Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Remembering Russell Lynes (A Trip Down Memory Lane)

Thanks to Sally who found a blog mentioning the late Russell Lyes and his needlepoint, I have a great little article for you to read.  A writer and editor of Harper's for years, he was a stitcher, too.
http://mrsblandings.blogspot.com/2010/06/redux-redux.html

You can see a bit more of his stitching here with this cushion worked with his brother.
http://brbl-dl.library.yale.edu/vufind/Record/3992903

You can read about a pair of pillows his brother stitched that were sold at Sotheby's here.
http://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2012/photographs-n08885/lot.146.lotnum.html

If you own a copy of Celebrity Needlepoint, apparently his work is included.
http://www.amazon.com/Celebrity-Needlepoint-Joan-Scobey-McGrath/dp/B003TNK2VW

Mr Lynes wrote the introduction to Needlepoint for Everyone, a book I've never heard of before now.  It's by Mary Brooks Picken.  This 1971 newspaper article makes it sound pretty interesting, with chapters on needlepoint as therapy (with tips on stitching with one hand), men who stitch and their "special techniques," and a large section of ecclesiastical embroidery.
https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1979&dat=19710517&id=uIciAAAAIBAJ&sjid=hqoFAAAAIBAJ&pg=967,1957827&hl=en

I also found, courtesy of Google Books, an article from Life Magazine's May 28, 1971 issue that talks about male stitchers, including Mr. Lynes.  Scroll up a bit to see the header photo for the article before reading.  Needlepoint is the main focus but there's a bit about male knitters and dress makers, too.
https://books.google.com/books?id=OkEEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA81&lpg=PA81&dq=needlepoint+russell+lynes&source=bl&ots=367y2gwtcP&sig=ILLCuWS3ZUwUQl6zImrx1dWQWLo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jb0SVfG5KoSSyASMoYKAAw&ved=0CEgQ6AEwCw#v=onepage&q=needlepoint%20russell%20lynes&f=false

As Mr. Lynes says about needlepoint, "It's always there when you want it and doesn't hinder conversation."

Many thanks to his memory for giving us some history to talk about as we stitch today.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright March 25, 2015 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

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