springtime in portland

portland in the spring can be such a fickle beast. this morning, as the hubby was heading to work, he made a big production out of donning his sunglasses. the air was brisk, the sun was shining, and there was not a cloud in sight. i thought it would be a perfect day for a swatch photo shoot. but, portland being portland, it is now a bit…grey. overcast. decidedly un-sunny. me having been a portlander-in-training for at least a few years, however, i have decided to forge ahead with the photo shoot as previously scheduled.

what’s on the craftastic menu today, you may ask? crewelwork.

there are almost as many fiber arts in the world as there are craftista(o)s, and quite a few (including knitting) have enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. i have my theories on the ‘why’ of the rebirth of craft, not the least of which having to do with the chill of our modern computerized society and the globalization of all, leading to a desire to return to the handmade, the real, the tangible. many crafts have undergone a pretty major face-lift and crewel is one of them.

traditionally, crewel is a type of embroidery worked on linen fabric with very thin wool yarn in short lengths. hoops are employed, as are needles. as with many fiber arts, there are no knots allowed in crewel. wool and hoop has come up with some truly fabulous crewel designs, with a 70’s flava’ and a 21st century flair. crewel is easy to do, and can be used as art, embellishment, (think pillow cases and decorative towels), and even as a greeting card for someone truly special.

the lovely crewel, hanging out with complementary-colored carnations that need to get planted in the next few days.