About the range:
Our Woolies collection takes inspiration from the incredible woolwork images of ships stitched from the 18th Century onwards. Predominantly dating from the Victorian period, British sailors created woolworks in downtime between trips out to sea using any pieces of wool or textiles they had lying around. These pieces were never intended to be of any value or considered works of art - they were symbols of pride for their ships and for their country.
This series of kits is my own interpretation of the traditional woolworks but conveyed in my own style. Be it a combo of bargello and long stitch, or a ship in front of a camoflague sky, I hope to be able to continue the wonderful tradition of stitching woolies.
One thing I particularly love about the history of woolworks is that they were predominantly stitched by men - breaking the stereotype of stitching as women's work. I hope through these kits to be able to encourage everyone to stitch and feel the benefits that sewing brings beyond just the piece you create.
Stitching the kit:
Whilst they are large, these woolworks are very simple and relatively quick to stitch. The design is printed onto the canvas and you will stitch over it using long stitches of varying lengths, using two strands of wool at a time to create the volume. You add variation in the texture through changing direction of stitch, for example often horizontal on the sky but vertical on the sails of the ship.
If you are stitching an hour or two a day, this kit will likely take you ~2 months to complete. There is a guide and video which will fully walk you through the process to stitch this, but believe us, these couldn't be simpler once you get going.
The finished design will measure 55cm x 80cm so is a wonderfully large piece of art to be kept and cherished for decades to come, much like their namesake Woolies!
Whilst you do not need to use a frame for tapestry stitching as the canvas has a lot of structure, many people (myself included) find it more comfortable to stitch with a rectangular frame. This makes the large canvas a little easier to manage and also prevents the canvas becoming warped so makes the framing process slightly easier as you don't have to block the fabric after. We carry stock of the my preferred frame (24" by 9" Elbesee easy clip frames) which you can add on for £20.00.
The kit contains:
- A high quality bespoke canvas sewing bag
- The design printed on 10 HPI Zweigart interlocked canvas with the design measuring 55cm x 80cm
- All the Appletons british tapestry wool you could need
- A design plan and stitching guide
- Several tapestry needles
Framing:
We are looking at offering a bespoke framing option for these kits. If you are interested in having this option, please send an email to studio@thefabledthread.com and we can discuss pricing.
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