Saturday, May 5, 2018

Thai Cross Stitch Panels

Going through my linen cupboard before we moved, I found these two embroidered panels tucked into a back corner waiting for inspiration. 


At the time I bought them, I thought they looked charming and I couldn't walk out of Srisuwan, a wonderful fabric shop in Bangkok, without them. 


With no one nearby to interpret, it was impossible find out the origin of the embroideries. I had just been North to Chang Mai and visited some of the Hill Tribes where I saw some impressively large cross stitch pieces. I would guess they could quite possibly have been stitched there.


The cross stitch must have been done by someone with good eyesight. I can't imagine counting and working those tiny cross stitches on a black background. (The fabric is a 14 count Aida-like material.) Black does however make the colours pop and I find the overall effect rather appealing. I especially like the way the limited palette has been used on the elephants.


I wonder if the panels were designed to decorate the bottom of skirt?

Till next time, happy stitching!

9 comments:

  1. What beautiful Cross Stitch panels. What will you use them for?

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  2. Good question! They are quite long and it seems a pity to make up something small like a bag where they's have to be cut up. I did wonder about a skirt or adding them to the bottom of a jacket. For the moment they live in my cupboard and are nice to look at now and again.

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  4. I have several much smaller pieces purchased in Chiang Mai in 1970. I don’t think even back then I could have managed such tiny cross stitch. I have used some of mine on knitting needle rolls but have never found a use for a narrow band about 25 inches long. A skirt is a brilliant idea for yours, which are really lovely.

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    1. I found the crafts in Chang Mai fascinating and would love to spend some more time there one day. Lovely idea to make a knitting needle roll!

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  5. they are pretty! Any idea what you'll do with them?

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    1. I have no real plans yet Wendy, but I can picture the floral one at the bottom of a short boxy jacket. The elephant panel could be divided into two long strips for trimming the bottom of a skirt.

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  6. Absolutely awesome pieces of stich crossing. Many times I buys crafts or haberdashery just for the pleasure of owning something beautiful but those will fit in any garment.

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    1. Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment! I do enjoy taking the panels out of the cupboard and admiring them and all the work that went into embroidering them. Perhaps that is their real value to me.

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