Embroidered Letters by Gail Carolyn Sirna

Embroidered Letters is a piece designed to show off two different art forms which I find fascinating. In this piece I have endeavored to give samples of 9 different calligraphy “hands” and nine different embroidery techniques.

The first letter “E” is worked in Brodeuse Angles (or whitework) and the hand employed is Copperplate, that writing form developed for important documents and wedding invitations.

The “M” is worked in ribbon embroidery, and the hand is Uncial.
The “B” is Blackwork, and the hand is Carolingian.
The “R” is done in Assisi work, and the hand is Gothic.
The “O” is worked in Cutwork, and the hand is Foundational.
The “I” is worked in some decorative motifs from Hardanger, and the hand is Versal.
The “D” is worked in Surface Embroidery and the hand is Italic.
The “E” is worked in Pulled Thread and the hand is Uncial.
The “R” is worked in Canvas Embroidery and the hand is Roman Capitals.

This piece was a real challenger. The most difficult part was choosing a hand which lent itself to the embroidery technique. For instance selecting a hand for Assisi demanded one that had only straight and angular lines. Assisi work could not be expressed in very embroidery technique – but Gothic worked quite well. Copperplate and Whitework were a natural fit, but finding a hand for Hardanger was a challenge.

The background fabrics include congress cloth, 36/inch linen, cotton faille, and fine Irish handkerchief linen.