Answering Challenges - part 1

 Clearly, this will be a sometimes blog.  When I have something to talk about, it will be here.

Recently in the East Kingdom of the SCA, a number of challenges were issued. I decided to take up four of them by making two projects. 

The first project covers two challenges: Lace Challenge by Barbeta Kyrkeland and Stretch that Comfort Zone! by Amy Webbe.  

The one category in Athena's Thimble I do not yet have Competency in is Needlelace. I may be that rare embroiderer who likes both counted and uncounted embroidery, but the lack of ground fabric is different to both of those.  Amy referred to "that 'thing' that intimidates" and Needlelace has been that thing for me for some time. I decided on Reticella lace.  There are numerous extant pieces including Reticella, both as insertion lace, and as edging  It is a late [SCA] period needlework form.

I started, as I start most things, doing some reasearch✤ (spoiler alert - not enough).  Ultimately, mostly worked from the ground preparation and stitch information in The Open Canvas, and Cut-Work Embroidery, mostly from The Open Canvas. Clearly, though I missed some important points (more on that below). 

I found a piece of a reasonably even-weave scrap linen in my scraps bin, and pulled some Bockens 35/2 linen thread from my stash.  Projects from stash are always satisfying - not just because they use up stash, but because there is neither going out nor waiting for orders. 

I started by hemming the fabric and marking the center lines. Three rounds of stitching (running stich, whip stitch, then buttonhole stitch shored up the edges so they would remain stable once the threads were removed.  I carefully clipped and removed threads, leaving 4 in the middle of each edge, and being very careful to make sure they were the same four on opposite sides. Those middle threads were then strengthened with needleweaving. The diagonal threads were added and wrapped. 

Main bars set up. Pinned to a pillow.

With the main bars woven and wrapped, I pinned the whole thing to a lace pillow over the pattern for general guidance. Spoiler alert: I should have done the tacking stitches. 

Following the stitch instructions in The Open Canvas, I did the corner arcs, the circle and the middle arcs. 

• Just needs the ends woven in.

I removed the piece from the pillow, wove in and clipped the ends and it was done. 

Summary, and what I learned. 

Tension was a big problem.  Two sources described tacking or couching the work to the pattern, however, I was working mostly from The Open Canvas which does not include tacking the fabric down. However, that does expect the work to be done on a needlepoint style canvas, which is stiffer than the linen ground I used. Even pinning the work to the pillow, my fabric did not allow for adequate tension -- tacking would have helped that. The buttonhole stitched elements got loose and twisted. 

I also should have gone with my usual inclination of working as small as I can get away with. It was not until after finishing this piece that it occurred to me to add YouTube to my research.  I now have plans .... so many plans. 

This piece will be mounted to a backing fabric, padded, and mounted to a box for the storage of trinkets. 

✤ Books referenced:

Cave, Oenone, Cut-Work Embroidery and How to Do It

Schorn, Marie, Creating a Reticella Rosette, The Compleat Anachronist #130

Armbruter, Carol, The Open Canvas

Why, hello Thursday

As I mentioned, for a little while anyway I'm dropping this blog to "when I have something to say" -- but I'm still going to bore you with my Thursday honesty:

I'm going to need more of these.... 

Current project list/status (SCA/Historic):

• C&L expert panel piece; Couched cord. Um, DONE.  Blogged on Monday. 
• C&L expert panel piece; Couching around applique.  Plan is in hand.  In fact, I expect to go to my studio this evening to gather the materials. 
• C&L expert panel piece; Underside couching.  Another small piece is planned for this.  I can't say much, because it is going to be a gift.  I'll keep careful notes and do a nice long process blog when it's been given. 
• C&L expert panel piece;  Marshall Hanging.  Going away this weekend and this is going with me.  Possibly there will be a "here's the status" post next week.... maybe.
• C&L expert panel piece; Icelandic altar frontal based piece.  Well, it has a name :)
• Class this is (mostly) done, for now. The embroidery of the sample is done just have to do the making up. 

Sleeping projects (SCA/Historic): Being honest, I don't expect much to be done with these until after September, though maybe the event cushions will get pushed out.

• 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...."
• Event cushions.  Got that lovely red fabric, just need to make the cushions.  There's enough to make "quick" envelope style cushions AND have enough for better box cushions down  the road.... maybe. 

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.  
• 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. Closing in on the end.  
• Clothing for work.  Can we just take it as read that I need to do this and don't know when it's going to happen?  On the other hand, I did manage to knock out three skirts -- two of which can also be sun dresses -- thanks to JoAnn's cool "Style in an Instant" fabric (on deep sale).  
• 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 has not been happening and it really shows in many ways.I did pick up the parts to work on changing up the one closet.  

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, not to mention a stash that does not fit in the cedar chest which is supposed to be the limiting factor on yarns... 

Blog notes:

• There will be the Thursday status updates, and otherwise some occasional posts updating progress. 
• I have started my resources page (so far it has ONE thing on it).  I do have plans to add to it  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.  

Couching & Laid Work - Couched Cord

For my Couching & Laid Work back up pieces, I needed one showing simple couched cord as a decoration.  I decided to make a cover for my Kindle Paperwhite for less obtrusive use at events.

First, I obtained a cover to fit my Paperwhite, with space for the cover to be folded over.


I chose a design from La fleur de la science de pour traiture et patrons de broderie façons aralïque et ytalique par Fr. Pelegrin, de Florence, which can be found here. Published in 1530. I chose the "bones" of the design found at 22r. Four of the motifs fit the middle of my cover well.

Next up to was to obtain materials.  I found a lovely piece of brown linen, then a trip to my local needlework store yielded tapestry weight wool for the cord and silk for couching down. I selected "my colors" of blue and gold.

Construction started with cutting a piece of the linen larger than the open cover.   I hemmed the piece of linen and assembled folded in for the book cover.  I did this to ensure that the embroidery will be  centered properly on the cover.

Here the Kindle is in the cover.  I would have preferred a larger turn over, but the way the Kindle fits in the cover precluded that.  Once the cover is done I will lace it in place to keep it better anchored.





Next, I pinned the design, which I had traced, onto the cover.

Unfortunately, the brown  linen is too opaque to use the light box.  Therefore, I had to choose another transfer method.  Since I have no "pounce" on hand, I chose the stitching method.  I carefully stitched through the paper, following the lines of the design, using a simple back stitch.  I used yellow for the places I intended to couch down yellow wool, and blue for the blue -- figuring that in this way I would limit the amount of the stitched guide lines that would need to be removed later.  Then, I carefully tore away the paper.  A thinner tracing paper would have made this easier, but with careful, steady work, it all came off without distorting the stitching. 

There we are, all outlined and ready to go.  Kind of pretty that way, too, really like this design.  Yes, those are my glasses.  I often do fine work without my glasses on -- my nearsightedness means that very close work is easy for me without correction. 

Next, it was time to start laying cord.  I started with the larger section of the blue.  For that section only I pinned the "cord" in place (though as I worked I adjusted the laid cord to more carefully follow the guide lines. 

First round down.  Since the subsequent cords would need to be "woven" through for the over/under, I carefully couched on either side of the guide lines.  Now, I was sure I had taken pictures of the next phase, but apparently I did not.  I took a large tapestry needle and loosely wove the inner blue cord, then couched it down.  Next I did each of the yellow ones. 

Blue done, starting on yellow.

All done the basic couching

Having finished the basic couching, I removed the guide lines that were showing, to have a cleaner look.  At this point, the only couching is to anchor the loops and one either side of each cross. After removing the guide lines, I went through and placed additional couching. 

And, there it is, all done -- on the cover.  My plan is now to do an applique on the back -- with couched cord around the edges. Once the linen cover is done and laced into place, I may couch cord around all the edges, but that will be addressed once the back is done. 

Close up of one quadrant