Crewel intentions

Thought to be a technique that is at least a thousand years old, there is no end to the use of crewel in today's interiors. It can be used for bedding, upholstery and drapery, with traditional florals reigning, the contemporary and the whimsical are evident as well. Crewel is wool embroidery, generally on linen or cotton ground, and as it is a natural product, one will occasionally find bits of grass, seed pods or sticks in the textile, a stamp of authenticity, if you will.

The sounds of the jungle pulse within Jembala (Small Scale)/Original from Clarence House, also available in the larger scale version.

The flowing floral and vibrant color contrasts of Rosehill Crewel in Crimson by Lee Jofa.

Old World Weavers tips the colorings a bit for Lalita in Antique.

Pacche/01 - Solid crewel is a patchwork of beauty by S. Harris.

Robert Allen brings it up to speed with their Unity Rings in Confetti.

A scenic wonder by Lee Jofa, Summerhouse Crewel in Meadow.

Donghia’s Seedpod in Marigold, another solid crewel, but with a mod vibe.

Ahhhh, the changing of the seasons, what a perfect time to cozy up to crewel.

Mod, vintage, retro

Words of the moment to describe fabrics and wallcoverings with a decidedly mid-century vibe. With pops of color and space-age cool, your pad can be uber-hip and shagadelic, baby!

Amy Lau's delicious new collection for S. Harris. Shown: Waterblocks in Aqua and Supergrafil in Earthwork

Nobody does vintage papers like Bradbury & Bradbury, and their Atomic Collection is no exception. Shown: Atomic Doodle in Pink and GeeGee in Sage

The Modern British Collection by England's St. Jude and available through Lucy Rose Design. Shown: Dandelion in Sage/Yellow and Treehouse in Grey/Grey

Also from across the pond, the UK's Clarke & Clarke offers vibrant collections. Shown: Into the Groove