The Amber Tablecloth

Several years ago I got a beautiful gift: a little coffee table made especially for me from pine. I decided that as wonderful table deserves as charming tablecloth. So I started to create it.

I decided to use not white linen but ecru to harmonize with warm colour of the table. The design of embroidery was inspirited by some pattern from a magazine.

May I introduce one of my favourite tablecloth which I have made. Here there is The Amber Tablecloth. The name comes from real amber stones I used to make a lace around it.

 

The Amber Tablecloth

The middle of this work is some piece of embroidery: a sprig of wild roses with mayweed.

 

The central sprig

Around the sprig there are five posies of small roses. All embroidered with écru silk. And it was the easy part of may work. It takes may be two or three hours. Then I started tatting…

 

One of posies

The trim is a tatting lace made of ecru cotton and sixty little amber stones. It took me so much time to finish it that I can hardly say how much. 

The lace with amber

Many times I was close to give up. I was tired, bored and full of doubts. But fortunately I made it and saying immodestly: I am very proud of myself.

The Art of A Needle And Threads

I have embroidered since I was eight. One of my first passion was Kashubian designs. And it still is. In 1209 Duke of Pomerania Mestwin I established Norbertine monastery in Żukowo. Nuns decorated chasubles and tablecloths of altars and taught girls from Kashubian villages embroidery. In 18th century every noble Kashubian woman had to have a beautiful bonnet covered by specific motifs. That is how Kashubian embroidery began. I use traditional motifs but create my own designs.

 

Small tablecloth with Kashubian motifs

 

A pillow for my niece

 

My medieval bag covered by bonnet pattern

 

Klaryssa's pouch: Kashubian motifs with ambers and pearls

 

In ancient Persia some very original embroidery was born: hardanger. The modern name comes from Norway where this kind of embroidery became very popular in 17th century. The traditional Norwegian costume items of clothing, mats, curtains and other are very often decorated in this way.

A Hardanger napkin

 Probably in 17th century some new kind of embroidery appeared: Venice or Richelieu embroidery. To my surprise this kind of embroidery isn't popular in other countries.

A pillow for my niece with a Venice monogram

 Next kind of embroidery which I like very much is English embroidery from 19th century. Very delicate and subtle.

 

Napkins with English embroidery and needle laces

 

A small napkin for my sister

 

A tablecloth for a dressing table with needle laces

 And my last passion is historical type of embroidery. There is a fragment of an Embroidered band from 14th - 15th century in Victoria and Albert Museum. This fragment seems to be the remains of a larger piece, possibly an item of church vestment. I have made it as a pouch.

My medieval pouch made of silk