The chains that bind

Working on my sampler has taken me out of my embroidery comfort zone, I think I've mentioned how I've never used satin stitch before. 

After a childhood of avoiding needlework like the plague; I even got my mum to do my textiles homework for me; it was a surprise that I spent my college years being hooked on cross stitch. Unfortunately I burnt myself out by doing a large 'Forever Friends' design for a flatmate's wedding. I didn't embroider for years after that, the stress of finishing it the night before the wedding was just too much.

I dabbled with a bit of embroidery to decorate my reenactment costumes, but there wasn't much evidence that this was historically accurate so I was limited to the stitches that had been found on textile fragments and I had to keep it very simple. It was the gorgeous Indian textiles used by Tribal dancers which really got me hooked and my stitch of choice is the chain stitch. 

I love this versatile stitch and the beautiful effects it creates as shown by the picture below.

Of course other stitches are used in this example but it is the sinuous linking chain that holds it all together.

When I decided to decorate a waistcoat for my Four Hundred Roses costume I knew I wanted to use the logo designed by the talented Bev Spracklen. Other troupe members had appliqued motifs onto their costumes but I wanted to embroider mine. The stitch I chose was chain and I'm really pleased with the result.

Re-use and recycle

I've added some pictures to the Inspirations page of a dress I bought at the Jewel of Yorkshire Festival. It is a great example of how textiles can be recycled.

Some elements of the dress are modern while others have probably been used many times.

 It reminds me of how clothes in the past were made to simple shapes with detachable decorative elements which were treasured. Now clothes are so disposable and you pay more for a designer label than for the actual workmanship involved in production.

Getting There

I still haven't worked out that stitch though......

Here is my practice piece so far. I've mainly used satin stitch.

Some research suggests the stitch I want is called Picot stitch so my next task is to have a go at that. Off to Jewel of Yorkshire Festival this weekend so it might have to wait until I get back.

Tuesday Inspirations

To keep me focused I've decided to post a new picture to my Inspirations page every Tuesday.

This week I was going through some pictures from my recent stay in Cornwall and found a picture I'd taken of Kelley's floor runner. I think she said it had come from Uzbekistan. The picture below is another example I found online.

Another gorgeous example of a Shyrdak

It is made of carded roving which is laid out in geometric patterns between two pieces of canvas. This is then felted by kicking the canvas roll up and down or dragging it behind a horse. The design is then embroidered for extra strength. This type of carpet is known as a Shyrdak and is made by the nomadic tribes of Central Asia who live in white felt yurts.

 The Shyrdaks are used as wall and floor coverings to further insulate the yurt from the harsh Steppe Winters.

I'd love to make a small scale piece like this. Hmmm anyone got a horse?

Stitch Confusion

I've just started working on a sampler to practice my satin stitch so it matches the one on my door hanging. Unfortunately the stitches used don't seem to be straight satin stitch.

If you compare the two the door hanging seems to have a herring bone effect down the centre where straight satin stitch doesn't, even when done on the diagonal. I've tried putting a long stitch down the centre and weaving into it but that just adds bulk

Does anyone know how this effect is created?

Can you see that each block of colour seems to be worked in towards the centre line. However on the back of the fabric there are no stitches in the centre.

My attempt to recreate the stitch. The white area was done with a long stitch down the centre to create a ridge but it doesn't have the same effect.

There's always more to it than you first thought

When I first saw my door hanging I thought I just needed to add a border and maybe do a bit of embroidery. Now I've had a good look there are lots of little bits which need doing. (See my latest post on my Restoration Project page for more details).

I got a sense of deja vu in a different context this week when I decided to tidy my craft room. I began by sorting the boxes of textile stash but then needed to move some books so I could fit them on a shelf. But then where could my books go? I ended up by having piles of books in about three different rooms and the question of whether I needed to buy more bookcases.

Then it entered my head that the dining room would make a good library (I never use it to eat in) but the decor was looking a little tired.........

So a simple plan to tidy has now mushroomed into decorating and refurnishing half the house!!

Maybe I should have left things as they were.