I've known my husband forever -- since I was 7 -- but we didn't get together romantically until we were in our 30s. I had a big crush on him in high school, though, and one of the first things that I loved about him was a pillow that his mom, Sandy Savian, needlepointed for him in 1979. It's sort of his life in a nutshell-cum-needlpoint tableau.
How could I look at his handwritten signature, captured in time, and not love him a little bit? And how could I not be in awe of his mother for making this -- complete with a family portrait -- for all three of her kids?
So one nice thing about being with Jamie is that I now get to have that pillow in my own house! And it has inspired me to make "self-portraits" of my own, where I needlepoint a map and stitch my location in a different color. I know it's a super-downgraded version of Mrs. Savian's, but the one I did of Manhattan still took me almost three years to complete.
Then I wanted to make one for my parents' house in Marblehead, Massachusetts, and here's my dirty little secret: I used 89-cent plastic canvas (and double-threaded my needle with luscious Silk & Ivory floss from an excellent shop in Salem called B.F. Goodstitch, and I finished an 8-inch square in two days.
One of these days, I'm going to sit down with Mrs. Savian and get her to explain how she made the close-up portraits, but for now, these specks on maps will have to do.
i love that! i did my husband's profile with a missoni like background, well i did most of it, it is only the boring all one color center of the head left...
Posted by: frances | Tuesday, April 03, 2007 at 06:22 PM
If you're from Marblehead, is your husband from Topsfield? I grew up in Boxford, and my mom teaches at the Proctor School! Your projects are great it makes me want to stich a Massachusetts for myself! (Although a D.C. where we live now would be easier, since that is just a diamond shape!)
Posted by: carrie d | Thursday, March 29, 2007 at 09:28 AM
what a delightful needlepoint! (and how adorable that you've known your hubby since you were seven.)
Posted by: carrie m | Thursday, March 22, 2007 at 11:57 PM
Aw, that is SOOO cute! What an awesome mom!
Posted by: Snarla | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 02:20 PM
I love the color combination of that last one, and the detail. Nice work!
Posted by: Emily S. | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 11:24 AM
That needlepoint pillow is incredible! Thank you for sharing it.
Joelle
Posted by: joelle hoverson | Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 12:35 AM
Oh needlepoint! Two days?!!
Love it!
Posted by: *Terramia* | Friday, March 16, 2007 at 06:12 PM