Crazy, Catty Stitching in 1884

In 1884 Mrs. Mary Haehnlen penned "A Book of Fancy Designs for Ornamenting Oriental Work".  In 24 pages she describes about 70 ornamental stitches, and combinations of stitches.  These combinations of stitches and their higglety pigglety placement is an extension of the art of crazy quilting, so popular in Mrs. Haehnlen's day.

Our friend Mary writes with a tone typical of craft publications from this period.  Assuming, and a little pompous, I really enjoy reading and working from these kinds of books.

From the Introduction:

"Where is no work more popular at the present time than Oriental or "crazy" work; though I don't think there has ever been a book printed with designs in stitches for ornamenting it.  I have tried to put all the prettiest ones I could design in this book, and do not think they will need much explanation, though for the benefit of beginners I will explain all I can.  Some very handsome work is being done in black silk pieces, put together the same as the ordinary crazy work, and the stitches put on in the same way.  

Have your pieces nicely pressed out and lay them out on new paper cambric****, then press them once more before you begin your stitches.  Be sure to overcast all the edges so they will not fray out.  

You will find a variety of stitches and designs on the coloured plate not in the book that will give you some idea how to finish off corners.  These directions are only for those who have not made any of this work.  The stitches on the following pages need very little work.  

The stitches on the following pages need very little explanation, as those that are numbered are all very simple, and are only put in that it may be more convenient for you to make the others by referring to them."

Her instructions are vague, and her first instructions are aptly catty:
"Nos. 1 and 2 are the common straight and cat stitches, and every one knows how to make them."

Ahhh, the cat stitch. Everyone knows that one, right? Well maybe everyone did in 1884, but not everyone would have the same stitch in mind. In the world of Victorian embroidery this stitch goes by a few different names: Cat Stitch, Brier Stitch, Coral Stitch, Catch Stitch, Feather Stitch and variations therein.


Unfortunatly, even in Victorian needlework, there are many other stitches that also lay claim to the name of Cat Stitch, and to the name of the other stitches I have mentioned.

In the case of A Book of Fancy Work for Ornamenting Oriental Work, 'cat stitch' is a modern herringbone stitch.  The 'feather stitch' it employs has nothing to do with Opus Plumicarium.

Instructions for more complicated stitches are only slightly more helpful.  Example:
"No 9, make the same as cat - stitch, only put the needle in up and down instead of across. No. 10 is made the same as feather stitch."

It is understood that the Victorian embroiderer would read this and substitute her stitch preference for any one of these stitches.

Still, the stitches themselves are simple, after some updating of terminology. It is the combinations of these stitches that are unique. Also surprising to a modern eye are the vibrant and contrasting colours used. New dyes introduced in this industrial era made many more colours available, and those colours were now much more saturated and were much brighter. Needlework became more lively as well, as can be seen in Berlin work and other needlepoint methods that used German Wools.


Despite the Victorian craze for the Oriental (thank you Mr.Vantine and assorted Mitfords) I was surprised to find that this 'crazy' style was considered Asian.  Because of their Quilting tradition, I had always associated crazy stitching with the American South and assumed that it's popularity in this period was due to the matereral shortages of the Civil War.
Oh Ashley!

-Reviewed for Antique Pattern Library's Collection

Sunday in the Store With Morgan

*a Parker who loves the 4 Georges?

It is officially winter in Halifax, and when the wind blows at Salter and Barrington Streets it is bitterly cold.  On a Sunday however, The Loop is toasty warm.  Sometimes it is downright hot.  Often, at Noon, I have to crack the back window a little, which shocks and confuses the amorous pigeons who rendezvous on our sil.

I took this photo outside of DeSerres, where I was waiting for a cab.  15 minutes later I flagged one down.  I had always been told that in Halifax, you can't flag a car.  My Cabbie told me that this isn't true when it comes to Barrington Street!  News to me.

 This Sunday I spent Embroidering.  It's easy to pick up and put down as the need arises, and it's too too convenient having our supply of DMC floss so close to hand.

I also took advantage of our huge storefront window.  Over the years I've used countless transfer methods to get embroidery patterns and my own sketches onto cotton and linen.  I've used lightboxes, carbon paper, various papers, pens and pencils and ironing methods.  When it comes down to it, I don't think anything beats scotch tape, a sharp pencil, and a sunny window.

I do advise photocopying the pattern twice; one copy will be taped to the window underneath the fabric, and the other will be taped alongside, as a reference.  I also recommend drawing four crosses on the fabric, tracing each corner of the pattern or pattern paper.  This way, if you need to retrace, you can orient the fabric perfectly.


Clover needles and notions have arrived!
I'd like to thank all those customers who understood that for me to do the oft-procrastinated job of sorting and pricing the needle shipment, and then printing out our tiny price stickers I need to 
A:  Say the prices and item codes aloud, and
B:  Listen to cartoons on youtube playing underneath the inventory windows.  Totally Spies, Disney's Recess and of course, The Emperor's New School are helpful.  
You are very understanding.  It must be a shock to hear a sudden 'Hiya! Ya!' or 'This Whomps' before I remember to switch the audio over to yarn shopping music.
Enjoy the 4 Georges:



Who ever could have guessed that I'd develop a thing for George II?!

Birds, Bees and Handspun

I know more about the Flowers and the Trees.

Blackwork Sampler #1

Blackwork Embroidery was introduced to the Tudor Court by pious Catherine of Aragon who was no doubt taught the technique by her Mother, Queen Isabella-Catherine's suitcase was stuffed with the stuff when she married Prince Arthur. It's mainly comprised of running stitches, and cleverly placed backstitches. Many of the designs are equally impressive on the reverse, making Blackwork on cuffs, collars and ruffs popular well through to Elizabeth's rein. Less Moorish than Catherine, (and less boorish than her father) Elizabeth used her needle to change Blackwork in to a more 'English' (organic, free form) needleart. The printing press was making trickier designs accessible, and the influx of Italian lace makers enjoying low import taxes meant that cuffs were frilly again -no more reversible, geometric demands on Blackwork designs. So now you know.




1. Portrait of Mrs Pemberton, Hans Holbein, 1535. Catherine of Aragon's influence
2.Lady Kytson, George Gower, 1573, Elizabethan all-over Blackwork.

Blackwork became so popular under Catherine's Spanish influence that Master Holbein's Court portraits are full of the embroidery. His careful eye for detail helped propel the technique and he favoured it in the real-life decoration of the King's court-soon Holbein stitch was borne. A double running stitch, it seems to be a chicken and egg situation. I shall tackle it next. Maybe on a sleeve like Jane Seymour's?


Excellent Double Running Stitch tutorial available at The Blackwork Archives

I wonder what clever thing David Hockney might have to say about
Optics and the use of mirrors in 4-way Needlework (Bargello/Flame Stitch, above) and in Quilting.
His motto of "Optics don't make marks" may help defend Embroidery and Quilting's reliance on strict patterning motifs.
The Charts don't make the Stitches.


Speaking of 'Secret Knowledge', someone should write a book about Needlepoint as hand-held and easily disguised Labyrinth Meditations... and other tools (documentation, excuse, communications, keeping sharp as a needle). Not all of the reasons for it's enduring 'Ladylike' status are denigrating. Would Eleanor of Aquitaine or Elizabeth I have put up with that?
PS Is the Vintage Knit-Along no longer running?

Between being away, and blogger being down, I am very late to the Take a Stitch Tuesday party indeed. Here is my Week One challenge completed: Herringbone Stitch


I was inspired by well, Herring and along the way became quite enchanted with the Art of Sardine Tin labels. (Many canned sardines are in fact herring.) It's a great source of vintage advertising/poster art.
To learn more about "Herring Art" visit the Sardine Museum of Seal Cove, New Brunswick here. To learn more about Take a Stitch Tuesday click here, and to see a small sampling of other contributor's work visit the TAST Flickr page here.



Soundtrack : "The Waiting", Tom Petty

A pair of canvases before I go hop on a train this afternoon.





Last weekend I got to take the Dress Form Workshop that I couldn't take last fall (see here). There are some great photos and I will post them as soon as I get everyone in the photos' permission to do so (even though I'm the one having their body wrapped in duct tape).
In the mean time I have an exact replica of my torso standing in my hallway which is very strange indeed. I've already dressed her up and she looks smashing in all my clothes. I will use her for blocking lace sweaters a lot.
Sitting here typing though, I'm thinking I might extend one of her cutoff arms a little longer a la:
Oops-looks like someone else has thought along the same lines:link
Soundtrack: Murder She Wrote on the tv

A pretty Collar in miniature for no good reason at all. I'm still exploring wearables based on doily techniques. This is based on a pattern c.1958, crocheted in dk weight.




I make no promises, but for now I seem to have traded in a little of my oft ridiculed "Bordello" Tastes for "Bargello". Oooh baby, I can't get enough of it and canvas work doesn't sound as dirty as it did before. As you may have noticed, I will always back the underdog when it comes to crafts, and really,to all things Women's Work and I'm sure this is indicative of some disorder or another but I'm not much bothered.
I haven't started a bargello project yet, but I've quite decided I'm going to find it really satisfying from a mathematical standpoint. I'm also really taken by freeform bargello as discussed on favorite blog haunt Seamsters. I think I will start with Flame, Pomegranate and Ribbon patterns. I will save "Four Way" til I'm feeling more adventurous.








<-------Bordello
<-------Bargello

Soundtrack: "Cathouse Blues", Stevie Nicks

My new secret passion is embroidering on canvas. There's something so exciting about ready preped canvases and I've been buying them in every teenie size possible-as small as 3"x5"-though the surface available for stitching is much smaller in these sizes. To make use of the rest of the space, I've started drawing the rest of the image as a continuation of the embroidery (usually a combination of split stitches, french knots, and other stitches used in crewel work) since it is confined to the interior (rectangle or square) space created by the frame. It's a neat effect because you don't see the embroidered section as a specific rectangle at first.


I've also been embroidering whole pictures as sortof seen below. The work looks so crisp and clean against the white canvases and I love them unframed-the lines are severe compared to the stitching, but the stapled canvas rounds the edges and makes for a sorta cozy minimalism. There's a new term for you. BTW: I know all of these photos are kind of yellowed. Please imagine them otherwise.


If you want to try this too I do have a top tip: oh my goodness use a strong needle and a thimble. I've been thinking a lot about thimbles lately (!) I've always thought they were pretty silly and cumbersome (and then the whole collectable thing is just plain weird) and I have made do without. The one thing i hadn't considered was just how charming sillyness can be. An ex-student came into the store last month looking for a thimble. She had met a lad who was going away forever later that afternoon. She wanted to do something about it but they had only just met and everything she thought of seemed overthetop and presuming. But his name was Peter. She wanted to give him a thimble. Can you stand it? Thank goodness I don't know any Peters anymore.

No, the only Peter I really know of is my great great something Sir Peter Parker, who was a patron of Lord Nelson and whose pants had an unfortunate run in with a cannon (as sung by Burl Ives?!)

"Now Clinton by land
Did quietly stand
While my guns made a terrible rumpus,
But my pride took a fall when a well-aimed ball
Propelled me along on my bumpus!
Ri tu den dio, ri tu den di ay
Propelled me along on my bumpus!"

Soundrack: "Sir Peter Parker", Leslie Nelson Burns. Click HERE to hear the song and read the rest of the lyrics. You'll also find the catty thing the Constitutional Gazetteer wrote about the incident. Clearly the Fug Girls of their day.