Modern and Traditional Embroidery Dress

Olá! Today I bring you a very simple idea to touch the heart of someone you love in a very special day... Sometime ago I was invited to the wedding of one of my goddaughters. I wanted to give her something special, so I decided to make the favors that she offered her guests.

I confess I loved the final result and they were a success... These were the favors received by the ladies, I prepared something different to the gentlemen... But they were also asked to craft :)

At some point, during the reception, men and women were crafting and that was very funny!!

Cross stitch kit, my photo

Portuguese poem, my photo

Cross stitch kit celebrating love, my photo

Ladies and Gentlemen's favors, my photo

The decoration at the reception, my photo

Embroidered hearts during the reception, my photo

At the end of the reception there were some hearts already stitched!!!

Olá! This week I bring you embroidered hearts with Portuguese Soul... From three very different embroiderers I've found very beautiful pieces paying a tribute to the importance of the heart pattern in Portuguese traditional embroidery. Today love is in the air...

Of course linen has been the traditional support for Portuguese embroidery. But as times changed new materials were used and Vânia, from The spotless loop, uses a very original one... Wood!!! She loves to draw using thread as the pencil and wood as the paper, resulting in a very "textured" and appealing "drawing", a true tactile experience (sometimes a Zen experience, too).

And she went further with that tactile experience with an original collection of braille jewelry. In her words: "creating jewelry for whom can't see but can feel incredible well, was a great experience. "  Follow the links, I can assure you'll also like her work on wall decor and handmade jewelry.

Would you like to know how Vânia embroiders on wood? See here and you'll become aware of what might happen if you try doing the same...

Embroidery on wood inspired by Viana's hearts, by Vânia

I have to admit that the most difficult job so far was to choose one photo from Joana's work. I'm a profound admirer of her stitches... Maybe because it's so easy to identify the influence of Portuguese traditional embroidery and culture but still her embroidery is completely different from anything we have already seen.  No doubt her stitches have a Portuguese soul...

Joana uses embroidery, buttons, and crochet to make necklaces, brooches, and headbands.
I love how she can be as great in simplicity as with profuse stitching, in blue, in red or using both. She is a great photographer and an inspired designer, too. 

Once again I don't know how to explain why I've chosen this photo to illustrate Joana's work, but I believe my heart was touched by that heart and the fiancé kerchief, both so typically Portuguese.

What else can I say? No words would be enough... I know you will not resist to browse her blog- Jubela, follow the link!

Embroidered heart and fiancé kerchief, by Jubela

Felizarda's hearts, in her blog

And "with love in the air" I've finished this series of New Stitches with Portuguese Soul... And I'm so proud of all the great embroiderers I've found!!!