Basketweave pouch embroidery complete!

Last night I finished the embroidery for my new pouch. I couldn't decide on a color for the spaces between the gold embroidery so I used two different color schemes in such a way that the purse will look one way from one side, and different on the other side. I was worried that the blue would be too strong but it looks really good. When I finished with the blue embroidery my fingertips were a little darkened; I think some of the indigo rubbed off as I stitched. I have had samples of all the colors I used taped in a sunny window for a couple weeks now and so far no fading. Next thing is to put the pouch together but that will have to wait a bit until I practice cardweaving some more since I want to weave the sides together, so it will likely be weeks before I have a finished pouch to present. Meanwhile I need to get a new project that will fit in my purse and be good to work on under adverse conditions such as on the bus and at night.

Progress on basketweave embroidery

I like to post at least once a week and to have something to show, but the project I am working on is not to be finished in a week. Here is the updated picture. I am happy because today I finished the basketweave outline for the entire piece. It was my goal to have that done before going to learn cardweaving tonight and I achieved my goal.

Brickstitch roof?

I was flipping through the pages of the magazine at the art library yesterday and came across this advertisement for a fascimile of the Prayer Book of Charles the Bold. The book is featured at an exhibition at Historisches Museum Bern about Charles the Bold (1433-1477). Look at the roof in the background - doesn't it look like a brick stitch pattern? I wish I knew where that building was, it looks really cool.

More research at Stanford Library

Here are the first of some of the wonderful things I scanned at the Stanford Art and Architecture library today. I chose the picture of this aquamanile because of the depiction of the late 14th century clothing, which I want to make ( I love tippets!). In another photo of the back of this piece it is possible to view her hairstyle which appears to be a fishtail braid.

This aquamanile depicts Phyllis and Aristotle and was made in the South Lowlands in the late 14th century.

I would really love to learn metalworking, especially blacksmithing and casting, also enamelwork.

A&S 50 Challenge: new skill - Inkleweaving

Here is my first attempt at inkleweaving. I attended a class at an A&S and put that information together with the book Inkleweaving by Helene Brass to come up with the inkle loom and my first weaving. As you can see it is not very good. The loom I made in woodshop in maple with birch dowels. It is not finished yet but I didn't want to wait until it was finished to try it. I hope it doesn't take me too long to get good with this technique because I would like to make something in fiber more period than the crochet cotton I chose for learning because it is cheap.

Happiness is mine!

Look at this picture!  Isn't it wonderful!?

I have worked at Stanford University Hospital for over five years and never visited the campus library.  Today I went and I now have a big smile that won't leave my face because there were so many wonderful books.  I am not allowed to check any out, just to put them on hold and make as many scans as I like.  I wandered the stacks in a state of bliss.  With the research I can do here I will be able to make as many embroidery patterns as I like.  I am so happy it doesn't even matter that I wore very inappropriate shoes for walking around on campus and my feet bled or that it was 100 degrees and my refrigerator broke.

Most of the books with good pictures are older and the pictures are mostly b/w but I did find a few color photos.  Here is the best color photo that I found today.  The book is in German which I do not understand except with the help of Google translator.  It has a few pictures of embroideries but only this one color photo of the counted satin stitch/brick stitch which is my focus.

    Appuhn, Horst.  Kloster Isenhagen Kunst und Kultur im Mittelalter.  Lüneburg, Museumsverein für das Fürstentum Lüneburg, 1966

Note that in the picture there is the outline of a donkey(?) that is not filled in with embroidery. I like the unfinished bits because they give clues to how things were made.  Also my first impression with my modern point of view is that the angels are holding forks with fish speared on them for roasting over a fire and that it looks like baby Jesus is being served up on a table with the cow salivating over him.  However I am certain that is not the correct interpretation.

Making progress...

Here is an updated photo of the basket weave embroidery pouch I am making. I was undecided about the color for the spaces in between the weave and I still have a few trial color places to rip out. The silk feels SO soft and has a beautiful luster.