Ann's Needlework
In 1972 I started doing needlework. Beginning with free form embroidery projects on clothes and wall hangings, such as my "Sunny Bunny" embroidery pictured below (inspired by an 1918 children's book of the same name), I soon branched out to other forms of needlework and sewing, including counted thread cross stitch projects, Bargello needlepoint, dolls with petit point faces, quilting and even making Raggedy Ann dolls 3 feet tall (all pictured below). I quickly fell in love with needlework as a form of creative expression and artwork.
While studying various traditional embroidery styles, I discovered Assisi embroidery, also known as voided work, where the design is left unstitched and the background is filled in. Design characteristics of Assisi embroidery, which make it so mysterious and charming, is the use of traditional motifs based on medieval symbology, featuring ancient mythical birds and animals (as in my "Dragon and Bird" piece), and/or other patterns using flowers, branches, leaves and fruit.
I hope you enjoy my embroidery samples and find them inspiring for your own creative projects. These pieces are for sale, so if you are interested in them, please contact me. Happy sewing! ~ Ann
