Acorn Ornament

Woot, just finished the pattern part of the ornament, now just to sew it into a pouch so I can fill with yummy scents to hang on a tree.......

Acorn Christmas Ornament

I officially started working on Christmas Ornaments a week or so ago and finalized a pattern.  The original pattern was from a book called "A New Modelbook for Spanish Stitch" by Kathleen Epstein and is the part in ink in the photo.  I then had to modify it make it more square so that I can stuff some smelly stuff in it after the whole pouch is completed.  The whole idea is to be able to put Cinnamon sticks or something in it and hang it on the Christmas tree or on a mantle.  As of right now it has taken me a week (been working on the table linens as well) to get the pattern finalized and almost all the black thread on the linen background.  All I have left to do is do the gold thread and the outer black band, then assemble the pouch/ornament.

Working Again

I was slacking for a while but have started to work on the first band again.  So far I have connected the first unicorn to the next set, so overall I have about 30% of the first band done.  I have timed completing one unicorn and it takes about 4 hours of casual stitching (complete with interuptions from my husband and child and Olympics).  I will admit that I had been delaying doing the second set of unicorns due to me not being sure where to put the next grouping and how to decide it.  However, now that I am over that hump, I can proceed again.  I will have one more large band to do like this one, then I will have two medium bands to complete the tablecloth trim.  After that I have four napkins to do with one set of unicorns/cross per side but that will not take as much to do I think, they will go quicker so I will feel more accomplished quickly.  I also think the quarters of the cross are missing an element of filling of some sort, so I will try to find some filling that will work for them.  I will post that idea as soon as I get it figured out for sure.  Look for more pictures coming soon of the progress........

The Official Beginning of the Unicorn Table Linens and Gulf Wars results

So it is official, I started work on the first band of the tablecloth today.  I didn't spend a bunch of time working on it, but I did finish one unicorn and one cross.  It really gives me a much better idea of how it will look.  I am still not a huge fan of this specific type of unicorn, I prefer the one with the lion-like mane, but once again this is not for me but is a gift for someone else whose coat of arms has that specific type of unicorn on it.

As to other notes, I learned about using a salt bath to make the dye on the thread stay and actually used it on this thread.  I also went back and gave the lion napkins a salt bath and set them out to air dry.  It was a bit trying on my nerves as I didn't know if the thread would shrink or not and so all that work I had done was potentially wasted.  The good news is that there is no dye that ran onto the linen and stuck and the thread didn't seem to shrink.  Yay for being able to use the Lion Napkins and launder them....

As to the scores for Gulf Wars, I received a 22.5 and 24, with the max score of 25.  Here is a album that someone posted of the entries at Gulf Wars, both champions competition and open competition.  One person stated that they thought I was the person there that received the highest scores total.  Any which way you look at it, it is pretty darn good for my first project, lol.....

Unicorn Table Linens

Okay I am starting an even larger project then my last one.  I finally graphed out my design and concept.  The unicorn and cross are of my own graphing, the background border is from The New Carolingian Modelbook.  These are going to be combined to make a gift for someone, and is a combination of two coats of arms.  *Crossing fingers* hopefully this won't make it back to the people I am making them for, lol.  I am not sure what stitch to fill in the large cross with, but everything else is double-running stitch.  Now I will be measuring my fabric width and pulling a thread to make sure I have it straight.  then it will be time to cut the linen and run a line of thread down the edges so they don't fray as much (the thought kinda scares me).  I don't have a serger, but am going to use another stitch on my sewing machine that I think will work.  I guess we will find out as we go.  I guess, first I need to set the dye on my thread (didn't do that on the last batch, but I have heard how to do it post completion), then I can get to work on it.  Now I am kinda getting excited, lol.......

And they're off........

Well, last night I passed off my napkin/display/documentation to the friend who is taking it up to Gulf Wars.  I had a momentary nervous moment when handing them off, but it is more the unknown as my entry may not be in the point battle.  Worse comes to worse, my friend will enter it into the static competition the following day and I will still end up with a bag of largess (loot).  I am attaching a picture of the display as it was during the Kingdom A&S, and the set-up will still be the same.  I finished the second napkin on Monday evening, all I did Tuesday was iron everything and pass it off.
At this point it is on to the next project officially, a set of four napkins and a matching tablecloth from this template.  I am not worried as much about making it as perfectly historically accurate as I am not planning on competing with them.  I learned alot about blackwork just on this last set of napkins, so I imagine that it will get easier until I add additional elements to the designs other then just Holbein stitch.  The fun part is I will be trying to to work two different projects at once, not sure what the second one will be though, as the tablecloth and napkins will be a custom gift.  I know I need to make a collar and cuffs for a chemise, but not sure what designs to use.  Yay for tough decisions.

Busy Busy Busy

Sorry about the delay in getting a new post up, I have been horrendously busy.  I finally got my documentation paper updated/finished for Gulf Wars today.  Since my last post I have completed one side of filling (leaving one to go), 24 continuing education credits (for mundane life/work), and increased my documentation paper from 6 pages to 10.  I added a list of images used and sited them in a separate part of the bibliography which used up a page and a half, but the rest is all added information and the images themselves.  At this point I have until Wednesday before I need to have the stuff to the lady bringing my project to the event.  All I really need to do between now and then is complete the filling on one side, which should not be a problem, and print out my new paper and place them in binders.  As an optional thing, I will hem up a 2 yard piece of black linen to use as my base for my project.  I figured that since the napkins are linen, a tablecloth of the same fabric would be good to have.  Either way I will post again later after I get more done.......

Kingdom A & S results

So, my napkins were a hit.  I came away from the competition with a bag of loot (to use a fun phrase), a pilgrims badge, and an alternate invitation to compete in Gulf Wars, not too bad for my second competition.  I will have the opportunity to represent our Kingdom if one or two other people are not able to send their projects to Mississippi this year.  The pilgrims badge is my first SCA related reward I have ever gotten that comes with bragging rites, as you have to score a 40+ out of 50 available points to get the badge in the arts and sciences competition.  The biggest thing that was suggested was to find an example of blackwork being used on a napkin during period.  That comment gave me a "no duh" moment and that was followed by "why didn't I think about that before now".  I found a couple items that were similar, one being a towel (red spanishwork) and one being a table cloth (doesn't say blackwork, but looks like it), but no napkins even though I have more searching to do.  I also have found reference to other spanishwork napkins and other embroidered napkins, but am having a doozy of a time finding images as most napkins in the museums are Damascus linen with the weave making the pattern, most aren't embroidered at all.  Now the question remains, is this due to not many examples of blackwork surviving due the the dying process for the silk or is it due to the laundering process, or was blackwork never put on napkins (I believe it is the prior reasons though).  I really do believe that it was used on napkins in the upper class households, just that there were none/very few that actually survived.  I think I need to get Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlock'd again to look at the list of items she had and see if any are mentioned there. 

surprises and panic attacks

So, yesterday I was at work at my phone rings, it was my friend that has been helping getting me ready for the competition.  She asked me how I was doing and what all was happening as the ride for my project was leaving at noon today (Friday).  I responded by asking "Why is she leaving a week early?"  Evidently I have lost a week in the time/space continuum as the competition starts tomorrow.  So, I then entered panic mode as I had been planning on getting the last napkin finished this weekend and getting the extra supplies I needed at the office supply store as well.  After work I then proceeded to run around like crazy, going to the office supply store for copies, binders, page protectors, and foam board.  Then I went to the craft store to get pins and grabbed a couple bunches of fake grapes for aesthetic value.  After all that (it was close to 7 pm at that point) I ran to my friends house and we proceeded to put everything together and to do a mock set-up so that the projects ride would know how to assemble it.  By the time that we printed out pictures for set-up guidance, the project dropped off to the appropriate person, and I finally got home, it was after midnight.  Needless to say I am very tired today and probably look like I have a hangover (blood-shot eyes included).  Hopefully my project will still do well as I didn't get half the interior border design done on one of the napkins but such is life.....  The good part is I left a partial diamond done so that the judges can see what it looks like when in the process before I go back to fill in the alternating stitches. 
On another happier note, I finally received my book I have been waiting for.  The first person never sent it to me (still waiting for my refund), and so I got lucky and found it on ebay for a bit more.  The condition of the book is perfect though and I am very pleased with that transaction.  So when I get my napkins back I am going to turn around and finish that border and start on the next set.  I am very much looking forward to it at this point as I have a game plan, even though I don't know exactly what I am going to use yet for designs.  I have a general idea, but the specifics aren't set in stone yet.  The best part is now I have that book to pour over as well as Kathryn Goodwyn has put up a bunch of modelbooks on her website with a ton of patterns charted there.  I now have a virtual and paper playground to run around in like crazy where the only limiting factor is my own mind.  Yay!!!!

Upcoming Competition

Okay, I am kicking myself with help out of my current funk, one of my friends is helping to push me to get going again and get into the Kingdom A & S that is upcoming in less then two weeks.  I have about 10 hours left of stitching on the last napkin and I should be done.  She has found a "ride" for my project as when I had put out for one I didn't get much of a response, and so I entered the napkins in the competition.  I will admit to some anxiety regarding it, but I think I am still a bit in the funk as I don't have as much as I think I should.  I guess I still have almost two weeks for it to grow though.  We are going to go over my documentation tonight to get it polished up so that it will be good enough to be at Kingdom level, thank goodness for people who help get you moving sometimes, lol.

Stitching Slow

Okay, so I haven't really done anything major in a bit, I have just gotten one side of the last napkin filled with the diamond design.  I only have three sides to go which will not take long.  However, I am not as eager to finish as I should be, which I think accounts for why I am not in a rush to finish.  My book that I ordered at the end of last month has not arrived yet, which is kinda depressing, and I wanted to look at that for a potential border design on my next set of napkins.  Also, work is kicking my hind end and I have not felt very enthused about too much right now.  Maybe it is just winter blues or something.  I don't think I am going to be able to enter the Kingdom event either as I can't get my project to it.  I tried to find someone in the local barony to take it, however, no one volunteered to take it even though I know a couple people are going.  Also, I can't afford to take the three days between travel and the competition as it is about an eight hour drive.  Oh well, such is life, maybe next time. 

Hemming done

Well it is official, one napkin is completely done.  The other just needs the filling done and that may take a couple weeks at least, depending upon how bad it is at work.  Here are the napkins side by side right now, the other picture is of the backs.  I took more time on the whip-stitch for the hemming then I did last time.  I had a comment from someone that the whip-stitch was kinda messy on my first napkin and so I took a good look at it and decided they were completely correct.  As a result, the whip-stitch is smaller and a bit closer together and more along the same thread line, not as varied.  I can definately tell that I had more practice and took more time on the second napkin.  I can also say there are less mistakes on the second napkin, I had four or so small mistakes on the first that no one has seen but I am wondering if some of them will become more evident when I do the filling on the first one.  Oh well, such is life, if these are done in time for the Kingdom A&S I won't be trying to win so much.  More then anything I am just going to try to be getting my name out there, lol considering that I don't even have my AOA yet, lol.......