secret project

A dear friend was offered admittance into the order of the pelican.  So about a month before her elevation I suddenly got hit by some inspiration and started work on a secret elevation gift.

I dabble with drawn thread work and on occasion have done handkerchiefs as gifts.  This time I wanted to try something new and challenging so I played with some larger scale detailed cutwork.

All done by hand linen and silk thread

photos of the progress

Finally all the stitching was done! Now to move on to wash the piece and to stay cutting away the linen. ... deep breath

And now finished

second leaf

Second  leaf of the tambour embroidery is done and  9 rows left to go on my second knitted shawl, so I'm showing some progress!

first leaf done!

And still no arthritis flare!

new pocket new technique

Stayed working on the other half of my  heraldic pockets.  I'm also taking this chance to work on a new technique, tambour embroidery.  What I'm loving about it is that it's so much easier on my hands, having early onset arthritis has killed a lot of the time I would like to spend working on my projects.  But so far no flare up. I've looked into the historical background of this technique,  in  India and Mongolia there is a similar technique using a similar style hook.  The more I'm looking at some late period embroidery I have to wonder if this crossed into western Europe earlier then the  1700s, which is about the date this style of embroidery really came into fashion.

when is too hot to pack

So I've been packing and prepping for the move but with the  air conditioner dead in the middle of the day its too hot to do anything but sit on the couch and stew so I got started on the first project in my ambitious outfit.

Heraldic  pockets

For those just coming to the party these are my arms

So I came up with a plan of one black and one white pocket 

And  I got started with the embroidery using a combo of  chain and split stitch 

I'm pleased with my progress so far

ambitious project

I'm playing with undertaking a huge project.  A full italian outfit Sewn 90%  by hand. It's looking like I will have some time on my hands so I can under take this

The only Thing I will not be sewing by hand is the quilted petticoat mainly because it is highly experimental and really detailed in a medium I have never tried before.  As money is incredibly tight I well be using a faux silk I have in my stash,  the chemise and partlet will be out of silk from my stash the pockets from linen in my stash. There will be lots of embroidery and hand aplique.

This will be heraldicly inspired by my arms and  badge  including   elements such as pomegranates and ermine

My  arms 

My  badge 

The dress inspiration 

The plan