Inspiration: Agulhas da Meri

Meri of Agulhas da Meri befriended me when I first started writing for CraftGossip almost five years ago. I soon learned that she was known throughout the online needlework community not only for her inspirational traditional Portuguese embroidery, but also for her kindness and generosity. If you spend much time in our little world, you’ve probably noticed Meri’s encouraging comments on blogs that range from crazy quilting to Brazilian embroidery.

The subtitle of Meri’s blog, “An amateur–that’s what I am with these needles,” is modest but, in my opinion, inaccurate. While Meri may not often be paid for her work, it is as beautiful and perfect as hand-embroidery can be. Meri’s excellent photography lets us see her gorgeous stitches up close. As the top photo shows, they are meticulous. What this macro view does not convey is the size of these stitches.

The bottom photo shows the scale of the embroidery. Last Christmas, Meri sent me this lovely sample stitched by another Portuguese embroiderer. When I first saw it, I was thrilled but shocked. I had no idea that the stitching was so tiny! Now that you know, take another look at Meri’s blog. And marvel.

Looking for more Christmas Embroidery Patterns? Check these out on Etsy