Embroidered Heirloom Style Monogram

The pattern for this embroidered monogram came from a very, very old magazine.  It's rather intricate and took quite a lot of sustained concentration.

I've done others as wedding presents - with the two monograms of the couple inter-twined in the centre (quite a design task in itself) and these were very well received.  You can't tell from the photograph, but this one was embellished, very very subtly, with a gold glitter spray.

I can't help thinking, in retrospect, that it would look really nice done in redwork - perhaps as the centre of a cushion.  As always...limited only by the imagination!

Cross-Stitched Cushion

As I explained in the 'My Background' page on here, I started my embroidery life with cross stitch.  As many do.  There came a time when I wanted to expand my repertoire and I have since enjoyed using many different embroidery stitches.

However, I'm regularly disappointed when I hear stitchers berate this technique, on the grounds, I assume, that, at best it's too simple and/or 'twee', at worst too restricting.

I don't agree: and I often come back to it.  I have seen some wonderful pieces of cross stitch work.  With imagination and just a bit of flair, not to mention embellishment (in this example - sequins -  it can give beautiful effects.