Was able to spend a fair bit of the day on it today, so that is why so much was done. I was worried I might have to order the missing green that I'd run out of doing the flowers. But I must have ordered it a while ago, because when I checked, it was there, so I was able to start on the wreath. Rather than do all the outlining in black and then do the colour, I'm going to do it in sections - you keep motivated that way I think.
Got the red background done. It really does go faster when it's just straight lines back and forth!
I started doing the centre roundal for my Elizabethan tent stitch hanging. Let's just say the events are Festival motivated me to get this one finished.
I am making a collar and cuff set to sell at Festival. I like this pattern, it works up very quickly. I think I might make some more in other colours. I am going to do a slightly more complicated design as well.
This is the status of my blackwork caul. I've been dragging this around as my doodle piece which I take to events so I have something to work on. I've been working on it for about 3 years!! I've decided I am going to make it up and sell it at Festival. I think it needs something inside of the diamonds. But I can't decide what - I am thinking either a small gold paillette or maybe a small (but quick to sew) motif. Any ideas?
I finally got round to transfering the centre medallion for my Elizabethan Bedhanging to the canvas. This is based directly on an existing piece in the Victoria and Albert Museum. The only thing I've changed is the heraldry in the middle (obviously, I've put mine in there!).
So the to do list for that project is to put the final round of couching on the blue flowers and start on the medallion. I also have to find patterns for the various insects etc that I want to scatter over the hanging.
I've been pretty quiet recently. I've been on a health kick which means I don't have much energy by the time I get home of a night added to which the weather isn't very conducive to sewing.
But I have been shopping. This arrived yesterday from Kass McGann, some great patterns and 6m of lovely scarlet wool flannel.
I got the Elizabethan Feminine Doublet, 1690s-1710s Mantua and went halvies in Netherlandish Working Women's Outfit. The Mantua is out of my period but I just love the look of it. I think I might use it for a mundane coat. We got the Netherlandish patterns to make for Festival next year. The site isn't good for long clothes and these just look so cool and practical.
These are the slips cut out of the main bit of fabric after the glue has dried. The fabric glue was the best option as it dried clear (like the wood glue) but it was more flexible and also acid free - which is important of longevity.
The slips have been glued to the fine linen backing material using a commercial fabric glue. I used a foam brush to put the glue onto the linen backing fabric. It gave a consistent, thin layer of glue.
I had a bit of a horrible day, was just totally exhausted. So I ended up doing the gluing at midnight!!
Sorry I've been off the grid for the last week or so. I've been flat chat at work, off sick, and still no modem at home, so I haven't posted. I was going to post some photos from Spring War, but not really anything too exciting, so I don't think I will bother.
The yellow slip is progressing. I've done all the black outlining and started on the flowers. I am waiting for the green silk to get here from China. With a bit of luck, I will have it finished by the end of the week and I can start on constructing the finished product.
A special thanks to Lady Louise de la Mare for her assistance on tracking down a source related to slip methodology.
I had the day off today and managed to get the blue slip finished. I ran out of one of the colour greens. I had ordered more but they sent me the wrong ones back and I forgot to reorder the correct colours, so there is one bit with a slightly lighter green in it. I am going to work on all the bits of the last slip - the yellow one - and hopefully the green will arrive in time.
Finally, after three different attempts, have gotten all the black outlining done on the purple slip.
This is the purple slip at 8 hours work. I've changed the way I did the big leaves, to make the spines more noticable. Got started on the black outlining. Still enjoying the project.
This is the pattern for the purple slip. I'm sure someone with a bit of floral knowledge would be able to identify the flower. But I'm hopeless, to me their are roses, daisies, and flowers. That's it!!
I got bored on the weekend. I decided to start work on the slips for the November WCOB competition. I was going to wait to see the outcome of the last comp, but thought I'd better get started. I knew I wasn't going to work on a high count fabric, as it would take too long and wouldn't give a big enough result. So I am working on some 14 count linen canvas that I've been saving for a special occasion. I am going to do 5 slips - four floral patterns and a central heraldic element. The floral patterns are taken from a piece in Traquair House in Scotland. I changed the orientation and the shape a bit to make them more suitable. The heraldic element will be based on an uncut slip in the V&A.
This is the slip at about 3 hours work. I don't have any black silk for the outlining, I have to order them. But I really wanted to start so I picked areas that I could do without the black being done.
