Thursday 11 June 2015

Canvaswork by Jennifer Gray

Yes, yes I am working really hard on quite a number of new designs of which more later but I just want to share something which I am quite pleased with and which gave me a warm glow and pat of encouragement which I needed at the beginning of the week ... knowing I would be sat in front of the computer for many hours ...

I saw on Pinterest a front cover illustration for a book which got my radars twirling. Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray pub 1960.
Here it is below and you can see why I might be excited. Maybe not but it did it for me and I looked further, went to the wonderful ABE BOOKS (secondhand books from all over the world) and found a copy for a few pounds £3.00 I think. What treasure! It came on Monday, and I was thrilled with it, my absolute tip top style of decoration and drawings good stitch explanations and diagrams, fantastic colour pallete.

THEN I saw a beautiful seat cover which immediately looked familiar in style and yes, it was by my mother! I have not seen this design before and it was worked during her time with the Needlework Development Scheme, and it is perfect. I spent the afternoon completely distracted by the whole thing and drew up the design in Illustrator, printed it onto white linen and am in the process of working it up hopefully turning into a design for our new range. Though it may be a lovely download too ... maybe both! But I will post the results very soon.

Enjoy the rest of the pages from the book I have scanned!

Front cover of Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960
Front Cover
Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 including seat cover designed by my mother Joan Nicholson
My surprise, my mother's design for a seat cover!

Detail of Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 including seat cover designed by my mother Joan Nicholson
Detail

Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960   Buildings
Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960   Buildings

Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 ... Angels
Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 ... Angels

Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 ... Flora and Fauna
Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 ... Flora and Fauna


Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 ... Birds
Page from Canvas Work by Jennifer Gray 1960 ... Birds