GBH Openvault

Erica; Sentiments In Stitches

Part of From the Vault. Part of Erica Wilson: The Julia Child of Needlework.

02/22/1972

This episode is all about stitching messages into one’s embroidery work. The episode begins with Erica showing several antique samplers, then moving on to showing some of her own work containing lettering, such as pictorial embroideries that she did of the illustrations and verses of Beatrix Potter’s, The Story of Johnny Townmouse. Erica also tells an anecdote of her girlhood in this episode. She states that she has always loved wildflowers and supposes that it dates from when she was seven years old and she and her school classmates were sent out into a field to pick wildflowers to bring back to the classroom for a flower-naming contest. This memory inspired Erica to stitch a wildflower embroidery. Around the central medallion containing the flowers, Erica stitches the poem about flowers and springtime from Shakespeare’s Love’s Labours Lost. Stitches demonstrated in this episode are the backstitch, which Erica says is the best for doing lettering, and the split stitch, which is good for doing cursive writing and signatures in stitches. Erica also provides instruction on how to transfer lettering on paper into embroidery. The first step, she tells the viewer, is to write out the letting on graph paper. Next, the lettering is transferred to trace paper, which is pinned directly onto the fabric. One stitches directly through the paper, and in the end, the paper is torn away, leaving only the embroidered lettering. This episode concludes with Erica showing two different designs for heart-shaped pillows incorporating the word ‘Love,’ a Victorian-inspired design created by her daughter and a very geometric piece designed by her husband. She demonstrates how to make her daughter’s version, and concludes the episode by noting that while such a pillow would make a wonderful Valentine’s Day present, “Love is acceptable at any time of the year.” Summary and select metadata for this record was submitted by Amanda Sikarskie.


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Series
Erica
Program
Sentiments In Stitches
Program Number

120

Series Description

Needlework series with Erica Wilson. “Erica Wilson, noted American authority on needlework, invites the viewer to explore the exciting possibilities of indulging his creative and artistic talents. In this series of color videotaped 15 minute programs she illustrates the wide vocabulary of stitches used in many types of embroidery including traditional crewel, needlepoint, bargello, and crewel point.

As well as demonstrating these stitches, Erica gives professional hints on creating useful and decorative objects. She encourages personalizing an original or derived design through the selection of motif, materials, stitch, color, texture, and size. C. 1971-2 Series release date: 1971

Program Description

This episode is all about stitching messages into one’s embroidery work. The episode begins with Erica showing several antique samplers, then moving on to showing some of her own work containing lettering, such as pictorial embroideries that she did of the illustrations and verses of Beatrix Potter’s, The Story of Johnny Townmouse.

Erica also tells an anecdote of her girlhood in this episode. She states that she has always loved wildflowers and supposes that it dates from when she was seven years old and she and her school classmates were sent out into a field to pick wildflowers to bring back to the classroom for a flower-naming contest. This memory inspired Erica to stitch a wildflower embroidery. Around the central medallion containing the flowers, Erica stitches the poem about flowers and springtime from Shakespeare’s Love’s Labours Lost.

Stitches demonstrated in this episode are the backstitch, which Erica says is the best for doing lettering, and the split stitch, which is good for doing cursive writing and signatures in stitches.

Erica also provides instruction on how to transfer lettering on paper into embroidery. The first step, she tells the viewer, is to write out the letting on graph paper. Next, the lettering is transferred to trace paper, which is pinned directly onto the fabric. One stitches directly through the paper, and in the end, the paper is torn away, leaving only the embroidered lettering.

This episode concludes with Erica showing two different designs for heart-shaped pillows incorporating the word ‘Love,’ a Victorian-inspired design created by her daughter and a very geometric piece designed by her husband. She demonstrates how to make her daughter’s version, and concludes the episode by noting that while such a pillow would make a wonderful Valentine’s Day present, “Love is acceptable at any time of the year.”

Asset Type

Broadcast program

Media Type

Video

Subjects
Poetry – Romantic
Embroidery
Needlework – Instruction
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
Potter, Beatrix, 1866-1943
Wildflowers – Decorative Arts
Samplers
Wilson, Erica
Love’s Labours Lost
The Story of Johnny Townmouse
Valentine’s Day
Genres
Instructional
Topics
Crafts
Creators
MacLeod, Margaret I. (Series Producer)
Contributors
Atwood, David (Director)
Wilson, Erica (Host)
MacLeod, Margaret I. (Producer)
Mahard, Frances (Other (see note))
Publication Information
Copyright © 1971 Erica Wilson and WGBH Educational Foundation
Citation
Chicago: “Erica; Sentiments In Stitches,” 02/22/1972, GBH Archives, accessed March 29, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_FB3BA6DE3CFB452EB24494D6E79483ED.
MLA: “Erica; Sentiments In Stitches.” 02/22/1972. GBH Archives. Web. March 29, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_FB3BA6DE3CFB452EB24494D6E79483ED>.
APA: Erica; Sentiments In Stitches. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_FB3BA6DE3CFB452EB24494D6E79483ED
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