"The lesson [Henry David Thoreau] had taught himself, and which he tried to teach others, was summed up in the one word 'Simplify.' That meant simplify the outward circumstances of your life, simplify your needs and your ambitions; learn to delight in the simple pleasures which the world of Nature affords. It meant also, scorn public opinion, refuse to accept the common definitions of success, refuse to be moved by the judgment of others. And unlike most who advocate such attitudes, he put them into practice." (Walden and Other Writings by Henry David Thoreau--Edited and with an Introduction by Joseph Wood Krutch, Bantam Books, 1962, P. 1)

Monday, May 5, 2008

The Back is Pretty, Too!



I turned the heirloom bedspread over today to begin cutting and found this beautiful work of embroidery on the back. These are the backs of the blanket stitches. Aren't they beautiful? I had to look pretty closely to see how Great Great Grandmother ended one colored thread and began another without leaving a trace of the change. You can see how she wove the thread back through existing stitches in the bottom example. The yellow thread, middle photo, is the "messiest" spot on the whole bedspread.
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2 comments:

Kelli said...

its beautiful. Your braver than I would be to cut it up. Although it will look so nice in a wall haning.

May 5, 2008 at 12:59 PM
Judie and George said...

My mother always thought having the back look as good as the front was a big deal. I'll bet that's how they all felt. I think it was the sign of skillful work.

May 8, 2008 at 2:55 PM

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