Wednesday 20 April 2011

padded metal thread embroidery :)

Progress-commission_45Recently I finished an embroidery for Margaret - I took photos of the several progress stages and posted them all at my blog:

The letters are from the book "Calligraphy & Illumination" by Patricia Lovett - "Majuscules which can be used with Gothic Script" (page 73) and the ring is a based on the "Jewish wedding ring from the Erfurt Treasure".

Friday 15 April 2011

Dragon's Needle Embroidery Guild - Newsletter April 2011 - Renikas embroidered 14th century buttoned dress


Dear honourable Lords and Ladies,
dear gentle members of the "Dragon's Needle Embroidery Guild" and "-eMail Group"!

Another month passed by and again I am very glad that I can feature another lovely project of a Guild member to you - Renikas lovely embroidered 14th century buttoned dress. This project is still in progress and I am especially looking forward to the one or more squirrels she will maybe add in the future :)
http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/2011/04/featuring-another-great-project-renikas.html

Guild Project 2011 - "We have Dragons":
More great news!!! A glimpse at Magdalens lovely patches for this project :)
http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/2011/04/magdalens-lovely-embroidery-more.html
...and once again the project details:
________________ ~*~ ________________ 

2nd Guild Project - "We have Dragons"

- Fabric: wool
- Fabric size: 20,0 x 20,0 cm (7,9 x 7,9 inch) + ca. 1,5 cm (0,6 inch) Surplus for sewing
- Fabric color: every color allowed
- Embroidery: every technique allowed
- Important restrictions: 1) at least one dragon per patch (or more!) ; 2) the basic fabric for the patch should be wool, you can use silk, linen, wool, metal,... (thread or fabric) to embroider it
- End date: October 2011 (please send in your patches till 1st of October)
- The project is open to everyone - you don't need to be a Guild member to join this project.
- Every embroidery technique and skill is welcome - please don't hesitate to contact me if you are interested!! 

If you ever had a favourite picture or story including at least one or more dragons - this is the time to embroider it!

Dragons fighting against knights, dragons sleeping at the top of a hoard, dragons flying above woods, lakes, fjords, mountains; dragons eating or scaring virgins, a dragon mother surrounded by kids, dragons who just lost their fight against the knight (or the other way round), ... just take a journey through your memories and the old stories you read in books or you've been told - lets bring the old legends to life again! :)
...and if your embroidery is based on an old myth - I really wouldn't mind if you tell us the old myth by posting a picture of your embroidery and a short text telling the legend (and if you don't like to post it by yourself, you can still send me your photo and your text and I will do that for you).

Thinking of all people and also the newcomers in some regions, who maybe haven't done a lot of wool embroidery till now, I would ask the lords and ladies who have some experience in wool embroidery to screw up their courage and to offer one or more wool embroidery classes at the next events they will attend or at a private embroidery & sewing evening for your local group - it would be great to see more lovely applique, intarsia,... and all the other possible kinds of wool embroidery in the future!

And last but not least - because of the great support and interest into our first guild project shown by the local guild in Aarnimetsä, the second guild project will be assembled by the local guild in Aarnimetsä under the gentle guidance of the local guild head Lady Fiora. Many thanks to Lady Fiora for her great help.

...and again the artisan who makes the most patches will get a small embroidered gift from the guild head. :)
________________ ~*~ ________________
The "We have Dragons" project is a great chance to get rid of wool leftovers or to swap wool leftovers with friends :)

Guild Project 2010 - "Coat of Arms Wallhanging for Drachenwald":
...and because we enlarged the new deadline for the second part of the "Coat of Arms Wallhanging for Drachenwald" to the end of May, I would like to remind you that there is still a possiblitiy to join the fun and I once again forward some words from the local guild head Renika (Nordmark) to you:
------*------
"Greetings!
For those of you that started or planned a patch (or more) for the Coat of Arms challenge - You now have the chance to contribute to part two! I have three patches so far, but know for sure that many more exists in the kingdom. Please send them to me before the end of May or bring them to Double Wars, where I hope to start assembling them.

YIS Renika
------*------If you want to send one (or more) finished patch(es) to Fru Renika and need her address, just contact me and I'll send you her snail mail address asap.
You can find the project details here: http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/2011/01/1st-guild-project-2010-coat-of-arms.html
...and a picture of the first "Coat of Arms Wallhanging for Drachenwald" here: http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/2011/01/coat-of-arms-wallhanging-for_16.html

"Token Challenge" and the "Pennsic Giftbasket"
...btw. please also don't forget the very important "Token Challenge" and the "Pennsic Giftbasket"!
You can find more information about the giftbaskets here: FAQ - Giftbasket confusion: http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/2011/01/faq-giftbasket-confusion.html
And I would also like to remind you on the eMail Mistress Katheryn recently sent out concerning specific items needed for the Pennsic Giftbasket:
------*------
Greetings!
This year at Double Wars we will jointly work on some parts of the Pennsiv giftbasket. Lady Jahanara is currently weaving the fabric to make two shoulder bags – one each for the King and Queen who will recieve our gift. Theese bags will contain things that might be useful for a King and Queen to have with them.
So, here is a list of specific items that I would like them to contain. If you wish to make a certain item - let me know and I will make sure that we won't end up with to many of one item and to few of another. If you think of something else that could be useful that is NOT on this list - let me know!
This is just a part of the gift so we will still need more items! This is just for a Kings and Queens kit that could be useful for them to have close by at any time!

2 x a small book to take notes in
2 x a small sewing kit for emerency mending, a needle book, one or two sewing needles and small wooden thread spools (I will provide small thread snippers, and all the other parts could ofcourse be made by different people.)
2 x embroidered handkerchief
2 x small bags to either hold duct tape or possibly make up
2 x coifs as emergency head wear
fingerlooped or woven ribbons for lacing for both bags

Any former kings or queens how could add to the list??? What do you think could be a good thing for theese bags?
At DW we will put the bags together and decorate them. The Queens bag will get an apliqued rose and what we will do on the kings bag I don't know at the moment, but we will come up with something!
And as soon as we know what kingdom we're swaping gifts with we could make a few tokens that the king and queen could have in their bags if they unexpectedly want to thank someone who helps out. Even tokens suitable for children would be good!

Let me know if you want to help!

Katheryn
Pennsic giftbasket coordinator
------*------

...and please also don't forget "Duarte's Raglan challenge!"
Especially if making a banner for your local group, barony, principality, guild, kingdom, your own coat of arms,... is already on your list, please join this challenge to add more banners and therefore also more colors to the next events :) - http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/2011/01/for-your-information-duartes-raglan.html
...btw. my flight is booked and I volunteered to hold my Refilsaum and Klosterstich (hands on) class - hopefully I will see some of you at Ffair Rhaglen (August / Insulae Draconis) and I think I will make at least one Guild banner for Rhaglen :)

Now back to the normal Guild business:
Guild Membership Roll:
I am very happy to tell that Anastasia from the Kingdom of Ealdormere joined the Guild - we have 61 members now.
Anastasia is also a new member to the SCA and she is also already working at patches for the new Guild project "We have Dragons" - I hope she will enjoy our Guild project and will find many SCA friends soon. :)
( http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/search/label/Guild%20Member-List )

Guild Blog - Dragon's Embroidery Workshop:
If you would like to join the Workshop, just write me an eMail! ( http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com )
...related blogs:
- Insulae Draconis Fibre Arts Interest Group ( http://idfibreinterestgroup.blogspot.com/ )
- Aarnimetsä Embroidery Basket ( http://kirjontakori.blogspot.com/ )

Guild Fanpage at facebook:
Our guild fanpage at facebook ( http://www.facebook.com/guild.head.Racaire ) has 173 fans! :)
Every project can be an inspiration - therefore please don't hesitate to use the fanpage or the blog and to post your embroidery projects or links to your projects there if you like :)
...and if you think you have a great project which you would like to share, please don't hesitate to contact me :)

Guild Projects / Challenges:
- The 1st Guild Project 2010 - "Coat of Arms Wallhanging for Drachenwald" http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/search/label/Coat%20of%20Arms%20Wallhanging%20for%20Drachenwald
- The 2nd Guild Project 2011 - "We have Dragons" http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/search/label/Guild%20Project%202
Misc. Projects / Challenges:
- A&S 50 Challenge ( http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/2008/03/50-challenge.html )
- A&S 50 Challenge Drachenwald Blog ( http://drachenwald-as50.blogspot.com/ )

Yours in Service
Racaire
Dragon's Needle Embroidery Guild Head
http://dragonsembroiderers.blogspot.com/
http://embroidery.racaire.at/

Featuring another great project: Renikas lovely embroidered 14th century buttoned dress in progress

This month I am again very happy to present another lovely project to you and to feature a project in progress of the very talented Fru Renika Rikardsdottir:

Renikas embroidered 14th century buttoned dress in progress

Renikas-dress-01

Renikas-dress-02

Renikas-dress-03

Renika is also a member of the "Dragon's Needle Embroidery Guild", which is a guild of the Kingdom of Drachenwald within the SCA and she is a member of Nordmark (Sweden). :)

And some words of Renika about this project:
A fourteenth century buttoned dress supposed to be covered in embroidery, at least the waist and arms... Acorns, oakleaves and when I get around to it, maybe a squirrel or two... The dress is sewn in a rather heavy dark green wool, lined with a finer yellow wool and embroidered in wool of many colours.
Renika, thank you very much for the possibility to feature your project - such a lovely project :)

Featured Artisans of the last months:
March: Rakonczays "Mars and Silvia" tapestry in progress
February: Honors "Bayeux style tapestry"

Wednesday 6 April 2011

Magdalens lovely embroidery - more patches for the "We have Dragons" guild project :)

Magdalen has finished a beautiful patch for the "We have Dragons" guild project :) ...at the small picture on the right you get a small glimpse at the beginning of the embroidery but for the lovely final result please visit her blog: Vanhanaikaiset ...and here a direct link to her posting about this patch:

Please don't worry, the posting is in Finnish and English - if you want to read the English text, just look out for the italic text sections :)

She used Split Stitch and also tried Bayeux-Stitch / Refilsaum for the very first time and I think she has done a really great job! Very beautiful embroidery and very nice color combination... a very lovely patch! :)

PS: if you would like to see a posting about your patches for the guild project or join the workshop and post about it yourself - please contact me at: ego_@_racaire.at (without the "_"!) :)