Oldie but a Goodie

12 years ago, I made this black work coif for myself when I was entertaining ideas of doing Elizabethan. I found out then that I love doing black work but not wearing the garb for that era.  Here is the coif I made for myself and have since gifted to a good friend who does wear that time period garb. It looks amazing on her.

The pattern was taken from the Jane Bostock sampler of 1598
The materials used were linen fabric, silk thread single strand and gold pallions. Also white satin ribbon for the ties.

There are things I have learned since then about black work that I would do differently such as I would now extend the blackwork just past the outline of the coif shape so that I have complete stitching to the hemlines. I know some of the work would get stitched inside and not seen but better than having the blank white linen showing. You see some at the top seam too but not as badly.  All the embroidery took me 7 months roughly and I think at that point, the end being in sight I was anxious to be done and put it together.  I was a little less patient 12 years ago, if you can imagine. :D

I am entertaining doing another one and possibly just using it for displays. I love doing black work embroidery so much. Perhaps ill make one and sell it or donate it to a travel auction for future royals.  Its addicting!
(thank you to my guy Ryan for being my hand model)

Hand bound and Embroidered Memory book

 

So, now that it has been presented to the recipient, I can post about it. This is m latest embroidered and hand bound book. It was a joint project with another SCA friend. It was originally her idea and I happily agreed to it. It is a memory book of the investiture for Dragonship Haven that happened in February.  The pages of the book are memorable pictures of the day that are printed onto nice paper, guilded and calliagraphed.  The pages were then sent to me and I bound the book with an embroidered cover.

 

Materials:

 

Silk Dupioni

Splendor Silk Embroidery Thread

Small piece of white linen (for backing)

book board

coats and clark sewing thread

glue

decorative end papers

 

 

I made this book in the same fashion as I made the book that my Pelican commissioned from me a couple years ago (link to that post w/detailed pictures: http://theembroideress.blogspot.com/2012/03/ernsts-book-part-3-assembly.html.

The cover is embroidered in silks. My inspiration for the cover came from this cover from England, 1596:

 

 

I didn't use all elements of the book cover because of a lack of funds for the bouillon and gold metal thread.   Since it was for the investiture day, I changed the coat of arms in the middle to be the arms of Dragonship Haven, as well as the initials to reflect the new Baron and Baroness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am very pleased with how it came out as was my co-conspirator and Baron Joseph and Baroness Bronwen.   I have an itch to embroider more, but next up is a tunic for a friend.

 

Stay tuned!

Now that it has been given...

This past weekend at Mudthaw here in the East Kingdom, a friend was elevated to the Order of the Pelican.  I was asked to create for him a hood for his regalia.  The woman organizing it sent me two yards of the fabric and I went to work.

Materials:
2 yards teal wool
5x5 square of white silk dupioni
tiny piece of brown silk dupioni
Black, red and gold Splendor Silk Embroidery floss
fusible webbing

I reused an image for a Pelican in Piety from the cloak I made for a friend this past summer. I love the image and was glad to use it again. I embroidered the white silk fabric with the image of the pelican and her babies. I appliqued on the brown next and did some embroidery on it to make it look like a bundle of sticks.

I trimmed the silk into a circle and appliqued it onto the hood i had sewn up earlier in the day.  I did a blanket stitch in gold silk around the  medallion. I lined the cloak and sewed up the face and hem.  I then put running stitches along the hems to hide the machine stitching.  Im very pleased with how it came out.

After finishing the blanket stitch

Cloak on display during his vigil

As he was walking down from court after being elevated.

These were the only pictures I have of the hood. I processed in for his elevation holding the hood and therefore couldn't take pictures myself, though a friend used my camera to do it. Besides...I had something in my eye and I couldn't see very well. It was a beautiful and moving ceremony.