Viking Concert Hoodie (yea you read that right)

A little while back, a request was made of me from my guy. He jokingly said he wanted the picture from his favorite album embroidered onto a tunic.  I said no. He laughed at me, stating he wanted a period concert t-shirt since he is a jeans and t-shirt kinda guy.  Nope, nope, nope. So, he begged a little more and said..what about on a hood? It will still sit in the same spot and i see images of things on hoods all the time!! *sigh* I relented, and below is the results. 

I had made him a hood of green wool, but went a long while unembellished.  So, I found the image of his favorite album, translated the words into runes from an online translator and after a few weeks of embroidering..ta-da! 

I used DMC cotton thread and the soluble embroidery backing for the design.  The words in the circle say "Strange cousins from the west" which is the album title. The name of the band is underneath: Clutch. It is done in satin stitch, split stitch and back stitch. I did herringbone stitch to hide the machine seams.

Now, yes I know this is no way even close or remotely period. He doesn't care...he just loves that I made him a viking concert hoodie, and he walked around wearing it for nearly an hour today (in our air conditioned house..I mean..it was 80+ outside). Now, onto the next project!! :D

Pelican Hood

A friend asked if I would make a light weight Pelican hood for the warmer weather (as he has a heavy double layer wool hood he was elevated in).  This hood I made is of a light weight linen and has "ermine" trim that I purchased at Calontir trim at Pennsic.

The hood was received so now I can post the images.

 

 

 

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.