I’m in Salt Lake City this week (more of that another day) but before I left I finished a series of three embroideries inspired by pottery from New Mexico.
It’s the same design stitched three ways!
The first one is a combination of chain stitch and simple running stitches on a dark grey background.
Here’s a close up. Even running stitch looks great in the bright variegated threads.
I used chain stitch and cross stitch for the next one, on a dark blue background this time.
Making each cross stitch individually really shows off the thread to its best advantage.
I chose a brown background for the third pot and a pale blue thread for the chain stitch, fly stitch, back stitch combination.
Filling in the shapes with chain stitch is a very traditional folk art stitching technique.
All the pots were sewn on fabric from Free Spirit which worked very well without a hoop. I used 8 weight hand dyed perle cottons from House of Embroidery for the stitching. Once I finish the embroidery I press from the back with lots of steam which helps the threads sit so nicely on the fabrics.
All three pots will be set side by side in a quilt at some point this year. I think they will be very happy together!
I’ve drawn out some Mayan hieroglyph inspired images for my next project. Even more embroidery fun…
Love all the pots and the variations.
the pots are absolutely beautiful.
inspires me to do embroidery. I enjoy Mayan art
Fantastic! These would look great with other southwest designs. I’m thinking of cacti and roadrunners. When you draw these, what sort of marking tools do you use? I like the Bohin pencil.
Thanks Katherine! I use a ultra fine tip black sharpie on lighter backgrounds and a fine silver one on the very dark ones. They go blunt quickly so a light hand is essential!!