Crewel Embroidery -- past and present - series

So you did manage to get  all the tools needed for starting your embroidery
Well you may still need to choose your fabric base for the embroidery  which I would say is very important and have to be chosen in accordance with the use of your project .
For framed thinks or soft furnishing you be very well to get the linen twill but this days we find harder and harder to get the good stuff.

     linen twill pic
So I find a good replacement for the linen twill which is linen union

linen union pic

Is not having that grain going on from left to right but as a texture is not very far .
Anyway I think any cotton fabric which is a bit stronger than the normal linen or batik is good in off .
Very important is the tension in your frame to keep the shape of the project correct.
Once the fabric chosen you have to go to the next  step which is the design .
You can use a kit ready made by few of the companies which still selling this kits :
The crewel Company 
Royal School of Needlework 
and I am sure you can find many many more .
I usually try to do my own designs as they are unique and cheap in same time. All I need is a piece paper the size of the work I want to do , a computer for some inspiration and lots more imagination  .
I get little pieces from here from there , I adapt them to my  required size , some time I loose or add little bits and here I come with the design .

Once I am happy with my drawing I try a bit of colouring in to get a better idea of the final piece of work I want to get done .
Then choose my stitches which usually change few times , and this is not because they don't work just because I usually forgot  to check often my design .

Well we will get back soon for a following up in this process.

Happy crafting all
Hugs
Renata