Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Always look....

This post kind of relates to my post in January about cross-shopping -- it's about keeping your eyes open when shopping.

Sunday I went to JoAnn's.  I had their Memorial Day weekend coupon (20% off entire purchase, including sale items).  I specifically went to buy fabric for a new pink skirt, my favorite having given up (quite dramatically -- fortunately while taking it off for the night).  Now, I could have gone in, found the pink fabric, and left.  But I never go to JoAnn's without looking at the sales -- and especially at the "red dot" fabrics.

Most of the time it's junk -- or at least fabrics not even remotely calculated to be useful to me.  This trip, however, this lovely red fabric stood out.  It's a nice heavy cotton canvas with a yellow chain stitched design.  I love how the design echoes architectural design elements that stretch back as far as the 12th Century.  So often when you *can* find "medieval-oid" designs in the home decorating department they read more like 14th to 16th centuries.  The two yards I bought will provide a number of cushions for taking to events -- and probably some other "cover the modern" uses as well.

Now, normally, I would have passed this fabric by -- or just admired it and put it down after seeing the over $50 a yard price tag. But it was on the clearance rack at $21 - AND all the clearance was an additional 50% off -- AND don't forget that coupon.

So, 2 yards for $16.80 that would originally have been over $100.  Not bad -- and just for keeping my eyes open.  The cushions will not, unfortunately, make their way to the studio table and "done" pages for this weekend upcoming, but soon.  Maybe.

Oh, and I *did* get my pink fabric, too.  So there will be a pink skirt back in my wardrobe ... at some point.

That "eyes open" shopping has gotten me a lot of useful things at excellent prices. I've found dishes, decorating items, clothing, tools and many other items just by being open to noticing things.

It also works well for "end of year holiday of your choice" gifts -- I think the first thing I bought this year was in January.  Of course the biggest issue with those is remembering where the items are by "end of the year."

Monday, May 30, 2016

Progress!

While I'm working on my designs and schedule for the projects for my expert panel in September, I returned to a project that I really wanted to complete well before this -- and certainly before the "all couching all the time"  -- the sample for my German Brick Stitch class.

Here is a picture of the completed embroidery.

Because I made the mistake of working it all the way to the frame, the edges aren't quite neat enough, but I'll fix that once it's off the frame and I can get at the holes.  Then I'll trim the edges and do a lining.  The line where the design changes will be the bottom, and the top and bottom will be the opening at the top of the bag.  I'll attach lining pieces to the two ends then sew the lining seams (side and bottom).  The bag I'll fold wrong sides facing and fold in the side seams and over stitch - first with some linen, and then with one of the silks for a decorative edge.  That will prevent the need to turn it after stitching which can put extra stress on those seams.  The lining bag will tuck in, and then a drawstring will go in at the top.  Photos of the finishing will be a future blog.

Overall I'm happy with the piece as a teaching piece.  I would normally do all one design, but I wanted the teaching piece to have an easier and a more difficult counting design offered.

Now, on to preparing for next weekend's event, where I will be working on the Marshall hanging and enjoying time with other fiber arts folks.


Thursday, May 26, 2016

Return of the Thursday update

Not a lot of progress to report, but I have to keep honest...

Current project list/status (SCA/Historic):
  • C&L expert panel pieces -- I'm working on finalizing my list and the designs for the individual pieces.  Once determined, each will have an entry here. 
  • Class this is (mostly) done, for now. Some work done on the teaching/sample project, because I feel I have to get this off my plate. 
  • Marshall Hanging -- No, nothing new.    
  • Hem stitched square -- This has kind of gone into hibernation in my event basket, to come out when I have just that couple of minutes to do something.
  • That silk tunic I did for my husband -- still need to pull that out and get the seam finishing done, and maybe plan some more embroidery for it. 
  • Other garb waiting in the wings... Also in planning are a couple more coifs -- and shifts and shirts.  
  • Research.  I've started trolling for inspirational ideas.  My Pinterest boards are overflowing with "oh, that looks cool...."

Current project list/status (Modern)
  • Bay of Fundy Scarf.  Done -- Just have to block it and then photos will be posted.  Why, yes, it still needs to be blocked.  Maybe this upcoming long weekend. 
  • Northern Lights Cowl --  I've been enjoying this one, though in the interest of getting some embroidery done it may need to be relegated to "pick it up occasionally, but only as a reward for getting some other stuff done."  Also, waiting rooms and such.
  • Clothing for work.  This may have to be moved up a bit, as one of my favorite skirts just gave its last.  Now I really need to find pink fabric I like because I cannot imagine not having something in that dark rich pink in my wardrobe.  Of course, I *could* get around to doing the hem on the black and white, that would help.  
  • Studio project. A number of things have migrated back to the studio (where, admittedly, they belong), and a few things in the studio need to come out.  I need to determine a day each month for specifically concentrating on getting everything back to where it belongs, which should help keep this room organized. This did not happen in January, or February, or March... Help me April, you're my only hope!
Future project plans: (look, a new section) AKA "In the queue"
  • Knitting plans include  fingerless gloves with more of the alpaca that I'm using on the Bay of Fundy scarf.  I also got some lovely blue silk/wool blend that I'll need to find "just the right pattern" for.  Also, attending Maryland Sheep & Wool this weekend will undoubtedly produce *something* new for the queue.... 
Blog notes:
  • Still working on a three day a week pattern -- Monday for SCA/Medieval/Renaissance related; Tuesday for post 1600 to modern related and Thursdays for status updates.
  • I have started my resources page (so far it has ONE thing on it).  I hope to add one or two things a week. That page will be web resources.  A Bibliography page will have to wait until after September I think, it will be a massive undertaking. 
So, that's it for my plans for the coming weeks.  

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Art Books

Not all inspiration for textile arts comes from existing textiles.  Art books can be a great source.  Not only for the representations of textiles in art, but also for themes and motifs.

One of the most common, the acanthus leaf vine, for instance, can be found in paintings, illuminations, stone work, metal work, and on and on.

We don't all have huge local libraries with shelves and shelves of art books.  Interlibrary loan is great, but so are some of the on line resources.  One of these that I have used as recently as this week is the vast catalog of Met Museum publications available on line, here -- many have free download of the PDF and full text on line.  Often even if full text is not on line, there is a "preview" option -- so you can get an idea of whether the book might be useful to pursue further.

Yes, for many things I like old fashioned "dead tree" books, but there is one advantage the PDFs have -- photos can be made bigger.  They do lose some some clarity, but it's a great help -- even if just to gather information to decide if you want to research a given item more deeply.

This leads up to the opening of a new page on this blog -- resources. Over the next weeks I will populate the page with resources such as on line books, museum collection search pages and even some of my favorite on line purchasing sites.  Watch for the new page to open soon.

Now, off to more fiber work!




Monday, May 23, 2016

Expert Panel announcment

It is official.  I will be making my Expert panel in Couching and Laid work presentation to Athena's Thimble (SCA East Kingdom embroidery guild) on September 24, 2016.  From now until then, all embroidery will be focused on that project.

The planned items will be:

  • A Simple couched cord design
  • A banner with cord couched around the applique.
  • A piece based on the Italian pieces I talked about here.
  • The Pelican medallions I did for a friends cloak, discussed here.
  • A piece based on an Icelandic altar frontal (not yet blogged)
  • A piece of underside couching.
  • And, for the "master work" the Marshall hanging, based on the Bayeux tapestry, which has been discussed on several posts.

There are a couple of other items I'm considering as small example pieces -- samplers and "learning example" items.  There will also be a presentation of information on existing pieces used as the inspirations and the form in general.  

So, it's just about exactly 4 months.  There will be plenty of progress posts during that time!

To close, I'll leave you with a shot of one of the animals from the Marshall.



Friday, May 20, 2016

Thursday on Friday

Did you notice that I didn't update status yesterday?  Or last week?  Mainly it's because there hasn't been much change, other than a little bit of knitting and a lot of thinking.

Oh, and the scheduling of my expert panel for September 24 at the SCA Event River War.

This means, of course, that there will start to be lots of embroidery progress.

So, no actual run down this week, just take it as read that it's the same as the last time I posted, other than that the cowl is further along.

Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Despite a full historic schedule....

Yesterday I posted about having a very full SCA schedule for June... and that the summer will be very full of work on a project for September... however, I am also currently working on a post 1600 item.

My current travel piece is this little bit of knitting:



It's KnitPicks' pattern Northern Lights cowl, though I've adjusted the stitch count to make tracking the rounds a little less important -- by using one stitch less it's a simple pattern of five knit, one perl.  The yarn is their Chroma in the color "Carnival."  It fills my heart with glee to see all the lovely jewel tones, and it has plenty of the "color that makes me smile."  The yellow and green stripes are wider because it is a mirror repeat.  I'm looking forward to seeing how it all comes together.

My yellow alpaca wrap is waiting for the work table in my studio to be clear so it can be blocked.

Once the cowl is done I'll be casting on some fingerless mitts in the same yellow alpaca -- though I need to choose a pattern first.

I like knitting -- especially these smaller type of projects -- for my travel projects because they easily fit in my purse and can come out and a bit done any down time.

Enjoy the rest of the week folks!


Monday, May 16, 2016

Monday - SCA scheduling post

As most readers know, it is the Society for Creative Anachronism which took my early love of embroidery, sewing and "all things fiber" to the study of historic "things fiber."  Here are a number of events at which I will be playing with fibery goodness.  For those not in the SCA, we love newcomers.  If you've never been to an SCA event and would like to come to one of these (or another one), contact me ahead and we'll make sure you know what to expect....

June will be busy for me.  The first weekend will be attendance at an event called "Artisans' Village"  This is an all arts event with a number of areas devoted to different arts that people work on.  I'm coordinating the fiber "village" (and if you're attending and would like to help out with that, let me know).  I plan to have my big Bayeux Tapestry inspired piece to work on, plus some teaching materials for impromptu stitch teaching.

The next weekend is a big Kingdom-wide event.  (Kingdoms are our larger regions, we are in the Kingdom of the East.)  Southern Region War Camp features just about everything people in the SCA do -- fighting, archery, thrown weapons, and arts displays.  My husband is slated to help with the lunch board, and I will probably be wandering around with friends watching activities, shopping (did I mention shopping?), and probably settling down somewhere for some companionable stitching.  I'll have along a smaller project for that event.   I will be attending only Saturday for this event. because the next day I will be teaching embroidery at a demo. 
 
Then, the following weekend I'll be at another smaller, focused event, A Day in the Solar.   This event will be focused on helping people get ready for the very very big 2 week long event, Pennsic.  I will once again have my large piece with me, and I will also have the German Brick Stitch teaching box. 

After that I get a bit of a break.  I don't actually attend Pennsic, and there is not much else on my calendar for the summer other than stitching every chance I get. Come September I'll be back in the event cycle again, with two in September. "Watch this space" for an official announcement about one of those.

So, now back to some stitching, and some research.  Hope I get to see you at one or more of these events, and you can count on "event reports" afterwards. 

Meanwhile, here is a gratuitous photo of our new kitten... Doing all this fiber craft will be great fun with him around, I'm sure :) 


Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Tuesday on Wednesday

Tuesday is the day for post 1600 through modern stuff -- so what better day to gloat report about the goodies I got at Maryland Sheep & Wool.

First, to brag on my husband, who took second place in the grand lamb cookoff with his home made lambwich -- using his own sauce. Second place for the second year in a row.  This year with 95 (of 100) points.  He is, of course, already planning next year's entry. I will be subjected to the testing.  "Darn.







Now, on to the loot.  There it all is (except for items purchased for gifts, because this is a spoiler free zone).

Let's see, silk threads, scissors, a posy pin and a tote.  Nope, no yarn.  Oh, I saw lots of yarn that I could have bought, but every time I started to look at some, I remembered that my cedar chest (repository of my stash) is full -- and that I have yarn that doesn't fit.

The base there is a tote bag with a prior year's design.  It's a great middle size, and recycled materials.  I was using the backpack style bag I got at NY S&W, so didn't really need a new tote bag, but it really just kind of called out.  Now I have a tote from every S&W I've been to.

Those scissors are really unique. The handle rises from the pivot point at an almost 90 degree angle, then the finger rings bend off again.  This allows for trimming of embroidery thread ends right next to the ground fabric, without distorting the ground fabric.  I'm looking forward to using these to make nice close trims of my ends on embroidery.

 Two of the vendors were familiar to me from New York S&W.

 The Wool Room has a supply of Japanese filament silk. The lovely lady went to her car and got the tote out for me, and my friend and I had a grand time rooting through.  I was able to add black and this lovely burgundy to my collection of this super, super fine silk thread. That is one strand of the burgundy sitting on that dime. You can tell by looking at the hanks that it is really as fine as hair.  It's fussy to work with, but makes a lovely couching thread.


 The other vendor is Serendipity Farm & Studio.  Like The Wool Room, they primarily carry weaving supplies.  They do have one rack of these spools of silk thread.  I'm pretty sure I have both this gold and this green, and there's lots on there, but I also could not resist picking up another spool.  I have their white and a lighter gold and a greenish gold.  This is a fairly tightly twisted thread, and I have found it to be very useful for sewing.

You can see from the single thread sitting on a dime that this is a good sewing size. It will also be a good thread for couching larger cords. 


A not so-fiber-related item that I bought was this posy pin.  I've been watching Poirot on Netflicks, and love the pin he wears that holds a flower.  So, when at one stall I found these posy pins made from old hollow handled table knives, I had to get one.  Here it is with a bit of my (not yet open) lilac in it. I was even able to choose one from a flatware design similar to some of the silverware I grew up with.

The last goodie was food.  One of the highlights of NY S&W is the fried artichoke hearts -- Artichoke French.  Well, he was at Maryland S&W.  By the time we went the line wasn't *too* bad -- I think we only waited about 20 minutes to get to the front, but so worth it.

All told, it was a lovely day.  Even the weather decided to behave after a while (and my shoes brushed up just fine).  The real treasures of the day were getting to enjoy it with friends and loved ones -- and to soak up all the creative energy that flows and ebbs around such an event. (I'll admit the numerous compliments on the shawl I was wearing were nice to receive).

Now, time to buckle down and get some embroidery going.  













Monday, May 9, 2016

Project page updated

Things in my life are actually getting a bit more even keel and there *will* be more embroidery to report on soon.  In the meantime, I spent some time adding some of my older projects to the "DONE - Historic and SCA" page.

I still have a number of projects for which I still need to dig out the photos.  There are some that have not been blogged or webbed at all, and some that I have just quick notations of on the old "Elizabet Embroidery" page (link to the right under "Other Things to See") which has not been updated in way too long....

Added to the "Done" page are links for a couple Brick Stitch projects, a book, and this little guy, one of my first SCA projects:


Now to go do some thready things -- and enjoy this return to spring. 

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Thursday update

I did get some knitting done in the last week, but not a whole lot else.  

Current project list/status (SCA/Historic):
  • Applique piece for C&L -- I may have fallen down the research rabbit hole and really need to settle on something.
  • Couched cord piece for C&L -- I have looked at a few design inspiration ideas for something to do on my husband's tunic for this element.
  • Class this is (mostly) done, for now.  I do have some more work to do on the sample and the re-write on the handout.  
  • Marshall Hanging -- No, nothing new.    
  • Hem stitched square -- This is officially my current "work on at events" project.  At the same event last weekend I learned some more open work, and am now deciding whether to make this square an overall open work piece or do that on something different. I learned some pulled (diverted thread) work at the Embroidery Schola in February, and this piece has a nice big central area just asking for some decoration.
  • That silk tunic I did for my husband -- still need to pull that out and get the seam finishing done, and maybe plan some more embroidery for it. 
  • Other garb waiting in the wings... Also in planning are a couple more coifs -- and shifts and shirts.  
  • Research.  I've started trolling for inspirational ideas.  My Pinterest boards are overflowing with "oh, that looks cool...."

Current project list/status (Modern)
  • Bay of Fundy Scarf.  Done -- Just have to block it and then photos will be posted
  • Hat for my husband.  Done.  Photos will be up soon.
  • Northern Lights Cowl -- This one is being done with a beautiful color changing yarn and is a nice simple pattern.  I did make one small change to make the counting a lot easier, and I don't know that I'll use this yarn again, but it's pleasing me, and going nice and fast. 
  • Clothing for work.  This may have to be moved up a bit, as one of my favorite skirts just gave its last.  Now I really need to find pink fabric I like because I cannot imagine not having something in that dark rich pink in my wardrobe.  Of course, I *could* get around to doing the hem on the black and white, that would help.  
  • Studio project. A number of things have migrated back to the studio (where, admittedly, they belong), and a few things in the studio need to come out.  I need to determine a day each month for specifically concentrating on getting everything back to where it belongs, which should help keep this room organized. This did not happen in January, or February, or March... Help me April, you're my only hope!
Future project plans: (look, a new section) AKA "In the queue"
  • Additional C&L work to do includes an underside couched piece (having been reminded of a thing I knew of one that is not metal thread).
  • Knitting plans include  fingerless gloves with more of the alpaca that I'm using on the Bay of Fundy scarf.  I also got some lovely blue silk/wool blend that I'll need to find "just the right pattern" for.  Also, attending Maryland Sheep & Wool this weekend will undoubtedly produce *something* new for the queue.... 
Blog notes:
  • Still working on a three day a week pattern -- Monday for SCA/Medieval/Renaissance related; Tuesday for post 1600 to modern related and Thursdays for status updates.
  • I'm also considering a couple other pages -- one for links to museums and other excellent web resources, and one for a bibliography (with appropriate links).  Any requests? 
So, that's it for my plans for the coming weeks.  

Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Sheep & Wool -- Maryland that is.

This weekend is the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.   We're heading down on Saturday.  My husband is, once again, a competitor in the Grand Lamb Cook Off.  Last year he took 2nd place in the Adults category.

Meanwhile, I'm heading out to the festival itself to enjoy looking at fiber in all its glory.  Everything from fiber producing animals to finished products will be available.

This festival is a bit smaller than New York, but it certainly doesn't skimp on inspiration.  I spent a large part of my lunch hour today looking over the vendor list. I have started my "to look for" list also, but I'm sure there will be things that simply insist on coming home with me.




We'll be on site really really early (hubby has a very early judging time), and probably won't be leaving until they make us.  There will be pictures posted, but until then, here are a couple of ones I got last year:





Monday, May 2, 2016

Randomness - German Altar Frontal - maybe not the one you think

Many people who study medieval textiles are familiar with this late 14th Century piece at the Cloisters. A quick look back, I'm not sure I've talked about it, but that's for another day -- I certainly have photos enough of the piece which incorporates brick stitch in a different manner than the bags, pillows and box covering I've talked about lately.

Today, I decided to turn to LACMA (L.A. County Museum of Art) for a random piece.  I entered the search phrase "Embroidery medieval," and this was the one hit. (There are other pieces within "SCA  Period" but that's the one that came up for that particular word search.) It has a very different style to the background, yet it does have those lovely figures with the brick stitch fills, and very similar colors.

I will certainly be giving this piece some closer study soon.  I was going to do some of that study and say more, but I want to get this posted -- running late because my cat decided that this evening was the perfect time to learn whether she can be in the exact same place as a (full) glass of red wine.  Hint: no.  Good thing we had an extra keyboard around the house.
Germany, Lower Saxony, circa 1380 LACMA M.79.48