives them a greater attachment to the product.

A constant stream of customers come to Hand & Lock to have their goods monogrammed. The house is renowned for its outstanding quality of hand embroidered work and they have also moved into the 21st century to offer machine embroidery at an affordable price, thus a wide range of orders are delivered. Clients can vary: a business tycoon requiring their shirt to be initialled, a mechanic ordering a well considered gift of a monogrammed shammy leather cloth for his co-worker or a lady wishing to personalise an heirloom for a wedding present.

Typically it can take a professional embroiderer a few months to master the technique. Different guidelines are adopted to execute the variety of letters in the Latin alphabet and when an array of font styles are added to the mix then an additional set of rules are applied, making this embroidery work relatively complex. Hand & Lock have their own particular way of monogramming which ensures that all of the embroidery work that leaves the house is uniform and has exactly the same finish.

Many businessmen initial their garments such as shirts, coats and ties. Surprisingly some will even have their socks and boxers labelled. Could this be a die hard habit that harks back to life at private and boarding schools? Traditionally these types of application of monogramming was reserved for wealthy gentlemen and dates back centuries. It is certainly a statement of status amongst peers and a way of adding a delicately customised finish to a bespoke garment. This could be the ultimate expression of luxury especially in men's fashion when compared to women's; where it's easier to add a personal touch to an outfit with a handbag or printed blouse, for example.

For such a small and intricate embellishment there is a variety of customisations available and even an 'etiquette' of how initials should be combined. A larger edged font in a bold contrasting colour can have a very different effect to a soft script monogram subtly embroidered in the same colour silk as the garment. I've also discovered that often a monogram will be placed on a part of the clothing that is not visible to the public, such as by the hem of a shirt. Although this may seem frivolous in fact it demonstrates the growing trend in ownership of a one of a kind item.

The monogram does not only have to be elaborate and act as a personal emblem. It can also be a discreet symbol of a well-loved garment that can make the owner feel special when wearing it. The customer's input in the creation of an item clearly initiates a greater connection between owner and product. By leaving their stamp on a product the owner gives it a form of identity which adds greatly to its purpose. This will become an increasingly, more important aspect of design in a diluted market that is dominated by over consumption.

Hi, I'm Julia! Based in Amsterdam, I am an embroidery enthusiast with a life long passion for textiles. I will be contributing during my work placement at the prestigious Hand and Lock a London based, embroidery and embellishment company with 250 years of heritage.

Join me every other Friday for my Diary of an Intern posts!
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Today's program was brought to you by the letter:

stitched by What Delilah Did

Is it just me or is cross-stitch getting more beautiful?