Laurel "Doby Sock" Alms Purse

Many months ago, a friend approached me about making her a sock pouch to present to her apprentice for her elevation ceremony. She originally wanted it knit with her arms woven into it but, being not terribly proficient in color changing in knitting yet, I asked if it could be embroidered and she agreed. She explained that the recipient is a huge Harry Potter fan and that by presenting her with a "sock" at the start of the elevation, she would release her as her apprentice to become a laurel. I LOVED THIS IDEA!!  After inquiring about her persona, I decided to make a sock version of an alms (aumonieres) purse. Alms purses have been found through the years in several coutries: Spain, France, England to name a few.  They vary in shapes, styles and materials made in. 

Some examples:

This alms purse from the 13th century is knit. Currently it is located in Spain. 

 

 

 

Chaplain of a Countess of Bar and its hinged armature Paris, Cluny Museum

 

 

French Alms Purse 1340s

It was from these images and a few others that I took my inspiration to create her purse.

Materials used:

Silk dupioni fabric (blue, antique gold)
Silk sewing thread
Splendor Silk 12 strand twisted embroidery thread
Sulky Embroidery stabilizer
Gold Pallions
Lucet Corder

I obtained an image of her arms from my friend and transferred it to the stabilizer and then used that to outline the design and added the peerage symbol of a Laurel wreath.

Then i placed it over the ground fabric of the antique gold silk. Now while in most of the alms purses the ground fabric was covered with embroidery because it was usually a linen, I did not cover the entire purse in embroidery because I loved the glow of the silk.

Using two strands of silk, I embroidered her arms and the wreath using split stitch, stem stitch and some satin stitch. Outlining the crane and ermine were done with one strand of black silk thread.

Once finished I removed the stabilizer and cut out the shape of the sock. The entirety of it was hand sewn. I added the pallions in sets of three around the wreath/shield on the one side. I had considered putting some on the opposite side of the purse but for practicality purposes, it would rub against the clothing and I feared it would cause them to catch and pull off so I chose not to for that reason.

When it was together, I made the eyelets using an awl (Yes, Jaji, that same deadly awl) and did buttonhole stitches to bind the edging.

The draw strings, hanging cord and edge cording trim are all lucet braided from more silk splendor thread.  Netflix was my biggest friend during all this, LOL!

I was very pleased with how it turned out. I wish I could have seen the recipients face when she was given it but I have been told she liked it very much.

One of these days I'll have to get around to making an alms purse for myself.  HA!!!
#cobblerschildrenhavenoshoes

Walk Down Memory Lane...



 

I was going through the bookmark file and I came across the link to an old shutterfly account I had. The last time I entered into it was 2011! While I was looking through the pictures, I came across some shots of embroideries and sewing I did that I had lost the original pictures to. So I'm posting them here for view and to keep track for my own records.  I am doing this from memory so bear with me on the history of each item.

 

 The first two images are of a wool hood lined in red linen with gold metal thread embellishments on it. I recreated this hood from an image in an illuminated manuscript from the 14th c.  The good gentle modeling it is Count Isenwulf from AEthaelmarc (when he lived in Eastern PA many years ago).  The gold metal thread I used was Japanese metal thread so, not a true gold metal but it was what I could afford at the time. It was couched to the wool with silk thread.

 

 

 

The acorn embroidered below was one of man that went onto a cushion for Dutchess Brenwen as her gift from The Guild of Athena's Thimble.  Members were asked to embroider an acorn that would be appliqued onto a cushion of a bench for her. The one I created was silk stitched onto linen. The cushion is also pictured beneath.

 

 

Below is my display from an A&S event that was held in the Shire of Eisental many many years ago.  The laurel hood was made for Mistress Lettice Peyton. It is a summer weight wool outside and a fine yellow linen inside. Each leaf was embroidered with DMC cotton thread (it took a lot and all these items were made when I was a stay at home mom so money was a factor) in split stitch. I outlined each leaf  and the stem with Japanese gold metal thread, couching it down. 

 

Also on the table is the embroidery for an apprentice belt I was creating as a commission. Above it is the start of an alms purse that was later damaged by a two year olds dirty hands and juice cup (ahhhhh kids). 

 

 To the right of that is a German brickwork stitched pouch lined in silk.  The stitching was done in silk threads as was the tassels and the cording.  The ground cloth was a counted linen fabric that is used in cross stitch but was PERFECT for this project as it was my first attempt at it this type of counted work and the even weave of the fabric made for the perfect stitch.

 

The purple hood was one I made for the boys with little ivy and leaves on the hem. it closed with a cloak clasp. The embroidery was done with DMC cotton thread, because...well...Kids!



 

 



 The napkin below was one of many (I did only one) that were created for Pennsic gift baskets. The napkin was provided to me and the instructions were to embroider a white heraldic rose onto its corner. I used silk embroidery thread by Splendor. The napkin was a linen with a crochet lace edging.

 

I look back at a lot of what I did and it really lets me see how far I've come. Lets me see what I've learned and how I would do things differently if I were to work on these projects now. 

 

My only regret is not having put that alms purse embroidery in my craft caddy that night. Ill have to get started on another one for myself one of these days.