JM monogram in suzani style: improved version (hand embroidered by Mary Addison)

This is much, much better than this.  It is no where near perfect but I’ll settle for it being significantly better. ‘M’, having been re-shaped, now has a lot more substance to it (the former design would have worked in calligraphy but not in embroidery unless perhaps standing alone). Both of the downstrokes are thicker and slightly wider at the bottom than the top and this also has the fortunate effect of making the letter stand out better on the red silk of the madorla (almond-shaped motif) beneath.

JM monogram in suzani style: revised version

I am now much happier. As I’ve got older I’ve finally clicked about the merits of putting troublesome things to one side for a while. When younger I would have worried away at a piece of sewing I knew wasn’t right and just like  picking at an irritating scab, all I did was to make things worse. Now I  stick the offending article out of sight in a drawer and return to it when I know exactly what to do – and strangely enough that knowledge does just seem to pop up unbidden when thinking about something different. I would never have been patient enough to do this when younger.

Sorry not to have shown photographs of the steps involved. Isn’t it typical, the one time I show you in any detail how to do something, I end up completely re-doing it!?