If you look at alphabet charts, the majority of them are upper case. Perhaps that’s because capital letters are more varied and can be embellished. Perhaps it’s leftover from Roman Times when inscriptions were always done only in capitals.
Lower case letters seem, well, rather prosaic and everyday. They are the working clothes of the letter world. But just as working clothes are wonderfully useful (think of blue jeans which were originally miner’s pants) so lower case letters expand the usefulness of the capital letters by allowing us to create words and phrases.
This week we present three lower case alphabets taken from an Italian collection of Cross Stitch motifs. Remember, these alphabets have been recharted and adapted. To see the full-size chart, just click on the pictures you see here.
Sketchy Alphabet
I gave this name to this alphabet because some of the letters are only partial, the “p” for example, while others, such as the “l” have a quick, almost sketched look. In the original book there are several names charted and this alphabet has a pretty, feminie look.
Wide Lower Case
This alphabet while still small, 11 stitches high, is wider than most. It creates lovely rounded letters with an open feel. It would be great for stitching names, but probably a bit big for sayings. You can see this chart at the top of the post.
Two Color Alphabet
This alphabet has “dots” embellishing the letters. It’s still readable enough to use for words, unlike many embellished letters. Stitch it in two colors or use knots or beads for the dots.
Come back next week for more great vintage charts!
About Janet M Perry
Janet Perry is the Internet's leading authority on needlepoint. She designs, teaches and writes, getting raves from her fans for her innovative techniques, extensive knowledge and generous teaching style. A leading writer of stitch guides, she blogs here and lives on an island in the northeast corner of the SF Bay with her family
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