No that is not a misspelled "cruel" It is a craft thing that is extremely limited if not extinct. However I continue my
search for someone who still does this lost art. I have a piece that dh's mom #1 made. The frame and some of
the content itself need to be repaired badly. I want to do this for him so badly. It would make his day and make him
smile for a few hours. It would mean a lot to him if I could pull this off.
So if you or someone you know in the dfw area-aunt, uncle, grand parent does this would you please get in touch with
me?
Thanks in advance!
Check with a craft store. Crewel is very much still alive. They can steer you to someone who could help you do this.
crewel work is very similar to basic embroidery. Marda's idea to check with a craft store is excellent. You could also try your local community college.
If you are willing to ship it, my favorite locally owned craft store, Fancy Tiger, in Denver, could certainly help you find someone. They are amazing and even offer classes in crewel...
Crewel is not lost! It's just hiding. It is a type of embroidery using wool thread instead of cotton or silk. It takes the basic embroidery stitches, and there are many traditional crewel design patterns. (You know this, but perhaps some readers of this question don't.)
Golly, I haven't done crewel for a long time, but now that you've brought it up, I'm starting to think that it would be nice to get back to it....
The advice you've already received is good: get online, search for craft-related and sewing stores in your general area, and begin picking brains. I can't imagine there not being any specialty shops in the DFW area devoted to embroidery/knitting. And they will know what their customers *do* as well as what they buy.
I think it's lovely of you to want to do this for your husband. If you begin your search now, at Christmas you can let him know that restoration plans are afoot!
(Now this has reminded me of something that happened to my mama long ago. In the 1960s she managed a gift shop that sold handcrafted items made by disabled people and senior citizens. Many times she'd get a phone call from someone asking if she knew anyone who could finish a quilt. She called places all over that very large city and was told, "Quilting is extinct. Nobody does it any more. Nobody knows how." She finally found a church group of quilters - none of whom was less than ninety years old! But was quilting really extinct? Look at it now! In the same way, crewel isn't a "hot" craft right now, but it will return to popularity some time.)
I would call Jo Ann Fabric store. They offer all kinds of lessons. I bet they would know someone who would help you.
Gosh, I grew up... learning the stitches.
I used to love doing it as an older child. My Mom and late Grandma would teach me.
I don't know anyone who knows that anymore.
I intend to teach my daughter.
I almost remember how to do the stitches.
Its great.
Nowadays, embroidery is machine made. Not many hand made.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crewel_embroidery
And yes, as Marda said, go to a craft store... but the kind for fabric and textile arts.
