Progress on medieval stool

In the last picture I posted the stool pieces were mostly cut out but not assembled. Now the entire thing is assembled and waiting for the glue to dry. Then will be more sanding followed by application of finish. I learned a lot of lessons while making this piece and I suspect I have some more lessons coming as I go to apply my first finish.

A word about painting supplies and one of my favorite websites

In my Links section I have a link for the website of Natural Pigments, a fantastic supplier of traditional artists' materials.  They carry everything you need to make your own oil, tempera, encaustic, fresco, gouache and other types of paint.  Russian style icon painting and fresco painting workshops are held at various times and places during the year through their associated website, www.iconofile.com.  I attended the week-long intensive icon painting workshop last year and learned so much, it was truly amazing!  Anyone interested in traditional materials, supplies or techniques should check out this website.  The people who run it are really nice, too.

Another good supplier is Kalish finest brushes at http://home.att.net/~brushes/Index.html. They are moderately priced and are a joy to use. For fine, precise work they are the best I ever used.

In the picture (because posts are more interesting with pictures) is the catalog, examples of some supplies, the icon of St. Nicholas I painted in the workshop, my cat Sophie, and some of the brushes I bought from Kalish Finest Brushes.

Maru dai bobbins

Work continues on my maru dai stand. I really wanted to make some bobbins for it so I could start using it even though I haven't finished sanding or gluing. First I tried the bobbins that look like spools but on those the thread is kept from unwinding by tying a certain kind of knot and I wasn't very good at that. My bobbins kept unwinding and it was giving me sour face.

Next I started on a version of bobbin I found in the book which is my primary source so far, The Big Book of Sling and Rope Braids by Rodrick Owen (ISBN-10: 0304348252, ISBN-13: 978-0304348251). I have used that book alone to teach myself braiding and so far, so good. This next bobbin was problematic; the corkscrew of wire that is inserted in the top of the dowel was hard to twist and impossible to make look nice and even. Then, I had an epiphany! I dug into my picture hanging kit box and took some brass loops, the kind that screw into the back of the picture frame that the picture hanging wire fastens to. The ends were pointed and threaded like wood screws (since they are supposed to be screwed into picture frame backs, go figure) so they went into the ends of my dowels really well (pilot holes helped!). Then I took a pair of pliers and pried the loop open so thread could fit in the loop and voila! it worked perfectly and looked attractive. I only made six since that is how many wooden discs I had so I photographed the stand with a sample four strand braid. It is sitting amongst the lavender in my newly renovated front yard.

Note in the picture that I used metal washers as counterweights; they are a little difficult to see in this picture. I liked them because I could vary the weight on the counterweight, also they fit perfectly on the 3/8" dowel so I can vary the weight (and thus tension) on the bobbins.

Embroidered pouch finished!

Here is a picture of the completed pouch. It came out really well and I am very happy with it. I placed on the grass in my yard to get a photo in natural light. The colors are really bright! Now to make more! Actually, I still have another blackwork cuffs set in progress and the wooden stool to finish. Then maybe I'll take a break and make something contemporary.

Finally my thread arrived!!

After a wait of what felt like six months, I finally received my backorder of silk thread. I was able to finish up the embroidery and am now in the process of making up the pouch. I have only to finish the holes for the drawstring and it will be done. I'll put up a picture when it is finished.

Cloisterstitch Needlebook

I decided to give cloisterstitch a try and here is my first effort. I used Medici wool on 28 count evenweave linen, lined with felted wool and the "pages" in the needlebook are the same burgandy felted wool. Maybe non-evenweave would have worked but I used what was handy. The edge and tie are fingerlooped wool braid.

Blackwork - complete!

Here is my first finished blackwork project. It is intended as a set of cuffs and collar for a shirt. I made it with the thought that I would give it away. My back side is not as perfect as I would like it to be; ultimately I would like my work to be indistinguishable front from back. I have already chosen the pattern for my next project, a set of cuffs. It is a little more complicated. I think if each project gradually increases in difficulty I will improve without being overwhelmed.

*Fabric: Zweigart linen "Belfast" 32ct. in Antique White

*Thread: Soie d'Alger "NOIR" single strand

EDIT: This blackwork sold for $35 at an auction to benefit the Shire of Crosston.

Projects in progress

Right now I have several projects in progress. Just so I can keep things straight, here is the current status:

* German embroidered bag - still waiting for my silk order with the yellow thread. It is on backorder.

* Stool - currently on break from woodshop class. I'll return next month and have bandsaw access again.

* New needlebook project - this is something I started a few days ago for my first experiment with cloisterstitch. I was just finishing up with the edge trim but ran out of fingerloop braid. As soon as I make more I can finish, hopefully on my next day off.

* New project: blackwork! I have always wanted to try this and did make a couple half-hearted (and poor quality) attempts but this time I am really going to do it. I chose a simple pattern for increased likelihood of success.

* Maru dai stand for kumihimo - needs sanding, finishing, real bobbins. Not feeling very excited by it right now.

Why am I posting all this? To my knowledge, no one reads my blog. I am doing it because it makes a nice record for me to look back on and see my progress and have everything in one place. Also if I want to show someone what I am doing I have easy access to pictures. Besides, someday someone may read my blog and even make a comment.

German 14th century embroidered bag - in progress

This is my second embroidered piece in brick stitch. It is Soie d'Alger silk using four stands on 24 count linen congress cloth. It will take ten skeins of thread when complete. The unfinished part is where I ran out of yellow so I will finish it as soon as I buy some more. When the embroidery is complete I will make it up into a bag and use the fingerloop braid my friend Renee of the Mists made for me to finish the edges and make a drawstring.

Medieval stool

This is my second project in woodworking class. It is a medieval stool based on many I have seen depicted in manuscripts and some extant examples. It is made of poplar, the least expensive hardwood and suitable for a beginning project. It is unfinished but far enough along to see approximately how it will look. It is turning out just how I imagined and I am so excited about it!

My first attempt at a maru dai and kumihimo

I started taking a woodworking class though the local adult education and I am hooked! For my first project I made a kumihimo braiding stand called a maru dai. Although is it not finished yet I wanted to try it out to make sure the dimensions were good. I liked it a lot and now I will finish it. I tried this type of braiding once before using a quickie cardboard contraption but the wood stand is much nicer to use.

I made a simple four strand braid for my first attempt and it turned out pretty well. The thread is some silk my friend Renee gave me. She dyed it using indigo and tumeric. I also have to work out a better system for the bobbins and counterweight. I don't like tying a slip knot around the bobbin and for the counterweight I used a spool of solder and some wire my boyfriend was using that happened to be handy. I'll post another picture when I have that worked out.

New illumination scroll blank; 12th century German

Another illumination with design from Stannheim Missal. The illuminated letter "B" is adapted from St. Alban's Psalter which was painted in Germany in the 1120s. I'm starting to get comfortable with painting and may try something a little more complicated next time. However, I can't start anything until after the Crosston Dance Ball because if I work on anything is should be my costume for that.

New illumination; from Stammheim Missal

I've done a bit of illumination here and there over the last several years but not finished much of anything. Now I am doing blank scrolls for SCA awards. This gives me a goal to focus on, an opportunity to practice and I am making something useful. This is the third scroll blank I completed. I'm not where I want to be with my painting technique but I am improving.

Materials:

-Pergamenata 11 x 14 inches
-Windsor & Newton goache paint
-Cobalt
-Cadmium red pale
-Cadmium yellow medium
-yellow ochre
-Ivory black
-Zinc white
-Permanent white
-Sumi gold paint
-Brushes: a cheap synthetic #3 round and a Kolinsky 3-0 liner Series 8 from Kalish
Finest Brushes (great brush!)

The design is taken straight from one of the calendar pages of the Stammheim Missal, made in Hildesheim, Germany in the 1170s. I really love the bright colors of German manuscript painting of this period.

My First Medieval Needlecase

After many years of not doing much in the way of needlework except wishing I was doing needlework, here is my first effort. I rummaged in my needlework box and found a piece of 22 count cotton canvas which I embroidered in brick stitch using six strands of DMC floss. The pattern is from www.wymarc.com; it is based on an embroidered 14-15th century German bag at the V&A Museum. I chose DMC cotton floss because I have lots of it and if I bungled it then I wouldn't be out much money. Next time I plan to use silk.

Here is the link to Machteld's Historical Embroidery Page instructions for finishing seams. I used the same DMC embroidery thread as for the needlecase. The embroidered braid technique looks pretty but is not very fast. I will try finishing seams with fingerloop braid next time and see which I like better. Here is the link:

http://machteld-embroidery.blogspot.com/2007/04/finishing-seams-of-14th15th-century.html