j4g4kcfe7ibadh4

Winter 2017 ARTS & CRAFTS HOMES| 33

Stitcher y and

stenciling enlivened

Arts & Crafts table

linens, pillows, bed

covers, and curtains.

by Mary Ellen Polson

E

lements of a decorating aes-

thetic from a simpler time, em-

broidery, appliqué, and stencils

nevertheless look fresh and

bright in modern interiors. Stitchery was

done on slightly rough, natural fabrics

including unbleached linen, and hand-

worked with naturally dyed thread. Sur-

viving textiles are sought after. So, too,

are new designs from artists who con-

tinue to reinvent practical home furnish-

ings in the Arts & Crafts spirit.

Embroidery and other needlework

became an appropriate artistic and fi -

nancial pursuit for 20th-century Amer-

ican women, thanks largely to American

designer Candace Wheeler—by way of

Great Britain. Wheeler, who produced

exquisite embroidered draperies and

portières for clients such as author Mark

Twain, was infl uenced by the work of the

British Royal School of Needlework, an

exhibitor at the Philadelphia Centennial

in 1876.

The vintage table scarf

KDVDQXQXVXDOƮRUDO

GHVLJQGRQHLQVKDGHVRI

JROGXVLQJDVDWLQVWLWFK

ZLWKEODFNRXWOLQLQJ

WILLIAM WRIGHT

the pleasures of

Handwork

& DETAILS