Centuries ago, monograms were
very regal. The letters were hand sewn and decorated in a motif that
represented the royalty and wealthy.
Those families would have a coat of arms or a design that signified
their lifestyle or grandeur. The letters
were often used as a signature and appeared on coins. The artists of the Middle
Ages used them to sign their work. Eventually, a monogram became a symbol
of one’s place in society.
Rules for monogramming were narrow
and commonly followed the configuration as “ACB” with the center letter being the last name. Today,
the more casual use of monogramming has fewer rules and certainly not limited
to fabric or coins. To me, nothing is more elegant than a well placed
letter on stationery, cuffs, a candle or anything that is not nailed down.
Here are a few of the rules I try to
follow:
Rule #1 – there are no rules. . . .
Rule #2 – when the client says they want them upside down, refer to Rule #1.
The Avid Embroiderer’s Rules of
Monogramming:
- I created a new monogram recently and I am loving it a
LOT! I check out a simple design
and make it the back drop for a stunning monogram. This works best when using a lighter
color for the back and deeper color for the foreground. I was having so much fun doing these, I
got carried away.
In some of the
cases, like the butterfly, I had to use a design that had other items in the
file but removed the other colors.
- The AlphabetXpress
has a number of great fonts, you can find some interesting monograms there
too!
When you have a minute to yourself and want to read more ideas and tips, please do check these out:
May you be blessed in ways you have
not yet imagined.
Pat