Sure is quiet around here.

[Silver Creek Slim]

Howdy! 

Slim

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Howdy Cousin Slim!



Just in time, I am heading home to go mow some weeds.



AnnieLee

[Scattered Thumbs]

What did they do, tear down the old place and build a vacant lot?

Where is everybody?

[Four-Eyed Buck]

I guess Miz Annie's mowin' weeds yet. Haven't checked TFS yet, but by the posts in the Longbranch it may still be down. Might be real busy here later.....Buck

[Forty Rod]

TFS is down (again).  Sure gettin' tiresome.

Hey, here's a new question for you experts of things wierd and wonderful:  who knows about the history of embroidery?

How far back does it go?  How extensively was it used "out west"?

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Hmm.. good question, Forty Fonzai! I don't have my sources in front of me, but know some forms of "western" embroidery date back to the middle ages. Most of the "sampler" work we so often read about on the frontier would now be called "cross-stitch." These days, cross stitch is often worked on special fabric for it "Aida" with a certain number of holes per inch, but back then it'd be done on cotton or linen where the weave of the fabric isn't so uniform. The lass' work would come under a very critical eye to see if the stitches were even and uniform across the fabric. The skill, 'art' of samplers or embroidery taught the gerl about patience and attention to detail, both of which were considered essential to married life.

DMC began making "embroidery floss" in 1898.

But if you go further back, silk embroidery has been done in Asia for over 5,000 years.



AnnieLee

[Forty Rod]

Okay.  That solves part of the problem.

Any idea how extensively it was used on the American frontier ca, 1880?

Not so much interested in the cross-stich style...too 'open'.  Looking more for thrr Japanese styl with tighterr coverage.

Also, I know about cross-stitching, but what's the difference between embroidery and needle point? 

[Old Top]

Forty,

I beleive embroidery is flat an needle point has some depth by builiding up threads

Old Top

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

With designs like this:



I could argue about cross stitch being more open. 

Needlepoint is a single diagonal stitch and the stitches cover the entire fabric with no gaps. The stitches always go the same direction.  It's usually done on pre-printed needlepoint canvas.

Embroidery has a wide variety of stitches and knots and can be done on nearly any type of fabric, using either a pre-printed pattern that can be pinned to the fabric, or using a pattern from a book. The Japanese style would probably use silk thread. The embroiderer usually inserts the fabric into a hoop to keep the fabric stationary and taut for the stitching. It can be a lot of fun and very relaxing. My dad taught my mom how to embroider, so it's not just for the wimmenfolk.

In these modern times, you can buy a embroidery machine that can connect to a computer and stitch just about any design you want on fabric.

Come on out and I'll teach ya.



AnnieLee

[Forty Rod]

Okay, then, so what I did as a kid was both embroidery and needlepoint because I uses both techniques.

After seeing the dragon I sorta like cross-stitch better, now...loks more 'old-fashiony' somehow.

Now, two final questions:

1. What is 'machine embroidery'?

2. Can any of these be done on leather?

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

Okay, then, so what I did as a kid was both embroidery and needlepoint because I uses both techniques.

After seeing the dragon I sorta like cross-stitch better, now...loks more 'old-fashiony' somehow.

Now, two final questions:

1. What is 'machine embroidery'?

It's a sewing machine that does the embroidery for you. Embroidered letters and emblems on a baseball cap (and military patches) are machine made.

2. Can any of these be done on leather?

Dunno. Most of the stitching we've been talking about requires a weave for the needles to slip into the holes created by the intersection of threads in the fabric.  Nolan Sackett might know, you could contact him for a better answer.

AnnieLee

[Trinity]

My sister got herself one of them fancy machines that you hook to the computer and it'll embroider I guess anything you want.  Next time I talk to her I'll try to remember to ask her if she can do it on leather.

[Delmonico]

Quill work is very similar to embroidery and I think embroidery was done on leather, let me do some checking.

[Forty Rod]

Sure is quiet around here.

What did they do, tear down the old place and build a vacant lot?

Where is everyboby?

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

I'm resting my arm after beating you, Forty Fonzai.




AnnieLee

[Delmonico]

Every time I say something Annie hits me with Elle.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

No, I only bonk Del after he's been bad. Is he saying that everything he says is bad?




AnnieLee

[Forty Rod]

Switch to paper plates, Annie. 

It's less tiring and paper doesn't have to be cleaned.  Just throw it away with all the hair and blood still on it.

More cost effective, too.

[Joyce (AnnieLee)]

But paper plates have no impact, no penache, no blood or hair, Forty Fonzai, so why use them?




AnnieLee

[Trinity]

No blood?  What about the paper cuts??  You can sure tell who's dealing and who's receiving around here!