Upcoming classes

I will be teaching at Pennsic XLI:

Late 16th Century English Polychrome Embroidery: This class will cover the historical context of late 16th century English polychrome embroidery. We will discuss materials, techniques, and meaning of this embellished, exquisite domestic art form. We will view many historical examples, including coifs, jackets and nightcaps. This class is a lecture/dicussion only.

I will also be teaching at EKU (East Kingdom University) on August 25th, in Bhakail:

Late 16th Century English Polychrome Embroidery: This class will cover the historical context of late 16th century English polychrome embroidery. We will discuss materials, techniques, and meaning of this embellished, exquisite domestic art form. We will view many historical examples, including coifs, jackets and nightcaps. This class is a lecture/dicussion only.

and

16th Century English Monochrome Embroidery: This class will cover the historical context of monochrome embroidery (colloquially called "blackwork") in 16th England. We will discuss materials, techniques, and design of this art form. This class is a lecture/discussion only.

I'm focusing on the historical context of both of these embroidery forms, in attempt to "train the eye" of my students. I find that there are a lot of videos that demonstrate techniques, and there are also a lot of classes that focus on the "how" instead of the "why" of embroidery. I really love the "why", and want to share that understanding. For instance, we often teach blackwork as a reversible, linear, counted form. But when we really examine the extant pieces, and the paintings, that sort of blackwork is a very small percentage, early in the century. The vast majority of monochrome embroidery, both extant and in portraits, is uncounted, often curvalinear, sometimes naturalistic, speckled, filled, representations of actual objects, such as plants, animals, and flowers. The reversible linear, counted blackwork is such a small part of monochrome embroidery, I'm really beginning to wonder why it is so often the focus of classes. But, I'm on my soapbox again. Please feel free to add any dissenting input in the comments. ;)

My class notes will be available on my wikispaces, as soon as I get them finalized.

Progress shot

I had to rip out quite a bit, since my stem stitch was being difficult. Too many "feet". So I texted Mistreess Cellcah, who suggested "smaller stitches, and try coming to the other side (i.e. work the stitch from left to right, instead of right to left, for example)." I did those things, and have had more success. I'm still a little concerned that parts are looking "hairy" but the thread (soie perlee) seems very tightly wound, more so than when I used soie perlee with my polychrome coif. So I'm not sure if it's a materials thing, or a user error. Probably a user error. ;) But it gets better as I go on, and the overall effect is very pleasing. I'm waiting until the sleeve is off the frame to do the lines along each floral band, so I can make sure they are embroidered straight, instead of torquing because of being stitched to a frame.

Woops!

So, I was looking at my freshly inked sleeved, and showed the design to my husband. I said, "I think there's too much white space in between the animals." And then I went back and looked at the original. And sure enough there are 5 animal motifs. On the TORSO. There are SEVEN on each arm. So, back into illustrator, and now to re-ink a new sleeve. The husband is seeing if oxyclean can get the ink off of the already hemmed and corded inked sleeve, but if not...new sleeve it is!

However, it could be much, much worse. I hadn't started any embroidery yet, and really, since I figured out doing it in Adobe Illustrator, it's much easier to revise and print my new design.

But I hate, hate, hate to waste things, especially fabric. I might be able to use the floral bands for the cuffs and collar, perhaps, and that might make me feel better. So we'll see.

Sleeve Design

When I transfer the design, I won't use the existing lines along the flowers- I'll transfer the center curvalinear design, and then do the lines with rulers, so they're all even. :)

The shirts and smocks that are my inspiration pieces are slightly late for me, being 1590s-1610s, instead of my preferred period of 1570s, but there is at least one painting of a woman in a fitted loose gown with embroidered smock sleeves underneath. However, that design is a geometric latticework, not a mix of isolated motifs and floral bands.