"I've Got a New Attitude!!!!" (you know you're hearing the song in your head now)

Did you ever have some bad news in your life and it just hits you hard? How about multiple accounts of bad news fairly close together?   Yea, that was me the last couple weeks.  It hit me hard and took the wind out of my sails. I was more than sad for a few weeks. It doesn't matter what the news was (no one died, no one is sick so don't worry there) but what matters is it mattered to me. It brought me to a point where I thought I might quit one of my most favorite hobbies of playing in the SCA.  That's when it occurred to me that somewhere along the line and over the last few years, I'd lost the fun playing in the SCA.  I was always worrying about working on my peerage track and about how accurate my clothing was, how I acted, what I did and said with my teachers that I forgot to do the most important thing - to have fun. I was over committing myself with projects that I never had time to make anything for myself or my family, including new garb for myself because I have lost some weight and my old garb is a bit loose.

I know, I can hear friends reading this saying "No shit, we have been telling you this for a while!", but it doesn't matter how many times friends say it if it doesn't truly sink in. My sadness was bad enough that I sat at my local shire's dancing event and NEVER EVEN DANCED ONCE!! What the f***!!  It was after that event and talking with one or two friends about how I was feeling that it finally caused it to sink in.  I want the fun back. I want the laughs back. I want the joy and inspiration that I use to be overflowing with back...the excitement to buy all the supplies to start a new projects back... So I have decided that I am going to get them back.  I don't know why it took this long for the realization to sink in but it did and it feels like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I feel lighter for it.  I have plans for garb with mad amounts of embroidery on them like an apron dress with grapes and ivy encircling the hemline.  A Viking coat for myself with firebirds on it! Embroidered under dresses....accuracy be damned!! Take all the pictures and not feel obligated to do things...but do them because I want to. I'm going to try new things in the SCA too like bardic arts and I have an interest in fencing. Heralding was fun the one or two times I tried it and I didn't barf from nerves so, why not! Maybe even get back into scribal arts (now that Kyle is old enough not to "help").  I probably sound like a raving idiot but  I finally feel like the cup is full again and I want to drink it all up!  

Maybe this doesn't make any sense to you, but trust me..this is all good and I feel fabulous now! I plan to be more focused on my own needs and wants..to put myself first instead of putting everyone else first as I have done for so many years.  That isn't to say I wont do things for others but the balance will sway a bit more towards myself than away from now on. I feel enlightened and good and determined to focus on fun from now on. This is a statement I had to say more for myself than for you but figured if you'd seen me lately and how I have been, you'd now have a sort of explanation. I apologize for how I have been of late. I promise you wont see me that way any more. 

Anyway, we now return you to our regularly scheduled crafting blog...soon to be listing lots of fun stuff!

Embroidered Tunic

A friend contacted me and asked if I could embroider a tunic for him. I assumed he wanted me to construct one and embroider it but he sent me a blue linen tunic via SCA courier.  I thought adding black embroidered linen to the blue tunic would be more dressy.  Also, in period, embroidery was done on separate pieces of linen then appliqued onto the garment so that when the garment deteriorated beyond wearing, they could remove the embroidery and attach it to a new garment. Materials used were black linen fabric and Splendor silk embroidery thread.  Stitches used were double herringbone stitch and split stitch. 

The knotwork embroidery was executed in split stitch.

Adding herringbone stitch to hide the mundane machine stitches used to attach the piece.

Completed embroidery for sleeves and hem of the tunic. 

Knotwork dogs on center of neckline.

Completed tunic. 

I am very pleased with how it came out.

A Pennsic We Will Go...at least my projects do!

It was a busy few weeks leading up to Pennsic.  I was making items to be delivered to people there. I had a request for four Queen's Order of Courtesy roses for gloves by his Majesty.  I embroidered them using stranded silk on linen fabric. They are pictured below:

Her highness requested a stouter surcoat for herself to wear while she did combat archery in the battles.  I created one based off the shape of one of the Prince surcoat that is in the regalia.  It is constructed of linen with appliqued roses and the crown on both front and back. I used a modern iron on adhesive to adhere it to the linen and then used a blanket stitch on the edges to embellish it and aid in fraying prevention

Here are a couple pictures of her Highness Matilde wearing it into battle.

Another project that went to war as a surprise for their Highness's of the East were two pilgrim bags for their retainers to carry their daily necessary items in.  They are constructed of navy blue wool and embroidered with a variation of their arms on the flaps. 

I also sent two linen viking hoods with embroidered edges to a friend, but I neglected to get pictures of them before they were packed. At 1am, my mind wasn't function on all cylinders, LOL. 

While I am sad I was unable to attend war this year due to real life issues I was glad to have sent a little things to different people and make them happy.

I think Ill work on a couple of modern cross stitches for a relative and maybe knit a pair of socks or two...for now.

Tunics for Everyone!!

In a previous post, I'd stated how a friend commissioned me to make two tunics for him. One for wearing during battle and one to wear that was fancier. After a little bit of time (and RL interference) I was able to complete it. It is made of linen with cotton thread for embellishment.  He said his second favorite animal is the raven so I added that in on the design. I embellished edges with double herringbone stitch and then running stitches alongside those.

Front of tunic showing sleeves and the boars

Close up of one of the boars

Knotwork raven on center back (sorry couldn't figure out how to turn the pic)

Sleeve

Detail of embroidery on underarm gusset

embroidery detail of the hemline

 

 

 

ravens on upper arms of the sleeves

He said it was "amazeballs" when he saw it. I'll take that!

Next up.....ANOTHER PELICAN!!!!

Pelicans....again!!

I was asked to do some knitting and embroidery by a friend for a mutual friend. How could I say no??!! It's two of my favorite things to do!  But...there is a twist! :D My friend Mary Jo asked me to knit socks for our friend Patricia. One pair in her favorite colors, purple and green and one pair in the colors of the Order of the Pelican: red and ermine.  I asked my dyer to dye me up some pelican colored yarn and then I got to work.  Here are pictures of the socks..pretty self explanatory. They are superwash merino and nylon.

Afterwards, I started on the medallion embroidery she wanted me to do.  I used silk embroidery threads on white linen base.  She wanted it small, so I made it small. I am fairly certain this is the smalled Pelican I have ever made in any medium.

Since her favorite colors are purple and green, I incorporated them into the medallion. It was turned into a pin by Mary Jo and given to her this past weekend, along with the socks, when Patricia was elevated. 

The twist to this is, Mary Jo didn't know she was being elevated to the Order of the Pelican as well. So I made her a pair of the red/ermine colored socks as well. It was a tearful wonderfully happy time and I am glad to see two friends honored and could...wait for it.... SOCK IT TO EM!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!  I slay myself!

Well, onto the next project!!!

Pelican Cloak Commission

 A few months back, a friend approached me with a commission project to embroider a pelican in piety badge for her peerage cloak.  The needle felted pelican on her cloak had started to deteriorate with age and she asked if I could make one to cover over it.  I agreed.

Materials:
Red Linen Fabric
DMC Cotton Threads
Edging tape

I am very happy with how this turned out. She asked for the badge to be more personalized by adding the SCA Chiurgeon's badge as that is what she received her peerage for.   The image my inspiration came from was this:

I tried my best to create the feeling of how feathers would appear within the stitching and I am pleased with how it looks.
She received the cloak on Friday evening and is very happy with it.

Tiny Embroidery!

Recent project finished was six small embroidered designs for TRH of the East garb. They are embroidered in cotton thread on linen for durability.  The designs are images from their personal coat of arms and the blue tiger of the East.

Once they have been appliqued to the garb, I will get photos of TRH wearing them.

Commissioned Tunic

This tunic is one of two that I was commissioned to make for a friend. This one will be for fighting in.  It is black linen with herringbone embroidery on the collar, cuffs and hem.  The seams have split stitch on them to hide the machine stitching (I'm not crazy!) and on the sleeves is the boar from his device.  I am very pleased with how this turned out.

The next tunic is blue and is a court or non fighting tunic. As the embroidery progresses I will post pictures of that.

Three! Three Projects Done! AH! AH! AH!

I love to art, but today shall be about recuperation. Achy wrists, sore fingers joints and tender finger pads are the reason. I came about these pains doing what I love and I will do it all again too.Yesterday, by end of day I had completed three projects off my list: two embroidered, one knit.

A few weeks ago I was asked to embellish two white fighting tunics for the Prince and Princess of the Mists, Antonii and Helga (http://mists.westkingdom.org/). The tunic was provided for me. I appliqued the Principality of the Mists arms on the center of the chest and then did seam embellishments.

Double herringbone stitch in green and blue with white accent

Shot of tunic from above

Hem seam treatments

whole tunic (thank you hubby)

Close up of the appliqued & embroidered arms

I am very pleased with how they came out. Id like to have put the roses on the Princess's arms but time constraints didn't allow it. It is my hope they will be added, perhaps via fabric paint, later. I handed them off at 7:45 to a friend who was delivering them for me yesterday.  *WHEW*

Edit: Two pictures of the Prince and Princess wearing the tunics (Photo by Samantha Raven):

On Facebook, I am part of several knitting themed pages. Some sell gloriously dyed indie yarns (someday I must learn how to do this for myself) as well as link patterns and ideas and offer help.  One page decided to do a Secret Santa type gift exchange.  The recipient I was assigned liked the color yellow so I found a cowl pattern I liked and made that up for her. (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/afrato).  Here is a picture of it knitted up and my friend modeling it for me.

The fiber is a merino wool and nylon. It was actually sock yarn but I adored the feel and weight so I bought it for this project. I am mailing it to the recipient tomorrow. I really hope she likes it.

Last night as well, I cast on some lovely green hand spun sparkly yarn a friend made me and I am making a dragon wing cowl with it. I think it is perfect for this project. (http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/dragon-wing-cowl). Ill post pictures when its complete.

Well, time to make coffee and start the day. Today will entail more knitting, Thanksgiving menu shopping and watching some movies. Oh, and Ibuprofen...lots of ibuprofen.  Ciao!