Published June 30, 2009
in General.
During our last session, Norma Bucko had the distinction to finish up a bunch of the small pieces. Norma had been playing clean up crew on the wings and gussets and finished both frames. We had to take the collar/cuffs and one set of gussets off their frames in order to reframe the last set of gussets. I will set up a bunch of posts on how we frame up.
In order to finish the wings, Norma had to put the detached pieces for the butterflies on. It was so funny to pull out all the linen pieces to find the detached wings and we noted that Norma had worked a large number of the butterfly wings at one session. In fact, she worked so many of them that she signed the linen – a kind of jacket ‘graffiti’. NORMA WAS HERE. We had a great laugh over this!
Congratulations Norma – we are so glad you were here to finish up frames!
Tricia
Published June 28, 2009
in General.
Wendy made a really fantastic three-dimensional daffodil using gilt sylke twist and brought it to show at the May 7-9th session. The stiffness of the thread holds the petals up.
These are show and tell items from the May 7-9th session. Carli has this Mary Poppins’ bag that we joke about now. You HAVE to ask her to see what is inside and then she brings out the equivalent of a hat rack in embroidery! During the last session, we had shown her a mind blowing casket that exists in Queen Elizabeth’s Royal Collection. It has three dimensional standing sheep, needlelace trees and a needlelace covered ‘doll’ on top. We knew that she would be inspired and would come back with something special. Here is her felted lamb (see the one picture that is unfinished) covered in detached buttonhole from gilt sylke twist. AMAZING.
Catherine brought a wonderful fish purse and tatted lace. We always love seeing the amazing things everyone creates!
Tricia
Published June 24, 2009
in General.
Carli enjoyed the Bard Exhibit so much that she said she went there many times and sat on the floor in front of cases trying to figure things out. One of those things was the pricking for the lace that edges the jacket which was on display. I am not sure if she realized that we had been discussing the use of this particular lace with Melinda for our coif and forehead cloth. We still have to finish those discussions – but that is still our plan.
So Carli walks into the early May session and pulls this out of her Mary Poppins’ bag of endless delights! The MET lace done in not only gold, but both silver and gold too. She wasn’t quite happy with it. We opened up photos of the lace that I had taken and used our reproduction spangles as a scale bar to see what was wrong. The piece in the photo from the MET has real spangles hanging on it, so we could use them as scale bars.
The main issue is to reduce the size of the picots. Now to finish up talks with the MET and have Carolyn look at it. We might be farther along on the coif lace than I had originally been thinking! PHEW. Thank you Carli!
Tricia
Published June 22, 2009
in General.
Thank you to SOME (Southern Maine EGA) for having me up north to lecture on the jacket project. While I was there many of the chapter members were nice enough to add a bunch of spangles onto the jacket for me. I tell you – if you get within a foot of this project you are drafted!
One member said she was too scared to touch it. That is when I told her that we had a bunch of 11 year old girls work on it already. “Oh Pish!” she said and grabbed a frame. That was all she needed to dive in!
Tricia
Published June 21, 2009
in General.
I wanted to show you the difference in look between faux (really good faux) and real metal thread. Here you see #371 gold wyre (faux membrane thread) against the gilt #4 smooth passing on silk (right hand side). The other photo shows the contrast between #380 silver wyre against the silver #4 smooth passing on silk (right hand side). There is a distinct difference. I would say the that real metal is ’softer’ in its sheen. Almost like the difference between rayon thread and silk thread.
Now I use tons of #371 and #380 in my teaching projects. That is because it works well, gives a fantastic effect and is very cost effective. Why use the real goods when you are learning the mechanics of a stitch. But once you have learned it – switch over to the real goods for your next piece. The effect is that much better.
Tricia
Published June 19, 2009
in General.
The working direction of the plaited braid can be read from the ‘V’ that forms in the center. The ‘V’ point to the beginning point of the line. This became important to us because we could see how the professionals chose to stitch each coil. They chose the easiest way to start. So we did the same!
Published June 18, 2009
in General.
While we were working the plaited braid from Leon’s and Linda’s instructions we stumbled upon a small mistake that hadn’t been noticed before. On the last step of the repeat sequence, sometime the instructions would show the needle and thread above the loop and sometimes the loop would be above. At first, the plaited braid that results looks the same. But when we were working coil after coil, we noted that some seemed ‘rougher’ along the edge than others. Strainge as these coils were worked by the same person who was very skilled. She and I stared at the results and the instructions and finally saw it and then tested.
If the loop is above the pulled thread, it is hard to control and you have to move it round a bit here and there. This gives the edge a rough appearance. Also the leg on the right side is longer as shown in the picture.
If the loop is below the pulled thread, the stitch moves alot faster as the loop stays where you want it. The legs are also the same size on either size. These two things make the stitch edge nice and smooth. Looking at pictures of historic pieces, the legs on either side are equal in length. Therefore, we decided to go forward with the loop under method. That is why we just revisited the instructions in photos.
Published June 17, 2009
in General.
Step 16-19 shows the gradual tapering by changing the height and width of each stitch. The width needs to change to allow enough space to get your needle into the spaces. To end line of plaited braid, you go into the linen over the loop at the end of the third step of the repeat sequence.
Published June 16, 2009
in General.
Step 15 shows the beginning of a taper. Gradually move the width of the stitch out to taper it.
Tapering
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