The Continuous Thread

1920's embroidery runner.


Before the death of my godmother Masha Arms in 2005 I was able to fly to Massachusetts and spend a couple of days with her. Those days were precious to us both. Days spent talking until the early morning light, reminiscing, looking at art, sharing favorite books, and going through trunks. How we ever started opening the trunks I don't remember but so many treasures came tumbling out; her Mothers beautiful wood carvings including a lovely little paring knife that I swear I could still feel her energy coursing through, a hand woven rug by her Great Aunt-in-law Nellie Arms, Scandinavian linens and cut work, generation after generation of memories. Then she pulled out this linen runner that her mother Clara Maria (From) Eriksen had started way back in the 1920's.



runner with circles of flowers.

What struck me at first was that the colors were still so bright, the blues so vibrant, and that the pattern was so obviously Art Deco with its geometric patterns. Clara's needle was still threaded and in the last spot that she had taken a stitch. She had never finished it and it had been lying in wait within the trunk for so many years.


Closer view of circle.

We unrolled it fully from its protective layers of tissue paper and discovered the original DMC floss still wrapped within. Some with their original paper wrappers still intact; a bright yellow for the center of the flowers, three shades of blue for the flowers, black for the outline and green for the foliage. DMC which stands for Dollfus Mieg & Co. founded in 1746, is still in business after two hundred plus years and I discovered that the companies floss first became available in the United States in the 1920's. I thought it perfect that the Dollfus family motto is; "From one fine thread a work of art is born."




Original DMC floss.


Masha handed me the embroidery and simply said, "finish it for my Mother and me!"  She knew that I had long enjoyed working embroidery so I am working on it. It is a project that I take up now and again. It is predominantly satin stitch and takes some time to work but someday I will finish it. I love the pattern and colors as much as Clara did and I am dedicated to continuing her project and keeping the thread going. A treasure passed from one woman to another, to another, and so on.




Runner completed! April 2016.


Comments

Andi said…
The fill pattern in the foliage reminds me so much of Zentangle. Speaking of creative meditation, embroidery is another creative outlet where it is possible to get into a zone and just lose yourself.
February 19, 2016 at 10:59 PM
Andi said…
The fill pattern in the foliage reminds me so much of Zentangle. Speaking of creative meditation, embroidery is another creative outlet where it is possible to get into a zone and just lose yourself.
February 19, 2016 at 10:59 PM
Noel said…
Yes, it sure does look like Zentangle. I love embroidery, I used to teach it many, many years ago. I am having fun just free hand embroidering my second spirit doll and it is definitely a meditative experience.
February 20, 2016 at 12:00 PM
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