Honorable Mention

I love hand-held surface embroidery! So when our Monguagon EGA guild hosted Deborah Tirico for a Chatelaine class of wool embroidery on felted wood, I knew I was going to love the class and the piece!

The 3” x 40” Chatelaine and companion Ort port were created using luscious navy blue felted wool for the main body of the work with other brightly colored felted wools for the added attachments: scissors keeper pocket, thimble pocket, pin cushion, scissor/needle magnet, and needle catcher. A hand-dyed, variegated wool thread was used for most of the embroidery, with Medici wool used in the Signature name (Deborah).

I could not, of course, just replicate the Chatelaine, so I created my own by first rearranging the positions of the added elements. I then changed the embroidery designs on the pockets and surrounding the magnet. I added my own touches to the signature name and created my own embroidered dragonfly and ladybug. Overdyed silk ribbon was used to redesign the flower on the thimble pocket, signature, and the floral embroidery on the Ort Port. I also changed the finishing by including a sculpted neckline to improve the fit.

I loved creating and stitching my Chatelaine. Thank you, Deborah Tirico, for a wonderful class and inspiration!