This photograph showing Erica Wilson with some of her well known needlepoint designs in the background is by Andrea Mohin. Like many others, I mainly knew Erica Wilson from her wonderful
Embroidery Book which was published in 1973 and republished 1975. I was fortunate at the time, while the children were babies, to be helping out in a small, but fabulous independent bookshop in Ely - and was able to witness first hand just how successful this book was. A revelation was her book
Needlepoint: Adapted from Objects in the Collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It was a sad day when catching up on the news while I was in France this year, I read that Erica died. Aged 83, she had had a marvelously full life. Her passion with the needle appears to started when, aged 6, she stitched one of those crinoline ladies we all know so well, with yarn pinched from an auntie! It was her mother who suggested she should study at the Royal School of Needlework in London. Erica was more than good - she went on to become a teacher at the prestigious school. Then, she helped set up a school of needlework in New York State. When she crossed the Atlantic, she lugged a trunk of wool threads with her, "thinking I was going to Indian country, where such things wouldn't be available"! She went on to teach at the Cooper Hewitt and produce the many wonderful books and charts for needleworkers, which gave great pleasure to thousands and thousands of stitchers around the world. Thank you, Erica Wilson.
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My mother and used to watch Erica Wilson's tv programme called Erica on Embroidery. I seem to remember it was on a Sunday, and began with her walking in and sitting on a chair which she'd embroidered herself - a twist on traditional crewel embroidery using brightly coloured wools. I remember my mother always said she'd love to embroider a chair like that so bought the book which has the chair on the cover as inspiration, though she always said she's never find the time. I now have the book which I inherited from my mother and am now going to look it out. I endorse your sentiments of thanks to Erica Wilson, and thank you for the post.
ReplyDeleteI so admire Erica. I still recall the picture in her book with a crewel covered wing chair. Beautiful! I still have the book...
ReplyDeleteI saw that Erica Wilson had passed, great loss for the needlework world. You gave a nice tribute
ReplyDeleteI was so amazed with Erica's exceptional Embroidery - I was in awe.
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