I Just received this newsletter from Katherine Shaughnessy (of WoolandHoop.com) about the death of an apparently important crewel embroidery teacher- Erica Wilson- who I didn't even know existed until today. In my view Katherine Shaughnessy was "the mother of modern crewel embroidery"- since I learned many of my skills and first became aware of the contemporary version of crewel embroidery through her book; The New Crewel. So you better believe that I'm going to be heading right over to this article to learn more about this other modern maven on Crewel embroidery Erica Wilson.
Another HUGE piece of crewel news: apparently Katherine Shaughnessy has written a second book entitled New Crewel: The Motif Collection- which I'm also going to be heading right over to pre-order my copy on Amazon.com!
Erica Wilson Inspired My Crewel World, from Katherine Shaughnessy's newsletter
Erica Wilson passed away yesterday at the age of 83. She was an extraordinary teacher, author and designer of crewel embroidery and a force behind its presence in the United States. I never met Ms. Wilson, but consulted with her by phone for my first book, The New Crewel. She was generous in her comments, making corrections and offering a few tips. For example, I have always followed her instructions for Satin Stitch, which requires outlining your design first with Split Stitch. (For those of us who do crewel embroidery, this makes all the difference!) She gave me her stamp of approval before we went to print for which I was grateful. My second book, New Crewel: The Motif Collection, goes to print this week and this morning I spoke with the publisher and was able to dedicate it to her. I learned so much from her books, especially from Crewel Embroidery, 1962, which I continue reference often. H er impact on the art of crewel embroidery is immeasurable. She will be missed! Click here to read more about Erica Wilson. Sincerely,
Katherine Shaughnessy 
Crewelwork by Erica Wilson, Cover art from her book, Crewel Embroidery, 1962
