Viking tunic..yes another one

 

I just completed this Viking tunic for a friend.  We talked about me making it months back and was FINALLY able to get measurements (by stealing a tunic he was wearing that day!) and able to get working on it. He chose the color linen and had it mailed to me directly. I washed and dried it prior to cutting it out and then used the "stolen" tunic as a pattern for it.  His request was to have Viking runes on the sleeve that when translated say "It begins in the beginning as all things do."  He provided the translation.  The hem and collar are a double herringbone stitch done in blue, white and green thread. The wolves heads are the symbols on his coat of arms and I copied them onto the tunic for further personalization.  I used cotton thread instead of silk thread because honestly, cotton is a bit tougher. I have found that men tend to be a bit tougher on their garb then women.  Also, The gold and green colors I was out of in my silk thread collection and funds being on the snug side, I chose for the lesser pricey threads that I had in my collection already. 

 

As with my other Viking type tunics, my inspiration for the embroidery comes mostly from the Mammen embroideries found on extant pieces.  Paired beasts were often used, though not in the fashion I used it on his tunic.  Below is a fragment of embroidery showing the paired beasts. I placed the wolves heads on either side of the neckline to personalize it more for the recipient, as they are on his coat of arms.

 

I'm so very happy with how it came out and his reaction when I sent him pictures was even better.  I'm still cracking up laughing over it! I promise to add a picture of him wearing it when I see him in it.

 

The materials I used were as follows: 

DMC Cotton thread

Coats and Clark sewing thread

Linen fabric

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit 06/18/15:

Two photos of the recipient wearing the tunic

 

Birthday Apron Dress

 

Another project off my to do list for others! My good friend's birthday was about two weeks ago and as a present, because I miss her so much, I promised her I'd make her an apron dress for her Viking garb.  I used red linen (the second picture shows the true red. The first picture has it really orange for some reason) and silk embroidery thread by Splendor.  I did running stitches in white silk to tack down the seams and did a split stitch over the seams itself for strength and beauty. 

 

It was mailed to her this morning so after she receives it, Ill get a picture of her wearing it.  I'm very pleased with it. I put my own jewelry on it so you can see how it will look once embellished with jewelry. 

 

 

 

(close up of split stitch and running stitch on seams)

(sorry for the mess on my table..was prepping for an event)

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!

Knighting Tunic

It was a busy couple of months. I was working on two projects simultaneously. The german brickwork pouch (previous entry) and this tunic for a friend who was being elevated to the Order of Chivalry.  At some point down the road I will get better pictures. 

The trim embroidered on the bottom of the tunic was a pattern taken from a Russian border I saw online.

 The neckline (which I don't have a picture of yet) Has an upside down heart shape with two diamonds: one within the heart and one outside of it.

The cuffs have Viking runes on them quoting great words of praise spoken by a Countess who he was champion for. The left sleeve (his sword arm as he is left handed) reads "The heart of a warrior".  The right sleeve reads "The soul of courtesy". 

Materials used in the making of the tunic:

Coats & Clark sewing thread
Splendor Twisted Silk Embroidery thread
Blue linen from fabrics-store.com

 

(photo taken by Christin Nosenchuk)

16th C German Brickwork Pouch

So, now that its been given away, I can post about this!! :)    It took me three months (and I blew my self imposed deadline) to embroider this german embroidered pouch.  It was an elevation gift for a friend being inducted into the order of the laurel.
(picture was taken on the dashboard of my van where I finished it en-route to Mudthaw).

The embroidery is done in brick stitch. The cording on the edges is lucet cording as well as the strings. Tassels are silk as well.

Materials include:

Splendor Silk Thread in black, white and red (her arms colors)
cotton canvas base fabric
Silk dupioni fabric for lining

ALL THE SOCKS!!!

So I have made many more pairs of socks since the ones I've last posted that were for my son. :D
WARNING: Sock Picture Overload Occuring!!!!

I think I'm addicted to knitting socks. Next knitting project will be learning to do mittens/gloves!

Laurel Cloak

It has now been presented so I can freely post about it.  This weekend a friend was elevated to the Order of the Laurel. I was contacted to create the cloak for her.  I was given a design to create and the base fabric of the cloak.

Materials were:

Wool blend green fabric
Antique satin in gold
gold silk embroidery twisted thread
green Coats & Clark sewing thread.
fusible webbing

The design was given to me as it was appropriate for her persona so I went along with it. I adhered the leaves with the webbing for a more secure hold and then did a blanket stitch along each leaf for both durability and texture. I lined the cloak with the same fabric to hide all the stitching.

I felt it needed a bit more so I added the running stitching along the hem line. It made it pop that much better in my opinion.