Stitching the Past.

 Last Monday at Dorset Creative Embroiderers group we had a go at Dorset Feather Stitching.  A few of us in the group have an old book called Dorset Feather Stitchery by Olivia Pass which was printed locally by The Friary Press in Dorchester.  It was first printed in 1957, with reprints up to 1984. This was published by the Dorset Federation of Women’s Institutes, which was then based in the town, but the office has since moved to Poundbury. I have the last reprint, which was in 1984, which I bought at  a charity shop when I worked in Dorchester over 13 years ago, more as a reference book than to make anything from.

There are no colour pictures in the book and there are hand drawn diagrams and the language is a bit old fashioned to our eyes now. It has influences from old English smocks, from Dorset, Wales and Staffordshire and uses ‘pine cones’ the tear shapes from the Peacock’s Eye of Persia for example.  In the book is a Trial and Error sampler to try out the different stitches.

Here are a few pages from the book

The Trial and Error sampler 

A corner design, for which there was a template for. 

A couple of aprons (remember the pinnies that tied at the waist?) along with a needlecase and (I think) an embroidered tea cosy.

We made bookmarks with some fine cotton cloth, backed with wadding to provide stability. One of the group demonstrated and had samples and some templates from a lady she knew who sadly passed away last year (although the workshop was already on the list for the group).

Below is my practice piece. I didn’t have my blanket stitch going on the outside of the curve so clashed with the blanket stitch around two of the pine cones.  I also had a go at couching the ricrac, which is another feature of the embroidery as well as chain stitch with a ‘tip’. It was enjoyable way to spend the time with hand stitching and chatting.

Below are a few more samples

It would be good if this bit of the past carried on.