Erica Wilson (8 October 1928 – 13 December 2011) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ...

-born

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

embroidery Embroidery is the craft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle to apply thread or yarn. Embroidery may also incorporate other materials such as pearls, beads, quills, and sequins. In modern days, embroidery is usually seen ...

designer A designer is a person who plans the form or structure of something before it is made, by preparing drawings or plans. In practice, anyone who creates tangible or intangible objects, products, processes, laws, games, graphics, services, or exp ...

based in

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, known particularly for

needlepoint Needlepoint is a type of canvas work, a form of embroidery in which yarn is stitched through a stiff open weave canvas. Traditionally needlepoint designs completely cover the canvas. Although needlepoint may be worked in a variety of stitches, m ...

. She also designed wallcoverings and greeting cards. Her designs were published by Vogue and the

Metropolitan Museum of Art The Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City, colloquially "the Met", is the largest art museum in the Americas. Its permanent collection contains over two million works, divided among 17 curatorial departments. The main building at 1000 ...

, among others. Wilson earned the nicknames "

Julia Child Julia Carolyn Child (née McWilliams; August 15, 1912 – August 13, 2004) was an American cooking teacher, author, and television personality. She is recognized for bringing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, '' ...

" and "America's first lady of

stitchery Sewing is the craft of fastening or attaching objects using stitches made with a sewing needle and thread. Sewing is one of the oldest of the textile arts, arising in the Paleolithic era. Before the invention of spinning yarn or weaving fabri ...

" for her work. Wilson was born in

Tidworth Tidworth is a garrison, garrison town and Civil parishes in England, civil parish in south-east Wiltshire, England, on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain. Lying on both sides of the A338 road, A338 about north of the A303 road, A303 primary ro ...

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on 8 October 1928. She moved to

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

with her parents as a baby, when her father, a British military

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

, was stationed on the island. She lived in Bermuda for five years, until her parents' divorce. Wilson was raised in England and Scotland after moving from Bermuda, but recalled the move as upsetting. "I was broken-hearted at leaving the only home I'd ever known." Wilson first embroidered, with tapestry wool, when she was five. She began her studies at the

Royal School of Needlework The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) is a hand embroidery school in the United Kingdom, founded in 1872 and based at Hampton Court Palace since 1987. History The RSN began as the School of Art Needlework in 1872, founded by Lady Victoria Welb ...

in London in 1945, and graduated three years later, having stitched many standard designs, but also some of her own devising. Wilson immigrated to the United States in 1954 to work as a needlework instructor. Some of her early students included Mrs. Procter (of

Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/consumer he ...

) and Mrs. Watson (of IBM Watson family). She married furniture designer

Vladimir Kagan Vladimir Kagan (August 29, 1927 – April 7, 2016) was an American furniture designer. He was inducted in the Interior Designer Hall of Fame in 2009, 62 years after he started designing and producing furniture. His Midcentury modern furniture wi ...

in 1957. They have three children. In addition to her design work, Wilson published a syndicated newspaper column, ''Needleplay;'' was the host of two Public Television series on embroidery (1970s to 1980s); and wrote 16 books on embroidery. More recently she appeared as a guest on '' The Carol Duvall Show'' (HGTV). She also had a shop in New York City (Erica Wilson Needleworks) for 33 years. Also, there is an "Erica Wilson-Heirloom Guild".

Selected publications

*Crewel embroidery. (1962) *Craft of silk and gold thread embroidery and stump work. (1973) *Erica Wilson's embroidery book. (1973) *Erica Wilson's quilts of America. (1979) *Erica Wilson's needlework to wear. (1982) *Erica Wilson's Christmas world. (1980) *Erica Wilson's children's world. (1983) *Erica Wilson's smocking. (1983) *Erica Wilson's knitting book. (1987)

References

External links

Erica Wilson official website

Erica Wilson designs
published by Dimensions. *"She could cover walls with her designs," by Donna Furlong. ''Boston Globe'' 13 May 1983. page 1. *"An Affair Of Their Art," by Joyce Wadler. ''New York Times'' 23 June 2005. page F.1.

Embroidery designers Artists from New York City Needlework 1928 births 2011 deaths {{US-artist-stub