Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum

Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum
Born
Marilyn J. Leavitt

(1946-08-01)August 1, 1946
Youngstown, Ohio
DiedAugust 14, 2012(2012-08-14) (aged 66)
Newark, New York
NationalityAmerican
Known forEmbroidery Design

Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum (August 1, 1946 – August 14, 2012) was an American cross-stitch embroidery designer known especially for her Victorian angel designs.[1] Her designs were published under the business name Told in a Garden, with product divisions of Told in a Garden, Lavender and Lace, and Butternut Road.

Biography

Early life

Marilyn J. Leavitt was born August 1, 1946, in Youngstown, Ohio,[2] where she attended Ursuline High School.[3] She was the daughter of Marcella (née O'Toole) and Earle Leavitt. She had one brother, Bruce.[2][4]

Career

Her professional design career began in the 1960s, working as an advertising and fashion illustrator for Strouss and Hartzell, Rose and Sons.[5]

Leavitt-Imblum began publishing embroidery designs around 1986, when she showed her original design "The Quilting", depicting an Amish quilting bee, to the owner of a local needlework shop who told her that if she graphed the design the shop would sell it.[5] The first 25 copies sold almost immediately. Within a decade, her Victorian angel designs were considered among the most popular cross-stitch designs available.[6] In 2000, she publicly stated her opposition to the unlicensed sharing of needlework patterns on the Internet.[7]

Personal life

She was married three times and had six children: Jeff, Nora, and Elizabeth Adams, Corriander "Corrie" Ferenchak,[8] and Matt and Sarah Imblum.[2] She had multiple sclerosis but did not widely publicize the fact.[5] She died on August 14, 2012, in Newark, New York, aged 66.[2]

Her daughter Nora is an artist and fellow cross-stitch embroidery designer, under her married name, Nora Corbett.[9][10]

References

  1. ^ "Marilyn Levitt-Imblum Has Died". The Chilly Hollow Needlepoint Adventure. 15 August 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d "Marilyn L. Imblum". Finger Lakes Times. August 16, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  3. ^ Tims, Jane (July 27, 2000). "Entrepreneur from Valley loved freedom, library". Youngstown Vindicator. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  4. ^ "New Comer Family Obituaries - Marcella H. Leavitt 1913 - 2012". Archived from the original on 2021-09-04. Retrieved 2021-09-04.
  5. ^ a b c Case, Mary (July 20, 1986). "Artist crafts embroidery designs". Youngstown Vindicator. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  6. ^ Platt, Mary (January 31, 1997). "A Stitch in Time Saves ... Sanity". Los Angeles Times. p. E1. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  7. ^ Huffstutter, P.J. (August 1, 2000). "Is a Stitch Online a Crime?". Los Angeles Times. p. A1. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  8. ^ "Family". www.tiag.com. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
  9. ^ "Farewell, dear Marilyn - Casa Cenina". www.casacenina.com. Retrieved 2020-03-05.
  10. ^ "r/CrossStitch - [MOD]October's Featured Artist--MIRABILIA!--And our first AMA!!". reddit. October 2019. Retrieved 2020-03-05.

External links

  • Told in a Garden: official website for Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum
  • "Designer Spotlight" on website for Caron Collection company (specializes in variegated embroidery thread)
  • Yahoo discussion group dedicated to Marilyn Leavitt-Imblum designs
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