casalguidi embroidery

I have started this sample project in the Casalguidi embroidery. I had not heard about this type of embroidery before when I saw it in the book by Via Laurie. Originally whitework, this type of raised embroidery was developed in Tuscan village of Casalguidi in Italy in 19th century. It was popular for embellishing bags and clothes, as well as household linen. It always has a base of four-sided stitch, on which the embroidery is then worked. The flower in the middle is called Venetian rosette, worked with six buttonhole-stitch petals, and it is very distinctive of Casal-guidi embroidery.
There is a touch of stumpwork about it.
So far I have not been able to find any more books on the subject, only one on Amazon, which is astronomically expensive.

what am I stitching now?

I have had this book for a long time and every time I looked at it, I just wanted to get stitching, but then I looked at the details... and I put it back on the shelf.
But last night I actually started. It is going to be a slow work, because quite a bit of it is new to me.
Schwalm embroidery is of a German origin, very similar to Hedebo from Denmark.
It incorporates various surface stitches, pulled fabric, drawn thread, needlelace and needleweaving. Traditional design is based on 'tree of life', which include hearts, tulips, the sun, pine cones, flowers, fruit, leaves, dove...
To practice as many stitches as possible, I have decided to make a sampler.





And there is the Fabric book cover, which I have been collecting bits for, but at the moment I just don't seem to have any inspiration as to the design. It would a shame to spoil the lovely piece of silk I have chosen for it.


I am also working on Tail Feathers quilt, see post 9th April.

small projects