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| Ophelia, from Manuel Salas/Tapestry Fair |
Tricia Nguyen has done more than anyone to revive the art of 17th Century stumpwork caskets for 21st Century stitchers. Read this and you'll understand why the last casket class is coming up.
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2019/09/why-is-answer-no.html
(By the way, if you are interested in taking the last casket class, here's the info.)
https://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-harmony-with-nature-casket-course.html
(And here are some of the caskets, just because.)
http://thistle-threads.blogspot.com/2019/10/fabulous-finishes.html
All this doesn't just apply to folks who want to recreate 17th Century boxes and mirrors. It applies to us all. Needlework in general is based on small businesses. Your favorite designer is going to get sick and die eventually, or just plain want to retire. What will happen to their business? Who knows?! Do you have that one piece you really really want to stitch stashed away?
Artists decide not to renew agreements to have their work reproduced on needlepoint canvas. See Ophelia above? That canvas is no longer available because Manuel Salas' licensing agreement with Tapestry Fair has ended. Unless you can find this canvas tucked away in a shop or someone agrees to let it go from their stash, you are out of luck.
Sometimes the family businesses that are the heart of the world of needlepoint buy the rights to someone's designs. We all owe a debt to Fleur de Paris and Colonial Needle and many other distributors who are handling the designs we love. But what happens when the family members start to die out? Will their kids want to continue?
What will happen when Gloriana's and Kreinik's owners want to retire? We got lucky when the owner of Needle Necessities died and their dyer opened ThreadWorX. Will lightning strike twice?
We worry about growing new needlepointers but we need to be equally concerned about growing the little companies that supply us with charts, canvases, threads, scissors and more.
This all hangs by —pardon me— a thread.
So go buy that canvas or chart or thread or pair of fancy scissors that tempts you. You never know when it will vanish forever. Buying that thing secures your dream but it also helps secure the dream for the future needlepointer we haven't even met yet.
UPDATE: Inspirations magazine has a quick profile of Tricia and Richard Oedel, the gentleman who handmade all the caskets for her classes.
https://mailchi.mp/inspirationsmagazine/embroidery-news-issue-461463?e=cb5b277f1f
Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright September 22, 2019 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.
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