On Funks and Funk-Killers
I've been in something of a funk lately when it comes to costuming, the SCA, etc. Maybe it's because there haven't been many events (well, I *did* skip out on Twelfth Night, but trying to work out transit/finances for it was...yeesh) or maybe it's because I've been focused on other things.
I submitted a device ages and ages ago, with the help of the lovely ffride wlfsdotter, book herald extraordinaire. Recently (for some values of 'recent') it was approved (Merry Christmas to me!). So, what does that mean? Embroidery time! I have to put my device on everything. That's how it works, right?
Maybe not. In any case...
Sometimes, I hate myself. What in the seven hells was I thinking, putting the Star of Ansteorra on there? Did I have any idea how hard it is to draft "a mullet of five greater and five lesser points"? No. Do I know now? YES. Painfully so. Luckily, there's the Traceable Heraldic Art page that has it in about fifteen or twenty different sizes all on one convenient sheet. Bless them.
I've done a bit of research on fill stitches during the twelfth century, mostly because I'm sick of split stitch. Unfortunately for me, split stitch is the primary stitch used for filling large areas during this period. Klosterstitch comes in a bit later, but not so late that I can't say "well mmmmaaaaayyyybeeee" by way of justification. In any case, I decided to test it out on my little random-sampler-thing in the Jacobean doodly-thingummywhatsit from Needle'n'Thread.
As medieval embroiderers outlined, then filled, that's what I did when testing it out, but I'm not particularly fond of the way it looks, and so on my embroidered device I'm doing the opposite: fill then outline.
Also, what happened to all my black silk thread? It's all gone poof, I swear. I had all the heraldic colors, black included, and now I have all the heraldic colors except black. I'm a bit put out about this, as it's making stitching my device somewhat difficult. I have the Right Colors in my stash, in cotton, wool, and silk threads, but I don't have all of the Right Colors in one thread type. Cotton comes the closest, but the blue isn't quite right and the white is more of a barely-green grey. I'd rather be doing this in silk, but....
SIGH. I'll just have to live with it not being in-your-face bright blue, but it should wear a bit longer, on the plus side? I'm just screwed if I run out of blue thread, because I'm definitely not going to be able to source the same dyelot.
If the crossed needles look a bit wonky to you, yeah, I agree. I'm not really able to erase and redo them without compromising the fabric, so I'm thinking it'll be done on top of the klosterstitch background? Either that or I need to do them first. I think I'm going to couch an unsplit strand of embroidery thread as the threaded embellishment.
Klosterstitch is a lovely way to do a satin-stitch-esque thing over large areas. It doesn't work nearly so well over smaller areas (as you could see above) but it's absolutely perfect for filling in a large background. Bayeux stitch was another option I considered, but ultimately decided against, as it seems to have been primarily used for wall hangings. As this device will be going on my belt as a favor (not strictly period, but very SCA) that falls into the 'worn items' category to me, plus I wanted something small to work on before I undertake the massive neckline I finally finished tracing the pattern for.
Speaking of The Neckline, I found a beautiful scrolling vine pattern in the Briggs Pattern Tracing Books on archive.org, number 208. I printed it off at around 85% (I think) so it fit within the neckline pattern I've made. For the key-body part of the keyhole I adapted another Briggs pattern (nr. 609), this one originally intended for making slippers, of all things. I'll do a full post dedicated to that later.
Back to klosterstitch! I've seen it described as 'self-couching' and quite honestly I think that's the best way to do it. In essence, you make one long satin stitch, from the bottom of the embroidered area to the top, and rather than going all the way back to the bottom, you make little diagonal couching stitches (generally along the twist-lines) down the length of your stitch. It gives a somewhat textured feel to an ordinary satin stitch, but with not so nearly a regular texture as Bayeux stitch would. There are a few good tutorials online, and it's oddly intuitive to pick up.
Actually, since I haven't seen much On The Internets about either stitch...stay tuned for a post comparing them. Maybe. I want to do one!
 |
| Like this, for instance. I'm still getting used to saying fiance. |
Maybe not. In any case...
I've done a bit of research on fill stitches during the twelfth century, mostly because I'm sick of split stitch. Unfortunately for me, split stitch is the primary stitch used for filling large areas during this period. Klosterstitch comes in a bit later, but not so late that I can't say "well mmmmaaaaayyyybeeee" by way of justification. In any case, I decided to test it out on my little random-sampler-thing in the Jacobean doodly-thingummywhatsit from Needle'n'Thread.
 |
| Started from the bottom, now I'm halfway decent. |
Also, what happened to all my black silk thread? It's all gone poof, I swear. I had all the heraldic colors, black included, and now I have all the heraldic colors except black. I'm a bit put out about this, as it's making stitching my device somewhat difficult. I have the Right Colors in my stash, in cotton, wool, and silk threads, but I don't have all of the Right Colors in one thread type. Cotton comes the closest, but the blue isn't quite right and the white is more of a barely-green grey. I'd rather be doing this in silk, but....
SIGH. I'll just have to live with it not being in-your-face bright blue, but it should wear a bit longer, on the plus side? I'm just screwed if I run out of blue thread, because I'm definitely not going to be able to source the same dyelot.
 |
| Action shot! |
Klosterstitch is a lovely way to do a satin-stitch-esque thing over large areas. It doesn't work nearly so well over smaller areas (as you could see above) but it's absolutely perfect for filling in a large background. Bayeux stitch was another option I considered, but ultimately decided against, as it seems to have been primarily used for wall hangings. As this device will be going on my belt as a favor (not strictly period, but very SCA) that falls into the 'worn items' category to me, plus I wanted something small to work on before I undertake the massive neckline I finally finished tracing the pattern for.
Speaking of The Neckline, I found a beautiful scrolling vine pattern in the Briggs Pattern Tracing Books on archive.org, number 208. I printed it off at around 85% (I think) so it fit within the neckline pattern I've made. For the key-body part of the keyhole I adapted another Briggs pattern (nr. 609), this one originally intended for making slippers, of all things. I'll do a full post dedicated to that later.
Back to klosterstitch! I've seen it described as 'self-couching' and quite honestly I think that's the best way to do it. In essence, you make one long satin stitch, from the bottom of the embroidered area to the top, and rather than going all the way back to the bottom, you make little diagonal couching stitches (generally along the twist-lines) down the length of your stitch. It gives a somewhat textured feel to an ordinary satin stitch, but with not so nearly a regular texture as Bayeux stitch would. There are a few good tutorials online, and it's oddly intuitive to pick up.
Actually, since I haven't seen much On The Internets about either stitch...stay tuned for a post comparing them. Maybe. I want to do one!
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