Tracy Franklin Interview

Textile Artist has a wonderful interview with the British embroiderer Tracy Franklin.

https://www.textileartist.org/tracy-a-franklin-a-break-with-tradition/

I first noticed Tracy through her goldwork but she does crewel, pulled work and many other types of embroidery which you can see on her website.

https://www.tracyafranklin.com/

If you want to read more about Tracy and her embroidery, this older article from Piecework magazine may be of interest.

https://pieceworkmagazine.com/postcard-from-scotland-durham-cathedral-a-conversation-with-embroiderer-tracy-a-franklin/

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow

Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com

and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com

© Copyright May 29, 2023 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tracy Franklin Demonstrates Long and Short Stitch

Needlepointers love the shading you can achieve on leaves and flower petals with long and short stitch, but it seems daunting.  Luckily Tracy Franklin has posted a tutorial that shows how it is done step by step.
http://tracyafranklin.blogspot.com/2020/08/a-basic-silk-shading-tutorial.html

Note that Tracy is stitching with what appears to be crewel wool on linen.  If you work on needlepoint canvas, you'll need a sharp needle instead of a tapestry needle so you can angle the stitches exactly where you want them.  You can't skip steps.   Tracy outlined the leaf shape with split stitch first and that always has to be done.  Then she worked the first half of her leaf in three rows.  You can't rush this by attempting only two rows and if you omit the split stitch edge, the leaf stitches won't lay well.  Patience is key here.

Read through Tracy's blog for more tips on shading and some fascinating interviews.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright August 5, 2020 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Seeding Backgrounds (with Chicken Tracks)

An embroidery technique for backgrounds is "seeding" which is the scattering of small stitches across the background with each equal in size and spaced at an equal distance from each other.  Tracy Franklin learned this at the Royal School and is using the technique (which she explains well) on an original design.
http://tracyafranklin.blogspot.com/2015/01/crathorne-bug-seeding.html

I've seen a similar technique called chicken tracks in hand embroidery which also scatters small stitches on the background but in chicken tracks the stitches vary in length and overlap each other.  If you use 2-3 overdyed threads in green, for example, and just stitch hither and yon with them, you can create a very nice grassy background.

Interesting embroidery techniques like these are perfect for needlepoint.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright January 13, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Is Repousse' Actually Trailing?

I've heard about Tony Minieri's repousse' technique and seen photos of it but I never have tried it.
http://eyecandyneedleart.blogspot.com/2014/03/in-classroom-with-tony-minieri.html

http://mostlyneedlepoint.com/im-thinking-halloween/

http://nystitchingsisters.blogspot.com/search?q=repousse

So I was quite excited to see Tracy Franklin talking about something similar she calls trailing. She posts lots of hints, too!  I am not sure they are exactly the same, but if you wish to create a dimensional couched line, this is something to try.
http://tracyafranklin.blogspot.com/2014/12/crathorne-bug-trailing.html

http://tracyafranklin.blogspot.com/2014/12/crathorne-bug-continuing-trailing-and.html

http://tracyafranklin.blogspot.com/2014/12/crathorne-bug-finishing-trailing.html

If you are curious about Tracy's Crathorne bug project, click on the title header and scroll down until you find the November 13 entry where she starts working on this original project.

UPDATE:  I think Tracy's technique isn't actually repousse.  Here's a tutorial by Ruth Schmuff.
http://bedeckedandbeadazzled.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/bedeckednewsjune2015.pdf

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright December 24, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Tracy Franklin's Goldwork Sampler

Thanks to Anna, I have a link to Tracy Franklin's goldwork sampler, which was published in Stitch magazine and is now a free chart on the magazine website.  What is interesting about this sampler are the many different ways you can use metal threads that Tracy shows.  If you are looking for something different, this will give you lots of ideas.
http://www.embroiderersguild.com/stitch/projects/goldwork/index.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com