"I'm Not Dead!"

It has been some time since I have written about my projects. Admittedly, I have been posting more on my SCA Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.guyton), but since not everyone is a facebook fan, I will update here. (Long post incoming with lots of pics) 

In no particular order...

ALL THE SOCKS!!! I am always knitting socks. Its my favorite thing to knit. Here are some images of the ones I have completed. I think there were some I didn't photograph.

I did knit several other pairs as Christmas gifts for family members, but those I did not photograph sadly. I should have.

Next... A friend was elevated to the Order of the Pelican back in November. I was asked to make her a Pelican themed Byzantine collar.  I used silk and linen fabric, silk embroidery threads and many, many fresh water pearls.

She was very happy with it and it looked wonderful on her.
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I made and donated a small blank journal with an embroidered cover to a silent auction. I was very pleased with how it turned out and fetched a good price from the buyer. I used silk ground fabric and threads to embroider. Gold palions were used as well for embellishment. The flower came from a period binding that is housed in the British Library.

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Two friends, who are the baron's for their local SCA group, asked if I would make them hoods with their arms and the barony's arms on them. These are constructed of wool and linen. The arms were embroidered in silk and hand stitched on. They are modeled by my two sons as I had to mail these off to the recipient.

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 The date is eluding me, it was earlier in summer that I was asked if I could embroider two napkins for a gift basket that was being given to a set of visiting royals. I embroidered with cotton threads for durability onto cotton napkins.

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I bottled another batch of limoncello. I always have a batch steeping away.  My last batch I made some orangcello. I was sad it did not have the brighter orange color that the peels were but it was tasty.  (hubby started sampling a bottle before I was able to take the pictures)

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Another friend was elevated to the Order of the Laurel. She requested that friends embroider a leaf to be appliqued onto her elevation cloak. The leaf i embroidered is below executed in silk threads onto a wool leaf provided by the recipient.

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Lastly, was a modern geeky cross stitch. I have been cross stitching since I was 7 years old. A friend had this pattern and let me copy it so I could make this myself. I love it. I am planning on framing it and hanging it in my "She Shelter" (the basement is my crafting area that hubby appropriately named).  Love me some Doctor Who!

I will make a concerted effort to update this blog more often. It didn't help I was injured by faulty equipment at my job in June that had me on disability for three months (and then they "eliminated my position" and am now job hunting).  Thank you to everyone that reads my blog and gives me encouragement and inspiration.

Ciao!

Scanning.....Scanning......Scanning...

So, while cleaning up my sewing/craft area in the basement, I came across my binder of documentation from projects that predate this blog and were saved on a computer that long ago died and was disposed of. So, I spent a good hour of my evening scanning them in and posting them on google docs.  Posting them here so I can save the links as well as share.

15th c Men's Goldwork hood:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1n-BAgbhgNNJ18rBY7_HZSaikBNfSf8sz

Appliqued Heraldic Banner
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1S225ntfHi4DU8o-ZEiO2n63mAFQ5YgD1

Blackwork Chalice Cover
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1CDKxvwkrtcyFZYxfqKY2ke2nhXDmr66C

Blackwork Coif
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1Q0ZyDoxMX8AXQEfmqOMmVkTs_t6QGO1h

German Brickwork Pouch
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1QaJucOp1O5WMa5mT_V7JmM0biWqkdy_9

Embroidered Men's 14th c Embroidered Hood
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1KqjdRUfzc19GTEcwdo4TYKlyecqob3zM

Gothic era Outfit
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1dWpT0ERh3HqhgaA9vEC7l8Zm-Hhg3U0M

Stumpwork Queen's Order of Courtesy Glove
https://drive.google.com/open?id=174vJklgTUjTeYfzx97g40pBrhxpDDg2I


I also taught a class on embroidered book bindings and I've uploaded the handout I made as well.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/12rWETEXnwpBBgkmhPR4aLm2lOBZGcW2d/view?usp=sharing

And I have now freed up one square foot of space in my basement. I'm sure that extra space won't last long. LOL!

Middle Kingdom Gifts

I created embroidered covers for two blank books that were to be gifted to the visiting royals of the Mid Realm on Saturday as they attended the Coronation of Ioannes and Honig.

My original plan was to hand bind the books as well, but as these are intended to be used over their coming reign (which means through Pennsic War) my hand bound book would not have withstood the rigors of that type of use. So I opted for a commercially made blank journal, which has the integrity to take months of constant use they will get.

The cover fabrics were dupioni silk and the ground fabric for the shield embroideries was white linen.  The threads used were Splendor Silk twisted embroidery threads.  While I embroidered the arms on white linen as a base, the spine embroideries were directly on the ground silk fabric.  Obviously, the shield embroidery is Middle Kingdom arms of the King and Queen. Though they were Prince and Princess when given yesterday, their Coronation is to happen in the next couple weeks so I opted to do the full Royal Arms for King and Queen.  On the spines, I took facets of their personal arms to decorate them. Her highness has dandelions and their leaves on hers while the Prince has three white stars, a tigers head and the Augmentation symbol of a golden sun.

I enjoyed making these covers very much and hope their Highness's will get much use from them.

Edit: Found a picture of the books being given out:

Curve Balls

Life, as it does, threw us a curve ball. Life, is definitely keeping me on my toes. A family illness has kept me away since late April and is going to temporarily keep me from most of the SCA events I would normally go to. I will try to get to one on occasion, as my husband (yes husband..oh yea, got married two weeks ago. Did I forget to say that??) insists that I need to get away for a few hours on my own on occasion to preserve my sanity.  I am hoping to go to an event in NJ this weekend and take photos.

So even though i wont be attending events,  I still plan on working on my embroidered books and studies. I am hoping to post more often with completed projects since I will have more free time on my hands.

Anyway...that's whats going on at the moment. More to come later!

My Hands are not Idle...

I am currently working on trim for a friends gown. I have about 15 inches left to go.  It is a Celtic design and I am using a yellow silk embroidery thread with a strand of gold blending filament in it so that it has a little bit of sparkle..just a hint.  Here is a picture of it.

When this is done I have black work cuffs and collar to finish for another friend.  These are the last two things on my "To Do For Others" list.  Then its just me and mine for projects for the remainder of the year. 

I made a promise to myself at the end of 2015 that I would make 2016 a year to concentrate on myself and my family in regards to creative endeavors.  I have a tunic for my fiance that is sewn together but not embellished. My children only have one tunic that fits them and nothing else.  That needs to be rectified. I also want to make some more viking clothing for myself. I am woefully lacking in garb and almost nothing is embellished.  I want to knit socks for myself and my fiance (who stated the other day that his feet don't sweat and then get cold in the handmade socks). 

Now, I hope to be strong enough to hold to this.  That isn't to say that if a good friend or family member is getting some type of award that needs regalia or just a fancy piece of garb that I wont step up and help..come on! But primarily I want to make things for us.  The old saying "The cobbler's children have no shoes" is so very fitting for me.  Mine also don't have pants or shirts! ;)

Well, thankfully its slow at work and I can embroider during those slow times. In two weeks the boss goes to Florida on vacation for 10 days and it will be a lovely quiet week of work and crafting combination. 

Oh and oh yes...we have bought a house and hope to close on it in the next couple weeks. That will mean making things for the new home as well as fixing it up. I will be busy.

But stay tuned...I will post all that I do. One thing I plan is an embroidered book for myself. Ive made at least half a dozen and given them all away.

Cheers!

EMBROIDERED BOOK PORN!!!

A short post because while parusing through Pinterest, I found this embroidered book and I am all about recreating it in the very near future...FOR ME!! HAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Book Porn - Very Safe for Work!

Enjoy!

Elevation Book Completed

So, after a trip to pick up end papers, I sat down last night and completed the construction of the elevation book.  For the most part I am very pleased with how it turned out.  I took extensive photos of its construction, a pictorial documentation. 

Pages being stitched together using linen thread.

Adding ribbons for binding and strength

How ribbons will lay once glued in place

Gluing the ribbons in place. I always smear the glue to spread it.

Boards Glued to the linen lining (helps protect the glue from showing on the silk)

Fold the corners in and stitch closed

Shows corner stitching completed

Book cover assembly done

Gluing in the stitched book pages. The book glue in the picture is what I used.

Showing the pages within the book

End paper chosen for the book

End papers cut to size and glued in

Finished book, front cover

Spine

Back cover

I put the book in the book press very lightly overnight to allow it to dry in the proper positioning. When I took it out this morning I was so very pleased with it.  Today I will be mailing it off to the recipient for their elevation on the 12th.  Sadly, I will be unable to attend this joyous occasion due to real life. Real life sucks sometimes, ya know?

Well, onto the next project!

Making the Elevation book

Last night I spent a couple hours cutting book board and parchment paper pages for the Laurel Elevation book. Tonight I will stitch the pages together and then assemble the book. I have to make a quick run to the craft store for some end papers (and I was really hoping to avoid going to a retail store during the month of December, oh well).

Here are a few pictures I took:

All the supplies laid out

Cutting the book board

Pages cut and folded and setting in the press for flattening

Press set. Will remove and stitch pages this evening

Things of note:
1. This book board was easier to cut with a hearty pair of scissors than the exacto blade method. I did cut it with the box cutter, but had to trim it more due to rough edges. I grabbed a pair of scissors and found they performed much better.  Pictures of the cover cut out later when i get to book assembly.

2. I am wishing i had a paper cutter for cutting the pages. Would have sped up the process of cutting the parchment.

3. I am grateful for my friend MJ who gave me the book press on long term loan as it is an immense help. Its actually a flower press but works great for this purpose as well.

Tonight...page stitching, book assembly...and, of course, more photographs!

Cheers!