Design Source - Pueblo Pottery

Actually, the "design source" here is Anne Stradal of ABS Designs. (click here to see her online catalog). I have loved this pottery since I was a small child vacationing in Arizona and New Mexico with my parents - so begged her for several of her small ornaments to stitch. I thought beads would do justice to these simple, elegant geometrics - but couldn't find exactly the terra cotta color I thought I had to have. However, the one I used works well, I think, now that I have several patches done. (Sundance beads, as always) The black beads don't show up well in the pictures - but they look great! I didn't use hexagonal beads, as I didn't want "glitter" on pottery.


The white is solid, and without beads - Splendor #802. I will later go ahead and make 3 rows of stitching around it, as I have started on the second one. I was tired when I drew the extra stitches, and made a mess on the upper left side - but it won't show, as I have planned to have each one framed individually, using an ultra suede mat, and having the ornament slightly padded - which is why I added the extra rows.

There are clear beads on the reddish background, applied with Anchor floss in the same color as the silk - so the beads are not conspicuous, and don't interfere with the design. When you click to enlarge the picture, you will see that I marked the stitches for placement of beads to make it not confusing. (meaning I don't have to think as I stitch) I thought they needed to be there to relieve a rather plain area. The white is solid, again, as just background.

I chose a Soie Cristale (Caron) color that isn't as bright as it is painted, although the paint color is true to the actual pottery of this pueblo. I plan to use them close together on a wall, and wanted the terra cotta color and this one to blend well.

Now - off to bed to read my new books on "Acoma to Zuni" pottery - and also Zuni Rainbird designs. They have just arrived from Amazon, and I look forward to yet another fascinating learning experience about symbolism, slips, methods of construction and firing, etc., and differences in style among the various pueblos.